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2011-03-08T15:07:00.001-08:00

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Quick Tips: His and Hers Ideas for Romance

2011-02-22T13:57:00.000-08:00

As seen in the February Issue of Main Street Magazine/ Quick Tips

Printed in Canada, ISSN: 1920-4299 by Rain Enterprises

To find out how to receive your free copy of MSM

check out www.mainstreetmagazine.net

Quick tips February 2011

His and Hers Ideas for Romance

Janice Collins

Marriage is not a noun; it's a verb. It isn't something you get. It's something you do.

It's the way you love your partner every day. -Barbara De Angelis

Romantic Ideas

for Men

1 Draw her a warm bubble bath. Wash her back (& everywhere else). Take your time. Then towel her dry and carry her off to bed.

2 Give her a full body massage without expecting anything in return. You’re sure to get your reward the next night!

3 Little things go a long way. Hold her hand, link her arm through yours while you’re walking together, place your palm on the small of her back when standing beside her. Those tender gestures won’t go unnoticed.

4 Brush her hair at night. This can be very sensual. Be sure to use a brush, not a comb. And don’t pull. Be gentle. If you encounter a tangle, hold the hair above the tangle, then work it out.

5 Tell her you love her. Seems obvious, but many men overlook this. Women like to hear it. Often. Make her an audio tape and secretly slip it into the cassette player for her to

find.

Romantic Ideas for Women:

1 Do something different. Instead of a massage, graze your nails lightly down his bare back (if you have good nails). It will send shivers of pleasure through his body.

2 Let him pick one fantasy a month for you to fulfill. Make up a list for him to choose from (that way the fantasy will be something that you’re not opposed to). Then plan it out as an official “date.”

3 Have some sexy (but tasteful) pictures taken and give them to him as a gift. It’ll be something unexpected and special–meant for his eyes only.

4 Personally write him an erotic story. He’ll see a new and exciting dimension to you after that.

5 Put on some sexy clothes, turn on the music, then slowly strip the clothes off layer by laye

r while he watches.

Quick Tips for Writing Love Letters

Be in a good mood when writing a love letter. Never try to write a love letter when you're in a bad mood, not only will it be more difficult to write, but your bad vibes will make their way into the letter.

· Write a love letter anytime. Don't wait for a special occasion to write one. Anytime you want to spice up your relationship is a great time for a love letter.

· Your love letter should look appealing. Fountain pens look nicer than ball point pens. Plain paper is fine, but try to choose a better grade of paper stay away from lined paper or paper with lots of designs printed on it.

· Think about why you're writing. Do you want to say you had a good time, are you asking for a date, are you expressing your affection, do you want to know how they feel about you or do you want to say I miss you?

· Always hand write your love letter even if your writing is sloppy. Never type it unless your handwriting is truly illegible. Don't underline or write any words in all caps; it's like yelling.

· Only say what you really mean. Don't make promises you can't keep and don't write anything you may regret later. Once the letter leaves your hands there is no guarantee it will stay private.

· A one page love letter is great. Love letters aren’t meant to be long. As you get more comfortable, your letters may get a little longer but don't write a book.

· If you're writing an erotic lover letter, talk about yourself as well. If you wish to arouse you can write about how hot, wet, positions and lingerie.

· Re-read your love letter to make sure it says what you mean. You may want to write a rough draft first.

· Use a thesaurus to find unique romantic words for your love letter, such as:

~ Openers – Dear, Dearest, My Love, Dearest Love, My Beloved, My Sweetheart, My Darling, My Sweet, Darling

~ Middle – cherish, idolize, embrace, hold dear, adore, caress, desire, fondle, fascinate, passion, smitten, enchanted, captivated, treasure, stroking, touch, infatuated, precious

~ Endings – yours sincerely, with love, all my love, truly yours, love, till we meet again, your sweet peach

QUOTES

2011-02-18T06:18:00.000-08:00

As seen in the February Issue of Main Street Magazine.

Printed in Canada, ISSN: 1920-4299 by Rain Enterprises

To find out how to receive your free copy of MSM c

check out www.mainstreetmagazine.net

QUOTES

You know you are in love when you see the world in her eyes,and her eyes everywhere in the world.

- David Levesque -

What Is It That I Love?

If asked why I love her I would sayIt’s the sway in her hips, the thickness in her thighs.
It’s the lust in her lips, the love in her eyes.
It’s the softness of her skin,the silk in her hair.
It’s the twist in her walk; it’s the sweetness in her talk.
It’s the way she loves me that makes me love her each day. That is what I would say.

- Justin Hutchins -

I can forget my very existence in a deep kiss of you.
Byron Caldwell Smith

The sobs and tears of joy he had not foreseen rose with such force within him that his whole body shook and for a long time prevented him from speaking. Falling on his knees by her bed. He held his wife's hand to his lips and kissed it, and her hand responded to his kisses with weak movement of finger. Meanwhile, at the foot of the bed, in the midwife's expert hands, like the flame of a lamp, flickered the life of a human being who had never existed before... Count Leo Tolstoy

True love is: A guy who calls you beautiful instead of hot, who calls you back when you hang up on him, who will lie under the stars and listen to your heartbeat, or will stay awake just to watch you sleep... wait for the boy who kisses your forehead, who wants to show you off to the world even when you are in sweats, who holds your hand in front of his friends, who thinks you' re just as pretty without makeup on. One who is constantly reminding you of how much he cares and how lucky he is to have YOU... The one who turns to his friends and says, that's her- that's my girl!---Tilly Rivers

A Novel Idea

2011-02-07T11:18:00.000-08:00

Irrational Behaviour
By CURTIS SITTENFELD

Maile Meloy called her first novel “Liars and Saints,” but there was a fair amount of evidence she was being ironic, at least about the saints part. There was also a fair amount of evidence that Meloy sympathized with the sinners, an impression reinforced by the title and contents of her new story collection, “Both Ways Is the Only Way I Want It.” Almost all her characters are flawed: lawyers, Montana residents, unfaithful spouses, rich and eccentric older women, young women who are close to their fathers in nice as opposed to creepy ways, and multiple combinations thereof. They are people who act irrationally, against their own best interests — by betraying those they care about, making embarrassing romantic overtures and knowingly setting in motion situations they’d rather avoid — and Meloy’s prose is so clear, calm and intelligent that their behaviour becomes eminently understandable.

Beth, a recent law school graduate who appears in the first story, “Travis, B.,” is teaching an adult- education class on public-school law in Glendive, a small town on the eastern side of Montana. The problem is that she lives and works a nine-and-a-half-hour drive west, in Missoula. “I’ve never done anything so stupid in my life,” she tells Chet, a ranch worker in the class, about having accepted the teaching position, which she did out of anxiety over her student loans. Twice a week, Beth leaves her Missoula law firm at midday, makes the drive, teaches the class that evening then turns around and spends the night driving home.
“There are deer on the road, and there’s black ice outside of Three Forks along the river,” she explains to Chet, who has quickly developed a crush on her. “If I make it past there, I get to take a shower and go to work at eight. . . . Then learn more school law tomorrow night, then leave work the next day before lunch and drive back here with my eyes twitching.” The bizarreness of Beth’s situation is matched by its plausibility; a kind of banal, daily desperation animates many of Meloy’s characters, including Chet, who first shows up in Beth’s classroom not as a real student, but as a lonely person who on a random night happens to stumble into the school because it’s one of the few buildings in town with its lights on.
While the American West is clearly close to her heart, Meloy — who is 37, grew up in Montana and now lives in Los Angeles, and has won prizes from The Paris Review and the American Academy of Arts and Letters — bravely plunks down her characters in a wide range of times and places, including a 1970s nuclear power plant, an East Coast boarding school and Argentina. All these settings are equally convincing, granted verisimilitude by Meloy’s eye for the casually perfect detail: the knee-to-nose stretch, performed while lying in bed beneath a Charlie Parker poster, that a boarding-school girl learns from her roommate; the party in Buenos Aires where an appearance by the Prince of Wales sends the guests into a frenzy and a woman’s pearl necklace breaks and scatters on the floor. Meloy does her research — either that, or she’s lived many lives — but it never feels as if she included information just because, by God, she spent time unearthing it and now wants to make use of her hard work. Rather, she includes tidbits about, say, the playing cards used in raffles at the nuclear power plant because they’re organic to the stories.
Though it might seem strange to praise a writer for the things she doesn’t do, what really sets Meloy apart is her restraint. She is impressively concise, disciplined in length and scope. And she’s balanced in her approach to character, neither blinded by love for her creations, nor abusive toward them. In an allusion to the collection’s title, a character wonders near the end, “What kind of fool wanted it only one way?” The person asking this question is a man considering leaving his smart, appealing wife of 30 years for the much younger woman who gave swimming lessons to his now-grown children. Such a man isn’t particularly likable — in fact, the opposite — but it’s a mark of Meloy’s even-handed character development that you find yourself agreeing with him, thinking, Yeah, what kind of fool? In the end, everyone in these stories retains at least a sliver of humanity, whether it’s an 87-year-old who in her youth cheerfully appeared in movies under the Nazi studio system or a father who wordlessly offers his teenage daughter as sexual enticement to persuade a plaintiff to remain in a lawsuit.
Meloy’s restraint also comes through not in the way she plots stories, which is boldly, but in how she chooses to reveal her plots, delivering shocking twists in as low-key a manner as possible. In “The Girlfriend,” the fact that the protagonist’s daughter was murdered is revealed in an aside. In “Two-Step,” Naomi, a medical resident, talks to her friend Alice about Alice’s suspicion that her husband is having an affair; and though the story is told from Naomi’s perspective, it doesn’t become clear until nearly halfway through that she’s the one with whom the husband is cheating. Meloy drops this bomb understatedly, noting of Naomi that “she had told her husband that she was leaving him, with the understanding that Alice would simultaneously — or at least soon — be told the same thing. It had been a difficult week.”
Thanks to Meloy’s spare, subdued style, the death and infidelity running through these tales don’t take on as grim a tone as you’d expect. Only one story, about the murdered daughter, really makes you want to slit your wrists; and, indeed, a wry humor appears regularly. An Argentine aristocrat observes that another man “was a bore; not even failure could make him interesting.” Or, as one wife tells another, “the whole soul mates idea . . . is really most useful when you’re stealing someone’s husband. It’s not so good when someone might be stealing yours.”
Meloy is also the author of two inter connected novels and an earlier collection, “Half in Love.” Personally, I prefer her stories — “Half in Love” is wonderful too — but she’s such a talented and unpredictable writer that I’m officially joining her fan club; whatever she writes next, I’ll gladly read it.

© Copyright, 2011 Main Street Magazine/Rain Enterprises
As seen in the February Issue of Main Street Magazine.
Printed in Canada, ISSN: 1920-4299 by Rain Enterprises

To find out how to receive your free copy of MSM check out
www.mainstreetmagazine.net

Main Street Music Scene

2011-02-04T05:27:00.000-08:00

February 2011 Issue, MSM

Printed in Canada under ISSN: 1920-4299

All copyrights reserved

The Top-Earning Musicians Of 2010

by David Randall

What does it take to become one of the highest-paid musicians of the 2010s? A career that peaked in the '80s. Nearly half of the artists that make up this year's list of the top-earning music acts have been around long enough that they could have appeared on the soundtrack to Back To The Future.

In Pictures: The World’s Top-Earning Musicians

That U2, AC/DC, Bruce Springsteen and Madonna could collectively make an estimated $372 million between June 2009 and June 2010--a little more than half of the $700 million that the top 10 acts in music brought in--highlights the way that the music business has changed over the last decade. Apple's iTunes aside, few young consumers have shown that they are willing to pay for music that they can easily get for free. Album sales have plummeted by more than half since 2000, taking away a lucrative earnings stream for musicians and one of the ways that artists have traditionally broken through into the mainstream.

All of which makes the success of Lady Gaga all the more unexpected. The 24-year-old New York City native went from playing gigs on the Lower East Side to selling out Madison Square Garden within 30 months, thanks to an album that sounded like the best of early Madonna and videos that seemed to come from another dimension where wearing sunglasses made out of burning cigarettes makes perfect sense. With a worldwide tour and million-dollar endorsements with Polaroid, Virgin Mobile and Monster Cable, Lady Gaga netted an estimated $62 million over the last year, the seventh highest on the list. Madonna, meanwhile, came in below her, at No. 8 with $58 million.

Eighties super group U2 made more money than anyone else in music last year, netting an estimated $130 million on the strength of a worldwide tour that sold 1.3 million tickets at an average price of $94 a seat in North America alone. The band, which recently postponed some dates on the tour until 2011, will likely end up in one of the top spots on next year's list as well. Fellow classic rock staple AC/DC followed U2 with $114 million after finishing up a tour that grossed $2.3 million a night.

Acts that began their careers in the '90s--back in the days when it was still relatively easy to make money from recorded music--round out the rest of the top 10. With a net of $87 million, Beyonce once again proved to be the highest-paid female musician and No. 3 overall, though more than half of her total earnings came from endorsements with companies ranging from Nintendo to L'Oreal and from her growing fashion line. Kenny Chesney, whose $50 million in earnings landed him at No. 9, was the highest-paid act in country music last year.

Musicians may be less likely to break the $100 million mark in annual earnings next year, however. The concert business, which has long stood out as the lone bright spot in the industry, is wilting. Live Nation, which recently merged with Ticketmaster to become the most dominant force in the live music business, now serves as an industry bellwether. It recently announced that ticket sales for its top 100 acts dropped 9% for the year, amid a 17% drop in the concert business at large, and it expects sales to fall further.

The real drop in music industry earnings may be yet to come. "Everybody was surprised by how well the business held up last year, despite the economy crashing around us," says Gary Bongiovanni, the editor of Pollstar, a concert trade publication. The biggest fear of some promoters is oversaturation of the market, as the same acts tour year after year without a new album to support. That may soon lead to a decline in both ticket sales and ticket prices. "In today's world artists have to tour to make money because they can't just sit at home and collect their royalties and expect to make their mortgage payments," Bongiovanni says.

Healthy Relationships

2011-01-21T06:11:00.000-08:00

Five Secrets to a Healthy Relationship with Yourself

By: Katy Berezny

Guess what? I am finally learning to love myself. As hard as it is to put myself first, I am trying very hard to. I know by reading that many will agree and some may even laugh. Really it is very serious.

You see when you grow up finding happiness in making other people happy; you will always look for that one full filling thing. You will never find it. I know this from experience.

Sometimes you tend to look to others to make you happy. You’re still missing the whole point in the one full filling thing that you alone must find. Although things surrounding you can have an impact on your happiness, happiness is still found within yourself.

Tip #1 - To Love Yourself

How can you expect others to love you when you don't even love yourself? Perhaps you are always down on yourself which reflects lack of love. Growing up in abusive environments can leave you with lack of love for yourself, simply because you don't know how to. In order to truly love yourself, you must forgive yourself.

Tip #2 - Forgiving your Past Faults

Not to talk religion but I believe in God and I believe He forgives. If He can forgive then who are we not to forgive? That includes YOURSELF. If we can learn to forgive ourselves for mistakes that we have made, we will have a sense of freedom within. Holding unforgiveness causes bitterness, which is self destructive. You cannot have a healthy relationship with unforgiveness, that includes one with yourself.

Tip #3 - Self Respect and Dignity

Now this is a touchy subject for me. I partially grew up in a home with no self dignity. I had no self respect in the way I acted and dressed. I had a 'could care less' bad attitude, while I walked around in my skin tight daisy dukes. Now we cannot possibly love our self or respect our self for that matter, if we flaunt our bodies like that. If we cannot do that, we surely cannot expect anyone else to respect us. Lacking self respect is dangerous and could get you into a lot of emotional and even physical trouble.

Tip #4 - Self Confidence and Endurance

Sometimes we have to encourage ourselves to be all we can be. Although it is nice coming from others, we really need to do it for ourselves. It makes us stronger and builds our faith up to where we know we can finish the race. Push yourself with balance. Do not overdue it, but set goals and desires, then have the endurance and confidence to reach and accomplish them.

Tip #5 - Trust Yourself

Sometimes when we hurt others, we lose trust in our own self. We fear we may hurt someone again so we tend to be secluded or shy away from things or people. It may seem like lack of trust in others, but usually it is a little of both. Perhaps we have crossed a line in the past and we are scared that we may have to face that again so we lack trust in ourselves to face the problem or situation at hand.

I hope these tips have helped you. We all learn from experience. Talking out your problem with others will help you to overcome a lot of the walls that are building between you and yourself. Remember also to make time for you as well. Do something you enjoy. Wake up with a smile on your face and a song in your heart, and you will be alright!!

As seen in the January Issue of Main Street Magazine.

Printed in Canada, ISSN: 1920-4299 by Rain Enterprises

To find out how to receive your free copy of MSM check out www.mainstreetmagazine.net

Eating Out

2011-01-13T06:03:00.000-08:00

Who Knew?

By: Tilly Rivers

Review: Atami Sushi

Location: 2200 Rymal Road East, Hamilton, ON

www.sushistami.ca

Atami Sushi is located in the GateWay Plaza, in what I would consider Stoney Creek, but the official address is Hamilton. And who knew? Who would have guessed that tucked away in the corner of the plaza was a great sushi eatery?

The restaurant seats 60 people in the dining room, and 30 people in our private parties room, the Japanese Restaurant is a full service Japanese Sushi buffet serving lunch and dinner daily. However, if you are like me, for the most part the word “buffet, or “all-you-can-eat” means hot plates of cold food that people have picked over. NOT so at Atami- they bring you a menu and a slip of paper where you write down your order, and make it FRESH and deliver it to your table. Now that is my kind of buffet!

The Guo family opened the restaurant in October 2009 with a vision to serve the freshest and best quality sushi buffet in Hamilton. Personally, they have not only accomplished it in Hamilton, but it is one of the best sushi establishments I have been too in a long time- Hamilton and beyond! Atami is a blend of sophistication and relaxed atmospheres that just about anyone would love, and a bonus? Take out! You can call in your order ahead of time and pick it up to take home. There is a huge variety to choose from and the restaurant is spotlessly clean, the staff friendly and efficient and the sushi is absolutely amazing! This is definitely worth the trip into Hamilton- you won't be disappointed!

Food- 5 out of 5-

-Service- 5 out 5!

As seen in the January Issue of Main Street Magazine.

Printed in Canada, ISSN: 1920-4299 by Rain Enterprises

To find out how to receive your free copy of MSM check out www.mainstreetmagazine.net

A Novel Idea

2011-01-06T06:02:00.000-08:00

Multiple Lives

By Lucinda Rosenfeld

Readers be warned: Before sitting down with Dan Chaon’s ambitious, gripping and unrelentingly bleak new novel, you might want to catch a “Seinfeld” rerun or two. Jerry and the gang’s quips will be the last laugh-lines you’ll get for a while. The book opens with a Northwestern University dropout named Ryan — one of three alienated main characters — shivering in the passenger seat of a car, his severed hand sitting next to him in a Styrofoam cooler.

The misery and suffering continue from there.

“Await Your Reply” — it’s a strangely benign title for a very un-benign book — features drownings, car accidents, hangings, arson, deaths by freezing and by toxic fumes, torture and suspicious heart attacks. All that’s missing is a mauling by a Doberman pinscher. (Though, for the record, Chaon — who will never be accused of writing “domestic novels” — began his 2004 novel “You Remind Me of Me” with just such a mauling.) What’s more, all the characters are morbidly depressed and, if still breathing, seriously considering altering that fact. Since the action takes place largely in the sleepy towns and cities of the Midwest (with side trips to Ecuador, the Ivory Coast and Arctic Canada), I felt at times as if I were watching an unfunny Coen brothers movie. By Page 200, I was also completely hooked — a credit both to Chaon’s intricate and suspenseful plotting and to some of the most paranoid material to hit American literature since Don DeLillo’s “White Noise.”

The book is essentially three separate stories that link up in the final pages. Ryan of the Severed Hand, a middle-class kid from Iowa, is in danger of flunking out of college when an identity-thief-cum-new-age-pothead, Jay, contacts him to say that Ryan is adopted and that he (Jay) is his real father. Ryan feels as if his whole life until now has been a fraud, and he nihilistically joins Jay in his criminal ventures, most of them conducted via computer from a cabin filled with beer cans and candy wrappers in the woods of Michigan. Ryan’s parents, meanwhile, believe their son has committed suicide and conduct a funeral, which Ryan reads about on the Web. In Chaon’s telling, Ryan feels both sorrow and liberation at his own “death” and subsequent rebirth under the assumed identities of various (stolen) “virtual” avatars. As Chaon writes, “He had been traveling away from himself for a long time now, he thought — for years and years, maybe, he had been trying to imagine ways to escape — and now he was actually doing it.”

In the second story line, Miles, a lonely man in his 30s working for a mail-order magic operation in Cleveland, lives in pursuit of his charismatic, paranoid schizophrenic identical twin brother, Hayden, who vanished some 10 years earlier — and possibly murdered their mother and stepfather. Here, Chaon deftly shows us how a mentally ill sibling, even one in absentium, can continue to dominate the “normal” members of his family, preventing them from getting on with their own lives. Objectively, Miles realizes that Hayden is insane and past the point of rescue or read option into mainstream society. Yet Miles is never entirely convinced that Hayden’s conspiracy theories are hokum. What if Goldman Sachs really is out to kill him? Chaon nicely handles Miles’s childhood recollections of his brother — and shows how Hayden, despite his delusions, outwits Miles at every turn, even when discussing his illness. “Oh, spare me,” Hayden says at one point. “Is that what Mom told you? That I became a so-called schizophrenic because I couldn’t handle Dad’s death? I know you don’t like me to cast aspersions on your intelligence, but really. That’s so completely simple- minded.”

In the novel’s third and least convincing story line, Lucy, an Ohio girl of modest means who has just finished high school, runs away with her mysterious, Maserati-driving history teacher, George, in pursuit of a new start and the vast riches he promises to secure them. But the George-Lucy plot never comes to life as the others do, because, for one thing, Lucy is a confusing character, at once hopelessly naïve (in her blind faith that, without any effort, a giant fortune will suddenly appear) and wise to the point of jaded. Regarding her disillusionment with their fugitive hideaway — an abandoned Nebraskan mansion and deserted motel next to a dried-up lake — Chaon notes, “She’d had an image of one of those seaside sort of places that you read about in novels, where shy British people went and fell in love and had epiphanies.” Really?

Chaon also repeatedly tells us how special George makes Lucy feel. “She loved the way it felt to be with him, that easy, teasing camaraderie, that sense he gave her that the two of them, only them, had their own country and language, as if, as George Orson used to tell her, they’d known each other in another life.” But there is little evidence of that closeness, physical or otherwise. Presumably, sex would play a large role in why a listless teenager, even one who has just lost her parents in a car crash and who didn’t get into college, would shack up with an older man. Yet we hardly see the two of them touch. Nor does their conversation produce any sparks. Instead, it has a stilted quality that I was never entirely sure Chaon intended. “George,” Lucy asks at one point, “is there a problem?” Elsewhere, George says, “There are probably a lot of things you don’t know about me.” Do people speak like this?

In other instances, Chaon’s prose can be sharp and biting. Regarding the old woman who owns the magic shop where Miles works, he writes that, even at 93, she “had the stoic dignity of a beautiful woman who was about to be cut in half.”

The underlying premise of Chaon’s book seems to be that, in the modern world, identity has become so fluid as to no longer necessarily exist. This will not be news to students of 20th-century French poststructuralist theory. But it is rare to see the position worked into a novel, the very existence of which would seem to throw this equation into doubt. (Do narratives not require “characters”?) Yet Chaon mostly pulls it off. As George explains to Lucy before the book’s cinematic denouement, complete with Russian mobsters: “It always comes to this. Everyone gets so hung up on what’s real and not real. . . . There isn’t just one version of the past, you know.”

Without giving too much away, not all the characters in “Await Your Reply” are who they appear to be in the beginning. The title itself derives from the notorious e-mail frauds in which a stranger from sub-Saharan Africa requests the recipient’s aid in securing a lost fortune in gold. Being spam, the message is of course addressed to no one and everyone, making the invariably formal subject line (“Await your reply”) particularly disingenuous.

But the author doesn’t limit his assault on the idea of “I” to the prestidigitations of the wireless world. In an interview promoting his previous book, Chaon discussed his childhood feelings about his own adoption: “Generally, I was very comfortable with the idea, though I did wonder, sometimes. . . . I was sometimes aware of the sense that there was an other life out there that I might have led, or even multiple lives.” The assessment is fairly neutral. Yet in “Await Your Reply” and in Chaon’s earlier novel — in which a suicidal mother neglects her younger son, having never recovered from giving up her older one while she was still a teenager — Chaon seems to be advancing the controversial position that adoption is a tragedy for all involved: the mother who never stops grieving; her remaining children, who bear the brunt of that grief; the adopted child who can never really know him or herself; the adopting parents who are invariably betrayed. Chaon is a dark, provocative writer, and “Await Your Reply” is a dark, provocative book; in bringing its three strands together, Chaon has fashioned a braid out of barbed wire.

Purchase at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Await-Your-Reply-Dan-Chaon/dp/0345476026

As seen in the January Issue of Main Street Magazine.

Printed in Canada, ISSN: 1920-4299 by Rain Enterprises

To find out how to receive your free copy of MSM check out

www.mainstreetmagazine.net

Legal Beagle

2010-12-27T07:20:00.000-08:00

*Please note, “Legal Beagle” articles are general legal guidelines and are not meant to replace legal counsel. Please see your local Paralegal, or Lawyer for detailed case-by-case information.

Am I liable when I host a party?

With the wonderful holidays at our doorstep many of us are planning on hosting parties. Also with hosting parties, most will serve some type of alcohol. The question therefore that you should be asking is this: If I provide alcohol at a party at my home and someone gets into a car accident because of it, am I legally responsible?

The answer to this question is Yes, you are "legally responsible." While answers to these kinds of questions often vary from one jurisdiction to another, as a rule of thumb, anytime you provide alcohol to anyone you accept some responsibility for what can happen. The degree of your responsibility will most likely weigh heavily on the amount of alcohol you provided to the individual in question, and the degree to which the individual was intoxicated, or impaired as a result of the alcohol you provided, and what steps you took to prevent the person, or party from not driving while under the influence of alcohol.

The question of age is an entirely different issue. Providing alcohol to a minor is a separate offence, however if a you provide alcohol to a minor who is not held to the same standard of self restraint as an adult, their actions will most likely come back on you. An adult is expected to know when to drive or not if they are intoxicated, but the law has typically become very strict on this subject. The intoxicated person loses the capacity to make sound judgment, and while this does not absolve them of all wrong doing, most judges will place some degree, if not all, of the blame on the person who serves the alcohol, hence you, the host.

Many bars have been shut down because of deaths related to automobile accidents which occurred after a patron has left. The Bar tender, as well as the servers (waiters / waitresses) have been held liable when they fail to "cut off" a patron, or serve a person who arrives at their establishment already intoxicated. Homeowners who provide alcohol to their guests are often held to the same level of accountability.

As you stated in the above question, "and someone gets into a car accident because of it . . ." There is the catch. If they get into an accident because of the alcohol you served them, then you are responsible. They will most likely be judged as having been too intoxicated to operate a motor vehicle, thus, the person who provided them with the alcohol, served them to a point of being dangerous. If you serve alcohol in your home, you have the responsibility to ensure that your guests do not leave and drive while drunk. Take their keys, provide a ride, call a taxi or call the police. Even if you do not know they will drive, the possibility that they might drive places the burdon of public safety, at least partially, upon you. Simply put: YOUR PARTY--YOUR PROBLEM!

Everyone wants the party to be a good time - an opportunity for you and your guests to unwind. However, when alcohol is involved, things can get out of hand. The risks of death and injury rise sharply with your guests' level of intoxication. Did you know that alcohol is involved in about 42% of fatal traffic crashes and that alcohol-related crashes are the leading killer of Canadians under 40.

The risks are not limited to driving. A large percentage of pedestrian, fire, drowning, boating, and snowmobile deaths involve alcohol. In fact, alcohol-related falls put more people in the hospital, for more days, than impaired driving. If you hold a party at your home and someone gets hurt, you can be sued!

You can be held liable for deaths and injuries on two separate bases. First, you can be sued as a provider for serving alcohol to intoxicated guests who later injure themselves or others.

Second, if the event is on your property or a property under your control, you may be sued as an occupier.

Provider liability does not prevent you from being a gracious host in serving alcohol. Rather, it means that you cannot continue to serve guests who are becoming, or who are already, intoxicated.

With respect to hosting events, all occupiers are required to take reasonable steps to prevent injuries from occurring on their property. Your liability as an occupier is separate from your liability as a provider. Therefore, you can incur liability as an occupier even if you do not serve a single drop of alcohol. Simply allowing alcohol-related events on your property gives rise to some legal responsibility.

Being Sued As A Provider Of Alcohol

Bars and other licensed establishments have been held civilly liable as alcohol providers for the injuries their intoxicated patrons suffered or caused, either on or off the premises. Liability has been imposed even though the staff had no actual knowledge of the patron's intoxication, or had not served the patron all (or even most) of the alcohol causing his or her intoxication. Licensed establishments have been held accountable when they served alcohol to a patron who they knew or ought to have known was intoxicated.

Unfortunately, the legislation and the cases do not provide a definition of intoxication for civil liability purposes. Some courts appear to equate intoxication with a minimum blood-alcohol level of .08% - the level at which it becomes a criminal offence to drive. However, licensed establishments have not been held liable as providers simply because they served a patron to just above the .08% level or because they unwittingly served an intoxicated patron a single drink.

Almost all of the successful suits involve patrons who were served even though they were visibly intoxicated or had already been served very large quantities of alcohol. In most of these cases, the patron was about double the .08% level or more. The Supreme Court of Canada recently suggested that provider liability requires over service plus some other risk factor, such as obvious impairment or knowledge that the patron plans to drive.

Like licensed establishments, social hosts have been held liable for serving intoxicated guests. You do not need to have a liquor licence or permit to be held accountable. The courts have yet to decide whether the principles of provider liability will be modified in social host situations.

Professor Solomon, MADD Canada's Director of Legal Policy and Associate Dean of the Faculty of Law at the University of Western Ontario, has argued that liability for serving the intoxicated should be the same for private social hosts as it is for commercial licensed establishments. After all, it is an offence under almost all of the provincial liquor laws for anyone to serve or provide alcohol to a person who is already intoxicated. The risks are identical whether the intoxicated person drives home from a bar or from a house. Finally, social hosts typically are in a better position to control their guests' behaviour than licensed establishments that often have no knowledge of, or relationship with, their patrons.

Being Sued As An Occupier

More alcohol-related suits have been based on occupiers' liability than on provider liability. An "occupier" is any person who has control over property with the power to admit or exclude others. You may be an occupier as a homeowner hosting a party, as an officer of a service club running a social, or as the renter of a hall for your daughter's graduation party.

The law requires occupiers to take reasonable steps to protect all entrants, including the intoxicated. As the following cases illustrate, an occupier must ensure that the premises are reasonably safe in terms of the physical condition, the people who are allowed to enter and remain, and the activities that are permitted to occur.

Liability For The Condition Of The Premises

The owner of a resort was held liable after a guest, whose blood-alcohol level was about five times the legal limit for driving, fell to his death from a second-story balcony door. The owner had moved a coffee table in front of the door and had warned the guests to keep it locked because the balcony had not been completed. Nevertheless, in the court's view, it was foreseeable that guests would get intoxicated and open the door for ventilation. By failing to barricade the door, the owner breached his obligation to ensure that the physical condition of the premises was reasonably safe. The guest was found 65% contributory negligent for his own death, but the owner's 35% share of liability still amounted to $250,000.

Liability For The Conduct Of The Entrants

A municipal conservation authority was held liable for over $200,000 in damages after rowdy youths assaulted the McGinty family. The authority, which had advertised the park as a quiet family campground, largely ignored the McGintys' complaints about the youths' noisy party. Two members of the McGinty family were attacked when they responded to screams for help from the party. Despite previous incidents with the group that summer and a violent confrontation earlier that evening, the staff had not ejected the youths or taken any other steps to safeguard the other campers. The court stated that the police should have been called earlier in the evening and the advertised "quiet time" should have been strictly enforced. The court concluded that the conservation authority had negligently failed to protect the McGintys.

Liability For Activities On The Premises

Stringer broke his neck diving from a second-story bedroom window into the Ashley’s' shallow swimming pool. Stringer and several of the other guests had dove or jumped into the pool between 10 and 22 times without incident. Mrs. Ashley had warned Stringer, who had at least 6 drinks at the party, not to dive. Nevertheless, the jury decided that she should have told Stringer to leave, stopped the party or called for help to dissuade Stringer. Furthermore, Mr. Ashley should have assisted his wife by asking Stringer to leave, locking the door to the room or otherwise preventing further diving. The Ashley’s were held responsible for only 40% of Stringer's total losses because of his contributory negligence. Their share of liability amounted to over $2,000,000.

Expanding Liability And The "Quick Fix"

While the exact scope of a social host's liability may be unclear, the trend has been to expand liability. It is safe to say that any social host who gives his or her intoxicated guests alcohol or who ignores their safety is courting legal grief. Remember, social host liability is as much an issue at weddings, office parties, golf tournaments, and informal street parties as it is in private homes.

Most of the measures proposed to reduce the risks of being sued focus on impaired driving, such as designated driver programs. While impaired driving poses the greatest risk of death, you must not be lulled into a false sense of security. You should not ignore other precautions or over serve your non-driving guests. First, you may be held liable as a provider if they leave your property and drown, get run over or fall over a stair railing. Second, you may be held liable as both a provider and as an occupier if they walk into your clear glass door, start a fight with another guest or fracture their skull diving into your pool.

You need to consider a number of strategies to ensure that you address the full range of your risks. With a little common sense, an attentive host who adopts even basic precautions can dramatically reduce his or her risks of being successfully sued.

What You Can Do

As you have read, you have potential liability where alcohol is involved. However, you also have sweeping authority to control who comes onto your property and what happens while they are there. Consider the following –

Planning:

Adequate preparation can avoid many of the tragedies that produce lawsuits.

Use care in hosting events. If there have been previous problems with a particular event or guest, have you taken steps to avoid a re-occurrence?

Large events, such as company parties and school graduations, require careful planning and clear policies. Depending on the size of the event, consider using an experienced manager, and trained servers and security staff.

Do not combine alcohol with potentially dangerous activities, such as boating, snowmobiling, skiing, or swimming. If this is not possible, ensure that alcohol is only available after the physical activities are completed.

Check the premises for potential hazards. Since drinking affects judgement and co-ordination, a normally safe condition may endanger an intoxicated guest. Even minor changes, such as locking the gate to the pool or placing a decal on a clear glass door, can reduce your risks.

Serving:

Your risks increase with your guests' level of intoxication. Adopt serving practices that minimize intoxication.

Do not make drinking the focus of your party. Do not permit drinking competitions or other practices that promote intoxication.

Make food available. Guests who have eaten absorb alcohol more slowly than those who have not, thereby lowering their peak blood-alcohol level.

Serve drinks to your guests, rather than offering a self-service bar. A self-service bar may encourage heavy consumption and make it more difficult for you to keep track of your guests' drinking.

Offer your guests non-alcohol and low-alcohol drinks.

Do not encourage intoxication by serving double shots, extra-strong mixed drinks or extra-strength beer.

Stop serving alcohol long before you expect the party to break up. It is simply not smart to serve people alcohol immediately before they get behind the wheel of their car or otherwise try to get home.

Supervising:

Despite your efforts, a guest may become intoxicated. You need to think about how you will respond.

Be attentive to your guests' behaviour and appearance. Be prepared to have a friendly word with a guest who is becoming intoxicated.

Do not serve alcohol to a guest who is already intoxicated. Such conduct only increases the risks of a mishap and your chances of being sued. A guest may be significantly impaired and at risk well before they appear drunk.

Arrange for a guest who may be intoxicated to be taken home safely or to stay the night. Friends don't let friends drive home drunk.

Remember that an intoxicated guest may be at considerable risk even if he or she is not driving home.

Being a good host means protecting your guests, yourself and others, as well as having a good time. The steps you take to protect your guests will reduce your likelihood of being sued. Your exposure to legal grief is largely in your hands.

If you drink... don't drive!

As seen in the December Issue of Main Street Magazine.

Printed in Canada, ISSN: 1920-4299 by Rain Enterprises

To find out how to receive your free copy of MSM check out

www.mainstreetmagazine.net

International Give a Cookie Day Song! www.suchielove.blogspot.com

2010-12-20T12:22:00.000-08:00

For The Boys

2010-12-15T07:24:00.000-08:00

GIFTS

WHAT MEN WANT-- WHAT WOMEN HATE

Gifts For Men

It’s that time of year once again where men all across Canada are biting their nails wondering what they're going to get for Christmas from their wives or girlfriends. A tie? New socks? Pots and pans? A jar filled with air? Oh better yet, that silly sweater- oh wait she bought two so we can match! God only knows what we will unwrap, only to paste that happy smile and say the words she wants to hear- I LOVE it honey!

This year, ladies can you please- pretty please-give us the gift we want? Just because were men, doesn’t mean that we are going to jump up and down at the sight of a new cordless drill.

There is no such thing as the "perfect" gift. Every man is different, with unique tastes and preferences. A carpenter might prefer a new set of tools, a working professional might appreciate a new stylish wallet, while an outdoors man might rejoice at a three-day getaway. The important thing is that your gift demonstrates that you actually put some thought into it -- according to our hobbies and interests (minus the porn).

Here are some gift ideas for women to consider.

DVD COLLECTIONS

Come on ladies, you know what movies are our favourites, the key here is what movies WE like, you know, James Bond, The Spranos, a little Godfather...

GADGETS

The cool kind, like an iPad, surround sound system, kick ass large screen T.V....

TICKETS

Especially sports, but a ticket for our favourite concert would be very cool...

COLOGNE

We like to smell good!

CLOTHES

Admittedly there are lots of men out there that do not like to shop. However, if you have a guy that loves to shop I would recommend a gift certificate to his favourite men’s store.

BONUS

All-Inclusive

For the really good "boy" all year long why not treat him to a combination of dinner, a DVD collection, a DVD player, surround sound AND tickets to his favourite team, and cap it off with a night of magic lovemaking!

Worst Gifts For Her

How Not to Ruin Your Marriage This Holiday Season-You may just be surprised to discover that despite her smiles on Christmas morning she may just be dreading opening those gifts. Hey- does anyone see a reoccurring theme here? More pasted smiles, more declarations of loving something you secretly loath.

So let's be honest here shall we, men, we DO NOT want:

COOKWARE AND GADGETS

We want you to see us a bit of a more romantic light. As your friend, your lover, and your companion, not as the scullery maid!

AUTOMATIC CAR STARTERS

While the man in their life may be giving the car starter with the good intention of seeing the love of his life has a warm car to get into that is not the message we get. The message we receive is that you don't want to be bothered being gentlemanly and cleaning off our cars and starting them. That you would rather linger in a nice warm house and send us off to work in the frigid cold. Unreasonable I know, but again we want our presents to have a bit more romance.

MAGAZINE SUBSCRIPTIONS

There is only ever one reason that is ever acceptable as a gift: she has written a story that you have secretly sent to the magazine and it has been published. Then you may present the magazine as gift but only that one magazine not an entire subscription. Even then you might want to hedge your bets by marking the page and including a note along the lines of "To the most beautiful and talented woman in the world."

FOOTY PAJAMAS

A man should never, ever, buy his wife that kind of bedroom wear, even if she sleeps in them 24/7. If you are buying her sleep attire then buy her something with lace, and that is elegant and beautiful. Buy her something that says you desire her and you can think of some interesting ways to keep her warm at night. Don't tell her to cover herself from head to foot when she is in bed with you!

WRINKLE CREAM

I know, I know, but yes, at times, men CAN be that stupid! Buying the women in your life wrinkle cream will make them feel about the same as your would to receive Rogaine as a gift. Keep that in mind when your hand reaches for those attractive little baskets on those shelves at the local Walmart.

IT'S SMPLE—REALLY

While every woman on your shopping list appreciates the time and effort you spend picking out a gift just for her, they really do prefer a gift that tells them that you find them attractive, fun, and that you enjoy being with them.

Happy Holidays Everyone

As seen in the December Issue of Main Street Magazine.

Printed in Canada, ISSN: 1920-4299 by Rain Enterprises

To find out how to receive your free copy of MSM check out www.mainstreetmagazine.net

Christmas Gift Ideas to Make

2010-12-07T06:23:00.000-08:00

Pretty Handmade Recipe Book

Recipe Book Instruc

tions

1 Cut a 5x7-inch piece of decorative paper. Use adhesive to attach the

decorative paper t

o the chipboard cover.

2 Use a corner rounder to round the corners of the pages, including the cover.

3 Place an adhesive label on the front of your cover.

4 Trim the flaps off 4x6-inch envelopes. You will need one envelope per page. The envelopes will keep different-size recipe cards together neatly.

5 Use adhesive to attach one env

elope to the front of each chipboard page.

6 Punch a hole in the upper left-hand corner of each page, including the cover, using a small paper punch. Punch the hole in the same place on each page.

7 Stack the pages together with the cover on top, and insert a screw post (available at crafts stores) through the hole and screw on the backing.

Monogram Wall Art

Create a decorative monogram to give as a handcrafted Christmas present. Paint a wood letter a neutral color and decorate with buttons, ribbons, and other embellishments, customized to the recipient's taste and style.

Perfect For: A tween, teen, or college-age student; the family babysitter

Make It Say Christmas: Use a last initial and decorate with Christmas embellishments for the whole family to enjoy.

Painted Mouse Pad

Turn a plain cork tile into a creative mouse pad. Stamp an image onto paper and enlarge it with a copier. Cut out the shape; use it as a template to cut the cork tile. Choose laser-cut paper and place it over the cork. Use a foam brush and acrylic paint to fill in the negative spaces. Carefully lift the laser-cut paper before the paint dries. When dry, spray the entire surface with a protective sealant.

Perfect For: A tech-savvy friend, your cubicle buddy

Make It Say Christmas: Use Christmas-motif laser cut paper to fashion the painted design.

Knit a Toy Fido Will Love

If your dog loves to play catch or tug-of-war, you don't have to settle for a store-bought toy with this knitted favourite.

Skill Level: Intermediate

Measurements: Length = approx 10 inches. Circumference at widest part = approx 6 1/2 inches.

What You Need

Yarns

Lion Brand Cotton (Art. 760)100% cotton; 5 oz. (142 g); 236 yds. (215 m); worsted weight

· 1 ball #186 Maize (A)

· 1 ball #153 Black (B)

· 1 ball #112 Poppy Red (C)

NOTE: You'll need only a few yards each of colors B and C for the stripes. Omit B and C if you want to make a solid-color toy.

Needles and Extras

· Size 4 double-pointed needles (dpns)

· Stitch marker

· Washable batting

· Blunt-end yarn needle

Gauge

21 sts and 27 rows = 4 inches (10 cm) in St st (knit all rounds).

TAKE TIME TO CHECK YOUR GAUGE.

NOTE: Using small needles with worsted weight yarn keeps the batting from showing through.

Instructions

With A, cast on 30 sts. Divide evenly on 3 needles.

Rnd 1: Knit. Place marker at end of rnd. Rep Rnd 1 for 12 rnds. Drop A.

Next 2 rnds: With B, knit. Drop B.

Next 4 rnds: With A, knit. Drop A.

Next 2 rnds: With C, knit. Drop C.

Next 10 rnds: With A, cont knitting in St st for 10 rnds or until piece measures desired length of wide end.

Dec rnd: With A, *k1, k2tog; rep from * to end of rnd -- 20 sts. Cont knitting in St st until middle section measures 3 inches or desired length of middle section.

Inc rnd: *K2, M1 (see Make 1 directions, page 66); rep from * to end of rnd -- 30 sts.

Continue knitting in St st for 10 rnds or to match length from the second stripe to the center. Drop A.

Next 2 rnds: With C, knit. Drop C.

Next 4 rnds: With A,

knit. Drop A.

Next 2 rnds: With B, knit. Drop B.

Next 13 rnds: With A, continue knitting in St st for 13 rnds or until section matches the length of the first wide end. Remove marker.

Bind off.

Finishing

Sew one end tog. Cut and fold batting into a roll to fit inside the knitted tube. Add additional batting inside the wide ends. Sew the other end tog.

The Write Stuff

Create custom stationery for a friend by embellishing an unfinished wooden box and plain-Jane note cards with rib

bon and buttons. Attach the ribbon and buttons with double-sided tape or hot glue. Line the inside of the box with brightly colored paper.

As seen in the December Issue of Main Street Magazine.

Printed in Canada, ISSN: 1920-4299 by Rain Enterprises

To find out how to receive your free copy of MSM check out www.mainstreetmagazine.net

Frugal Family Fun Activities for Christmas

2010-12-06T05:25:00.000-08:00

By Rachel Keller

Often in the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, we neglect the most important people in our lives: our family. This Christmas, take time to remember the real reason for the season while having fun with your family. Here are some great ideas to get you started.

1. Attend a Christmas play or performance, such as "A Christmas Carol," "The Nutcracker," or "The Messiah." Even if you are unable to attend a performance, you may be able to watch it at home in front of a cozy fire. Serve homemade popcorn and have fun

2. Watch some old movies, such as "It's a Wonderful Life" or "The Sound of Music."

3. Begin a giant jigsaw puzzle on December 1 and try to finish it by New Year's Day. This is an excellent way for families to have fun together and learn some important skills. Even young children can help find border pieces or sort by colors.

4. Collect your children's old crayons. Peel and place into Christmas candy molds. Place in pans of hot water to melt, or if the molds are heat resistant, melt at low setting in the microwave or oven. Cool and let your children create Christmas cards and pictures for others with their "new crayons."

5. Make your own wrapping paper on white tissue paper or brown paper bags using commercial stamps or a design cut onto a potato. Children love to stamp, but they may want to paint or color, too.

6. Have a birthday party for Jesus. This could be a family activity or you may want to have a real birthday party with your children's friends.

7. Read Christmas stories each night before bed. The stories can be above a child's reading level if you read them out loud.

8. Read the Christmas story from the Bible or from a children's book and act it out.

9. Obtain Bible flash cards or felt Bible characters to tell the Christmas story.

10. Let your children use the Bible flash cards and figures to tell the story. Most children seem to enjoy telling stories using visual aids.

11. After your children become familiar with the Christmas story, take them to a retirement center or a shut-in and let them tell the story. Both the teller and the hearers will be blessed!

12. Christmas is a lonely time for shut-ins, widows, and residents at a nursing home. Take time to share yourself with them.

13. Memorize the first part of Luke 2 and recite together as a family.

14. Go Christmas carolling. Afterward, enjoy hot chocolate and Christmas cookies.

15. Make homemade Christmas ornaments and decorations.

16. Make homemade Christmas cookies and candy and give them out to neighbours.

17. Sponsor an underprivileged child or buy Christmas gifts for children of prisoners (Angel Tree Project). Have your children get involved in selecting the gifts. One of our best Christmases was the year we decided to celebrate simply and buy gifts for a needy family.

18. Study how other cultures and countries celebrate Christmas. Try incorporating a foreign tradition into your celebration.

19. Begin a Christmas journal. Record your family events. In future years, you can reminisce about past holiday seasons.

20. Put together a Christmas photo scrap book. Include pictures as well as favourite cards and letters.

21. Make an Advent candle. Purchase an eight-inch candle. Paint 25 green-and-red horizontal stripes around the candle (using non-flammable, non-toxic acrylic paints). Starting on December 1, burn one stripe each night.

22. Make an Advent calendar.

23. Organize a living nativity scene.

24. This idea comes from A Mother's Manual for Holiday Survival by Kathy Peel and Judie Byrd (published by Focus on the Family). Host a Friendship Stew dinner party. Have each guest bring an item for your stew. Start cooking as soon as the guests arrive. Serve "Snowballs" for dessert.

Friendship Stew

2 pounds ground beef

4 one-pound cans Italian-style crushed tomatoes

2 medium white or yellow onions

4 large potatoes

1 one-pound can yellow corn

1 one-pound can green beans

1 8 1/4 ounce can sliced carrots

2 tsp. Salt

1 tsp black pepper

1 tsp. Crushed oregano

1 6-ounce frozen green peas

Brown the ground beef and drain. Place canned tomatoes in a four-quart stock pot. Peel and coarsely chop onions & potatoes. Add to tomatoes. Add beef and remaining ingredients, except the peas. Bring the stew to a boil; reduce heat. Simmer slowly for 40 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Add peas and cook five minuets longer. Serve with bread. Serves about 8. You can make this stew by leaving out any one of the ingredients, except the tomatoes.

Snowballs

Shape any flavour of ice cream into two-to three-inch balls, quickly rolling each in coconut. Place balls on a cookie sheet and freeze. To serve, place one or two balls in a bowl. (If desired, you can put chocolate syrup in the bowl first.)

"The best Christmas gift of all is the presence of a happy family all wrapped up with one another."

Author of quotation unknown

As seen in the December Issue of Main Street Magazine.

Printed in Canada, ISSN: 1920-4299 by Rain Enterprises

To find out how to receive your free copy of MSM check out www.mainstreetmagazine.net

A Novel Idea

2010-12-02T07:00:00.000-08:00

The Life and Times of Santa Claus by L. Frank Baum

What a Wonderful Treat for Christmas!!!
Review by Craig T Chase

The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus (Hardcover)
This book has a rather peculiar history. Originally published in 1902, two years after Baum's success with The Wizard of Oz, the first printing contained 20 color illustrations. In the second printing, eight of the color illustrations were left out, replaced by numerous black and white marginal illustrations. So you can imagine the delight of Oz fans when they discover this lovely edition in full color readily available after so many years of black and white reprints of the original edition.
The book is in three sections: "Youth", "Manhood", and "Old Age". Santa was discovered as an infant abandoned in the Forest of Burzee. The nymphs, fairies and elves adopted him and under the tutelage of Ak, the Master Woodsman of the World, Claus is bought up to appreciate and understand that all living things are sacred and deserve respect. In the "Manhood" section Baum tells the reader how Claus began making toys and delivering them to the world. He had his problems though. The Awgwas, who are evil creatures and can't tolerate happiness, continue to plague Claus first by intercepting his toys during delivery and then kidnapping Claus himself. "Old Age" describes the immortals' decision to take certain actions so that Claus can continue to give to the world.
Numerous questions are answered here:
What is the reason for hanging stockings?
How and why did Santa enlist the help of reindeer?
Why does he slide down the chimney?
As in the Wizard of Oz a good number of the characters here are Baum's own creations. You'll meet the knooks and the ryls, for example. You'll also meet the Gnome King who is rather benign here, but, by the end of Ozma of Oz, becomes the arch enemy of that fairy kingdom.
Michael Hague's illustrations are glorious. In the "Illustrator's Note" he states that the illustrations took three times longer than he expected. Well, it certainly shows. This was a labour of love. The pictures are in two varieties, full color and two colors. The endpapers show a snowy day in the woods, a small creature trudging through it with a sack on its back. This is indeed one of Mr. Hague's finest moments. I wish I could give this book a 10, 5 for the story and 5 for the pictures.

© Copyright, 2010 Main Street Magazine/Rain Enterprises
As seen in the December Issue of Main Street Magazine.
Printed in Canada, ISSN: 1920-4299 by Rain Enterprises

To find out how to receive your free copy of MSM check out
www.mainstreetmagazine.net

A Little Inspiration

2010-11-24T06:12:00.000-08:00

The Dew Drop
By: Peter Hughes

As the sun rose, a dew drop became aware of its surroundings. There it sat on a leaf; catching the sunlight and throwing it back out. Proud of its simple beauty, it was very content. Around it were other dew drops, some on the same leaf and some on other leaves round about. The dew drop was sure that it was the best, the most special dew drop of them all.
Ah, it was good to be a dew drop.
The wind rose and the plant began to shake, tipping the leaf. Terror gripped the dew drop as gravity pulled it towards the edge of the leaf, towards the unknown. Why? Why was this happening? Things were comfortable. Things were safe. Why did they have to change? Why? Why?
The dew drop reached the edge of the leaf. It was terrified, certain that it would be smashed into a thousand pieces below, sure that this was the end. The day had only just begun and the end had come so quickly. It seemed so unfair. It seemed so meaningless. It tried desperately to do whatever it could to cling to the leaf, but it was no use.
Finally, it let go, surrendering to the pull of gravity. Down, down it fell. Below there seemed to be a mirror. A reflection of itself seemed to be coming up to meet the dew drop. Closer and closer they came together until finally...
And then the fear transformed into deep joy as the tiny dew drop merged with the vastness that was the pond. Now the dew drop was no more, but it was not destroyed.
It had become one with the whole.

Pete is the father of Erin and Lottie, a writer, a part-time juggler, a conduit of love and a bit of a poser when it comes to photographs. He enjoys hopping (left leg); overuse of the word 'absolutely' and waking up, thinking it is time to go to work, then realising it is Sunday.

© Copyright, 2010 Main Street Magazine/Rain Enterprises
As seen in the November Issue of Main Street Magazine.
Printed in Canada, ISSN: 1920-4299 by Rain Enterprises

To find out how to receive your free copy of MSM check out
www.mainstreetmagazine.net

Movember Moment "Moustache Envy" (Moustache, Mustache)

2010-11-19T11:58:00.000-08:00

Lest We Forget - Canadian Veterans Tribute for Remembrance Day

2010-11-11T11:50:00.000-08:00

THE BIG EVENT

2010-11-10T06:18:00.000-08:00

Celebrating Robin Barker's 50 Years in Hair
&
CD Launch of: WHAT ARE THE CHILDREN WORTH?

All words and music by Robin Barker
With an All-Star Live Band & Over 40 Models
Monday, November 15th at 8pm
Revival - TORONTO
All proceeds donated to the Stephen Lewis Foundation

TORONTO - Robin Barker has been in the business of hairdressing for 50 years and is not only a master hairdresser, but a photographer and songwriter and at the age of 70 an avid exercise and golf-fanatic!

Quoted by Hair magazine as "the hottest designer in Canada" Robin Barker started his career in London in the sixties and was managing a salon within two years. He immigrated to Canada and became the head stylist of Caruso's Toronto salon and opened his own salon in 1971. During his career he has received many accolades and been featured in fashion pages and every major trade magazine in the world from Vogue to Italian Vogue. Known as "the Make-Over King", Robin was the stylist who gave Moses Znaimer, the co-founder of City TV, the idea for what has now become 'City Line' and hosted /produced his own television show called 'WOW! You Look So Good!'.

Although hairdressing has always been the forefront of his career, much of Robin's time has been charity driven. Robin has been involved with the Sick Kids Hospital Telethon and was also the motivational force to promote the Parkinson's Cut-A-Thon event nationally. For 20 years Robin was the chairman and founder of the Scissors Open, the Gus Caruso Memorial Golf Tournament, which was charity driven on behalf of the Heart & Stroke Foundation.

Robin has produced a CD of his own original songs with all proceeds donated to The Stephen Lewis Foundation for children affected by AIDS in East Africa and as G.H.D. President in 1984; he is very proud of being the first in the beauty and fashion world to organize a show to raise money for AIDS - specifically, the AIDS Committee of Toronto, before "Fashion Cares."

The Stephen Lewis Foundation supports community-based organizations working to turn the tide of HIV/AIDS in Africa. Since 2003, they have funded more than 300 projects in 15 countries. These grassroots groups are the lifeline for their communities: they provide counseling and education about HIV prevention, care and treatment; distribute food, medication and other necessities; reach the sick and vulnerable through home-based health care; help orphans and vulnerable children access education and work through their grief; and support grandmothers caring for their orphaned grandchildren.

The musicians on the album were hand picked by Robin, mainly from the
Toronto jazz, R&B and pop community, and include; arranger and pianist
Waylen Miki, Juno Award winner Christopher Plock, Maple Blues Award winner Mike Ferfolia, Juno Award winner Brandi Disterheft (bass), U of T graduate Sam Mclellen (bass), Toronto's multi-talented musician Kenny Munshaw, Tony Quarrington (guitar), William Sperandei (flugelhorn and trumpet), Nathan Dell-Vandenberg (trombone), Kevin Clark (trumpet), Jerome Godboo (harmonica), the unforgettable Great Bob Scott (drums) and vocalists Liberty Silver, DK, Dave Statham, Elise LeGrow, De La Funk, Alex Pangman, Sarah Daye, Julie Michels, Sophia Perlman, Chloe Charles and Alpha Galates.

Robin Barker Hair'Sociates is located in Yorkville, Toronto. In 2009, Robin opened a "Signature Salon" at the glorious 240-room Rousseau Resort and Spa Marriott Hotel in Minett Muskoka, and will soon be opening two "Signature Salons" just outside of Toronto.

What's next? He intends to write a humorous autobiography- the names will be changed to protect the not-so-innocent.

For information visit www.robinbarker.ca
The Revival Club - 783 College St
Tickets: $35 advance $45 at door (includes FREE CD)
416 -960-5545 1-800-960-5545 info@robinbarker.ca

MEDIA CONTACT: For an advanced copy of the album / interviews contact
Cat Fawcett - Cat*PR www.catpr.ca cat@catpr.ca 647 895 4310

Eminem & Tupac - When I'm Gone

2010-11-03T14:52:00.000-07:00

Fashion Sense - "How to Dress Your Proportional Body Shape & Flaunt it!"

2010-11-03T05:28:00.000-07:00

There are 5 main body shapes which are: Pear, Inverted triangle, Rectangle and Apple. Last month we looked at the pear shape- and this month we take a peek at the Hourglass!
The Hourglass body shape, which is considered the most ideal body shape because of its pleasing, symmetrical proportions.

"How to Dress Your Proportional Body Shape & Flaunt it!"

An Hourglass Body Shape is considered to be the most ideal body shape because of its proportions, both upper and lower half are in line with each other. There is no "dragging point" in your frame.

What Does it Mean to Have an Hourglass Body Shape?
It means that both your upper and lower half parts have approximately the same width. Your waist is also defined.
You have the potential to dress like a luscious Marilyn Monroe or Italian movie-star!
When you gain weight, the fat usually stores evenly throughout your well-proportional curves.

The "Ideal" Body Shape
Your figure is considered to be the most ideal body shape because its proportional- your bust, shoulders and hips are in balance with each other.
In fact, along with Pear Shapes, your body is considered womanly because of the curves from the waist up and waist down. Many fashion stylists strive to create an hourglass silhouette on their clients!

Celebrities with an hourglass body shape:
Megan Fox, Salma Hayek, Scarlet Johansson, Halle Berry, Kate Winslet, Jessica Biel

How to Dress Your Hourglass Body Shape
Your best bet when it comes to dressing your shape is to flaunt your classic proportionate body shape by using your waist as a focal point.

Take a look at my fashion tips on how to get the most out of your body shape!
You’re Waist as Focal Point
If you particularly like your curves, nice breasts, pretty face, etc., take time to accentuate what you like with clothing and accessories that are showing them off -- by wearing a dress with deep neckline and fitted cut to enhance your curves. I wouldn't recommend it for everyday wear as it can attract unwanted attention. However, it looks fabulous on special occasions.

Your Best Pieces
Waist: Belts
Wide and skinny belts worn around your waist will accentuate your beautiful hourglass shape. Tip: The best way to wear a belt for your body shape, is wearing it around the thinnest part of your waist.
Flatter your shape, creating a smooth and sexy silhouette
Belted tops, dresses, sweaters, shirts, coats
Nipped jackets like trench coat elegantly flatter your body shape.

Almost all skirts
-- Pencil, A-line, circle, tiered. When wearing pencil skirt tuck in your blouse and accentuate your waist with a skinny belt
All types of jeans and pants
-- Flared, wide leg and boot cut will make your hips look slimmer because of the slight flare at the hemline. However Skinnys can enhance your curves.

Tip: If you must wear skinny pants or anything straight and tight (cigarette), balance the look with something loose-fitted or something that pulls attention back up again (chest, face). Skinnys tend to make your body shape look wide-hipped and bottom-heavy.
Jessica Simpson pulls it off with flared leg jeans paired with a black puffed shoulder shirt.
Katherine Heigl makes sure to balance her hourglass body shape by adding an oversized, light colour sweater and tan brown boots.

© Copyright, 2010 Main Street Magazine/Rain Enterprises
As seen in the November Issue of Main Street Magazine.
Printed in Canada, ISSN: 1920-4299 by Rain Enterprises

To find out how to receive your free copy of MSM check out
www.mainstreetmagazine.net

A LITTLE INSPIRATION

2010-10-27T08:40:00.000-07:00

Tom Sawyer And The Fence
Story by Mark Twain

Saturday morning was come, and all the summer world was bright and fresh, and brimming with life. There was a song in every heart; and if the heart was young, the music issued at the lips. There was cheer in every face and a spring in every step. The locust-trees were in bloom, and the fragrance of the blossoms filled the air. Cardiff Hill, beyond the village and above, it was green with vegetation, and it lay just far enough away to seem a Delectable Land, dreamy, reposeful, and inviting.

Tom appeared on the sidewalk with a bucket of whitewash and a long-handled brush. He surveyed the fence and all gladness left him, a deep melancholy settled down upon his spirit. Thirty yards of board fence nine feet high. Life to him seemed hollow, and existence but a burden. Sighing, he dipped his brush and passed it along the topmost plank; repeated the operation; did again; compared the insignificant whitewashed streak with the far-reaching continent of un-white-washed fence, and sat down on a tree-box discouraged. Jim came skipping out at the gate with a tin pail, and singing “Buffalo Gals.” Bringing water from the town pump had always been hateful work in Tom’s eyes before, but now it did not strike him so. He remembered that there was company at the pump. White, mulatto, and Negro boys and girls were always there waiting their turns, resting, trading playthings, quarrelling, fighting, skylarking. And he remembered that although the pump was only a hundred and fifty yards off, Jim never got back with a bucket under an hour - and even then somebody generally had to go after him. Tom said:

“Say, Jim, I’ll fetch the water if you’ll whitewash some.”

Jim shook his head and said:

“Can’t, Mars Tom. Ole missis, she tole me I got to go an’ git dis water an’ not stop foolin’ roun’ wid anybody. She says she spec’ Mars Tom gwine to ax me to whitewash, an’ so she tole me to go ’long an ‘tend to my own business - she ‘lowed she’d ‘tend to de whitewashin’.”

“Oh, never you mind she said, Jim. That’s the way she always talks. Gimme the bucket - I won't be gone only a minute. She won’t every know.”

“Oh, I dasn’t, Mars Tom. Ole missis she’d take an’ tar de head off’n me. ‘Deed she would.”

“She! She never licks anybody - whacks ‘em over the head with her thimble - and who cares for that, I’d like to know. She talks awful, but talk don’t hurt - anyways, it don’t if she don’t cry. Jim, I’ll give you a marvel. I’ll give you a white alley!”

Jim began to waver.

“White alley, Jim! And it’s a bully taw.”

“My! Dat’s a mighty gay marvel. I tell you! But Mars Tom, I’s powerful ‘fraid ole missis -”

“And besides, if you will I’ll show you my sore toe.”

Jim was only human - this attraction was too much for him. He put down his pail, took the white alley, and bent over the toe with absorbing interest while the bandage was being unwound. In another moment he was flying down the street with his pail and a tingling rear, Tom was whitewashing with vigour, and Aunt Polly was retiring from the field with a slipper in her hand and triumph in her eye.

But Tom’s energy did not last. He began to think of the fun he had planned for this day, and his sorrows multiplied. Soon the free boys would come tripping along on all sorts of delicious expeditions, and they would make a world of fun of him having to work - the very thought of it burned him like fire. He got out his worldly wealth and examined it - bits of toys, marbles, and trash; enough to buy an exchange of work, maybe, but not enough to buy so much as half an hour of pure freedom. So he returned his straightened means to his poke, and gave up the idea of trying to buy the boys. At this dark and hopeless moment an inspiration burst upon him! Nothing less than a great, magnificent inspiration.

He took up his brush and went tranquilly to work. Ben Rogers hove in sight presently - the very boy, of all boys, whose ridicule he had been dreading. Ben’s gait was the hop-skip-and-jump - proof enough that his heart was light and his anticipations were high. He was eating an apple, and giving a long melodious whoop, at intervals followed by a deep-toned ding-dong, ding-dong, for he was personating a steam-boat. As he drew near, he slackened speed, took the middle of the street, leaned far over to starboard and rounded-to ponderously and with laborious pomp and circumstance - for he was personating the Big Missouri, and considered himself to be drawing nine feet of water. He was boat and captain and engine bells combined, so he had to imagine himself standing on his own hurricane-deck giving the orders and executing them:

“Stop her, sir! Ting-a-ling-ling!” The headway ran almost out, and he drew up slowly toward the sidewalk.

“Ship up to back! Ting-a-ling-ling!” His arms straightened and stiffened down his sides.

“Set her back on the stabboard! Ting-a-ling-ling! Chow-ch-chow-ow!” His right hand, meantime, describing stately circles - for it was representing a forty-foot wheel.

“Let her go back on the labboard! Ting-a-ling-ling! Chow-ch-chow-ow!” The left hand began to describe circles.

“Stop the stabborad! Ting-a-ling-ling! Stop the labboard! Come ahead on the stabboard! Stop her! Let your outside turn over slow! Ting-a-ling-ling! Chow-ch-chow-ow! Get out that head line. Lively now! Come - out with the spring-line - what’re you about there? Take a turn around that stump with the bight of it! Stand by that stage, now - let her go! Done with the engines, sir! Ting-a-ling-ling! Sht! Sht! Sht!”

Tom went on whitewashing - paid no attention to the steam-boat. Ben stared a moment and then said:

“Hi-yi! You're up a stump, ain’t you?”

No answer. Tom surveyed his last touch with the eye of an artist; then he gave his brush another gentle sweep and surveyed the result, as before. Ben ranged up alongside him. Tom’s mouth watered for the apple, but he stuck to his work. Ben said:

“Hello, old chap, you got to work, hey?”

Tom wheeled suddenly and said:

“Why, it’s you, Ben! I warn’t noticing.”

“Say - I’m going in a -swimming, I am. Don’t you wish you could? But of course you’d druther work - wouldn’t you? Course you would!”

Tom contemplated the boy a bit, and said:

“What do you call work?”

“Why, ain’t that work?”

Tom resumed his whitewashing, and answered carelessly:

“Well, maybe it is, and maybe it ain’t. All I know it suits Tom Sawyer.”

“Oh, come now, you don’t mean to let on that you like it?”

The brush continued to move.

“Like it? Well, I don’t see why I oughtn’t to like it. does a boy get a chance to whitewash a fence every day?”

That put the thing in a new light. Ben stopped nibbling his apple. Tom swept his brush daintily back and forth - stepped back to note the effect - added a touch here and there - criticized the effect again - Ben watching every move and getting more and more interested, more and more absorbed. Presently he said:

“Say, Tom, let me whitewash a little.”

Tom Considered, was about to consent; but he altered his mind:

“No-no-I reckon it wouldn’t hardly do, Ben. You see, Aunt Polly’s awful particular about this fence - right here on the street, you know - but if it was the back fence, I wouldn’t mind, and she wouldn’t. Yes, she’s awful particular about this fence; it’s got to be done very careful; I recon there ain’t one boy in a thousand, maybe two thousand, that can do it the way it’s got to be done.”

“No-is that so? Oh, come now - lemme try. Only just a little - I’d let you, if you was me, Tom.”

“Ben, I’d like to, honest injun; but Aunt Polly - well, Jim wanted to do it, but she wouldn’t let him; Sid wanted to do it, and she wouldn’t let Sid. Now, don’t you see how I’ fixed? If you was to tackle this fence and anything was to happen to it --”

“Oh, shucks, I’ll be just as careful. Now lemme try. Say - I’ll give you the core of my apple.”

“Well, here - No, Ben, no you don’t. I’m afeared --”

“I’ll give you all of it!”

Tom gave up the brush with reluctance in his face, but alacrity in his heart. And while the late steamer Big Missouri worked and sweated in the sun, the retired artist sat on a barrel in the shade close by, dangled his legs munched his apple, and planned the slaughter of more innocents. There was no lack of material; boys happened along every little while; they came to jeer, but remained to whitewash. By the time Ben was fagged out, Tom had traded the next chance to Billy fisher for a kite in good repair; and when he played out, Johnny Miller bought in for a dead rat and a string to sing it with - and so on, hour after hour. And when the middle of the afternoon came, from being a poor poverty-stricken boy in the morning, Tom was literally rolling wealth. He had, besides the things before mentioned, twelve marbles, part of a jew’s-harp, a piece of blue bottle-glass to look through, a spoon cannon, a key that wouldn’t unlock anything, a fragment of chalk, a glass stopper of a decanter, a tin soldier, a couple of tadpoles, a kitten with only one eye, a brass door-knob, a dog-collar-but no dog - the handle of a knife, four pieces of orange-peel, and a dilapidated window-sash.

He had had a nice, good, idle time all the while - plenty of company - and the fence had three coats of whitewash on it! If he hadn’t run out of whitewash, he would have bankrupted every boy in the village.

© Copyright, 2010 Main Street Magazine/Rain Enterprises
As seen in the October Issue of Main Street Magazine.
Printed in Canada, ISSN: 1920-4299 by Rain Enterprises

To find out how to receive your free copy of MSM check out
www.mainstreetmagazine.net

Karma-Vore

2010-10-20T05:54:00.000-07:00

Thanksgiving ‘Vegetarian Style’

Thanksgiving dinner, with its traditional turkey as the main course, can be difficult for vegetarians. Here are some ideas for your vegetarian Thanksgiving menu, from appetizers to dessert.

Enjoy!

Appetizers

Autumn Salad

Or fall salad, if you prefer. A colourful and flavourful salad to enjoy when the weather changes and the leaves begin to fall.

Yield	6 servings
Time	45 minutes
Tools	2 medium bowls whisk wooden spoon colander serving platter or 6 plates
Ingredients	6 T (3/8 c) orange juice 2 T balsamic vinegar ¼ c olive oil salt pepper ½ medium bulb fennel, cored and thinly sliced ¼ c pomegranate seeds 2 navel oranges, peeled and broken into segments 2 bunches watercress, washed and de-stemmed
Directions	Combine fennel, pomegranate, and oranges in bowl. Whisk the juice, vinegar, oil, salt, and pepper in the other bowl, pour over fruit, toss, and let marinate on the counter for 30 minutes. Strain through colander into the original dressing bowl. Add watercress to the dressing, toss, arrange on platter, top with fruit/fennel, and serve.

Notes

Adapted from Myra Kornfeld's The Voluptuous Vegan, in which this is called Fennel, Orange, and Pomegranate Salad.

Wild Rice and Cranberry Soup

An elegant soup made of wild rice and cranberries laced with sherry.

Yield	4-6 servings
Time	1½ hours
Tools	strainer heavy saucepan with lid Dutch oven or large saucepan wooden spoon whisk
Ingredients	½ c wild rice 2 c water ½ t salt 4 T butter 1 carrot, minced 1 stalk celery, minced ½ c onion, minced 3 T flour 3 c vegetable stock ½ c dried cranberries 1 c milk or half-and-half 2 T dry sherry (optional) salt pepper parsley
Directions	Rinse the wild rice, then place in heavy pan with water and salt over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer about 45-50 minutes, until slightly chewy. Drain and set aside. In the Dutch oven over medium heat, melt butter, then add carrot, celery, and onion. Sauté, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes, until carrot is tender. Stir in flour, then gradually add stock, whisking constantly. Increase heat to medium-high and continue whisking for about 5 minutes, until thickened. Add rice and cranberries, lower heat, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes, until cranberries are soft and rehydrated. Add milk and sherry and heat through, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper, and serve hot, topped with parsley.
Notes	You can replace the entire first step with 1½ c of leftover wild rice. Adapted from A Beautiful Bowl of Soup: The best vegetarian recipes, by Paulette Mitchell. Wild Rice-Cranberry Soup is featured on the cover to the left.

Bread

Dinner Rolls

I find that the nicest meals are always nicer with some bread in my hand, preferably warm from the oven. We don't have a nice bakery nearby, so I have to make my own rolls, and this is the simplest recipe I've found.

Yield	12 rolls
Time	3 hours (including 2+ hours rising time)
Tools	2 large bowls wooden spoon electric hand mixer plastic wrap muffin tin pastry brush
Ingredients	1 package yeast 3 T warm water (110°) 1 c warm milk 6 T butter, softened 3 T sugar 1 large egg 1 t salt 3½ - 4 c flour 1 t oil
Directions	Combine yeast with water and let stand for 5 minutes. Stir in milk, 4 T butter, sugar, egg, and salt. Slowly add 2 c flour and beat for 1 minute. Gradually add another 1½ c flour or more, until dough is still moist but no longer sticky. Turn out onto floured counter and knead 10 minutes, until smooth and stretchy. Form into a ball. Oil the other bowl, place dough ball in it, and turn to coat with oil. Cover with plastic wrap, place in warm spot, and let rise until doubled in size - at least 1 hour. Knead for one minute, cover, and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Divide the dough into 36 equal pieces and roll into small balls.* Using a bit of the remaining 2 T butter to grease the muffin tin and enough plastic wrap to cover it. Place three dough balls in each muffin cup, cover loosely, and let rise until doubled, at least 1 hour. Preheat oven to 375. Melt the rest of the butter and brush the rolls. Bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes.
Notes	At this point you can freeze the dough. When you're ready to use it, let defrost, then follow above directions to let rise the second time, etc. Adapted from Jay Weinstein's The Everything Vegetarian Cookbook*, in which they are called "Simple Cloverleaf Dinner Rolls."

Main Course

Ratatouille

The perfect recipe to enjoy fresh summer vegetables and herbs; it can be served half a dozen different ways.

Yield	6 servings
Time	1¼ hours
Tools	knife several platters or plates large skillet or Dutch oven with cover wooden spoon
Ingredients	1 pound eggplant salt 3 T olive oil 3 cloves garlic, chopped 2 medium onions, roughly chopped 3 T fresh basil, chopped 3 T fresh parsley, chopped 1 t oregano ½ t rosemary ½ t thyme 1 pound zucchini, cubed 1 red and 1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped or sliced 2 large tomatoes, roughly chopped black pepper
Directions	Slice the eggplant, sprinkle both sides of each piece generously with salt, and lay out on platters or plates. After 45 minutes,* rinse off the salt, pat dry, and cube. Heat olive oil over medium heat, add garlic and onion, and sauté for 5 minutes. Add eggplant and herbs, stir well, and cover. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 15-20 minutes, until eggplant is tender. Stir in zucchini, bell peppers, tomatoes, and black pepper. Cover and simmer for another 10 minutes, until zucchini and peppers are cooked.

Notes

* Salting eggplant removes the bitter flavour, but you have to be careful. If you leave the salt on for too long, it will permeate the eggplant and - unless you're wild about salt - ruin the ratatouille. The general rule of thumb is that smaller eggplants are less bitter, so very small ones only need 30 minutes or so of salting, while very large ones may take up to an hour. The eggplant is ready when several tablespoons of tan-colored liquid have oozed out of each slice.

This recipe is quite versatile. It can be served hot, warm, or cold. It can stand alone as a stew; cover pasta, rice, polenta, mashed potatoes, or toast; or fill a crepe or sandwich. I once tried it with some leftover pesto - delicious!

The ingredients are also pretty flexible - just be sure that they are fresh!

Side

Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

Make the most of the sweet potatoes available in winter - these stuffed sweet potatoes are sweet and buttery.

Yield	8 servings
Time	at least 1 hour
Tools	baking sheet heavy saucepan wooden spoon knife spoon
Ingredients	4 large, dark red sweet potatoes 1½ T butter or vegetable oil ½ c onion, minced 4 T crystallized ginger, minced 2 T golden raisins 2 T prunes, chopped ½ t salt black pepper
Directions	Preheat oven to 450. Clean sweet potatoes, dry, and place on baking sheet. Bake 45 minutes to an hour, until soft. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, melt butter over medium heat, add onions, and sauté until clear - 8 to 10 minutes. Cut each sweet potato in half lengthwise, then scoop out most of the flesh, leaving at least ¼ inch along the entire skin. Combine sweet potato flesh with onion, ginger, raisins, prunes, salt, and pepper. Spoon into sweet potato skins* and bake until very hot, about 5 minutes. Serve immediately.
Notes	If you want to make the sweet potatoes ahead of time, you can cover and refrigerate them at this point and then bake for 30 minutes. Adapted from The Moosewood Collective's Moosewood Restaurant Celebrates: Festive meals for holidays and special occasions*. It's part of the vegetarian Christmas menu and called "Stuffed Yams" despite a note about actually using sweet potatoes rather than yams

Dessert

Cranberry-Nut Bread

A sweet-tart bread that is equally good for dessert, tea, or breakfast.

Yield	1 loaf or 18 muffins
Time	1½ hours
Tools	bread pan or muffin tin small, non-reactive saucepan wooden spoon 2 medium bowls hand mixer
Ingredients	2 c raw cranberries ½ c white sugar orange zest from one orange 1 T orange juice 6 T butter ¾ c light brown sugar, packed 2 eggs at room temperature 1 c buttermilk 2½ c flour 1/8 t cloves 1 t baking soda 1½ t baking powder ½ t salt 1 c walnuts or pecans, finely chopped
Directions	Preheat oven to 375° and butter/flour the bread pan or muffin tin. Combine cranberries, white sugar, orange zest, and orange juice in saucepan and bring to a boil. Cook 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently, until most of the berries have burst and the sugar has dissolved. Cream the butter and brown sugar until fluffy, beat in one egg at a time until smooth, then add the buttermilk. In a separate bowl, combine remaining ingredients except nuts. Stir half of the dry mixture into the sugar/egg mixture, add the cranberries, stir in remaining dry mixture, then fold in nuts. Don't over mix. Transfer batter to bread pan or muffin tins and bake about 70 minutes, until brown on top and dry in the middle. Cool slightly and serve.
Notes	Adapted from Deborah Madison's Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone.

As seen in the October Issue of Main Street Magazine.

Printed in Canada, ISSN: 1920-4299 by Rain Enterprises

To find out how to receive your free copy of MSM check out

www.mainstreetmagazine.net

Featuring Luke Romyn

2010-10-18T06:50:00.000-07:00

Copyright 2010, Main street magazine. October issue Issn: 1920-4299, all rights reserved. Printed and published in Canada. This is not the complete interview, for the full interview visit www.mainstreetmagazine.net

FEATURING

Author Luke

Romyn

Tilly Rivers

Luke Romyn spent many years, fifteen in fact, working in the security industry. From working doors at some of Australia's roughest pubs and clubs to protecting Mickey Mouse and the Disney crew from the overzealous jaws of tenacious toddlers, Luke has worked throughout Australia and internationally in a vast array of roles.

He's done close protection for UK celebrities in Fiji and chased feral pigs and snakes out of the jungle film sets on Steven Spielberg's and Tom Hank's epic: The Pacific. There are few things Luke hasn't seen.

With all this experience behind him, it would be tempting to write a set of memoirs. Instead, Luke utilized it to fuel his own expansive imagination and began writing fiction. Initially starting with short stories, Luke rapidly progressed onto novels. His first book, THE DARK PATH, is now out and swiftly became a #1 best selling Horror and was also voted in the Top Ten Horror novels of 2009. His second novel, BLACKLISTED, is almost set to go and will blow the roof off action thriller novels.

MSM is happy to ‘feature’ Luke in this month’s issue. After you have read the interview be sure to grab your laptop and key in Luke's website, you will want to grab a copy or two of his novel “The Dark Path” for all the horror fans on your holiday shopping list!

Tilly: Please introduce yourself to the readers

I’m Luke Romyn, author of The Dark Path, the #1 best selling horror novel revolving around an assassin’s attempts to protect a young boy named Sebastian, who is destined to be a future oracle, from a demonic cult intent upon his demise.

Tilly: The statics for women reading horror/paranormal novels has grown over the last five years. Why do you think that is so?

I think the ambiguity of horror and paranormal has extended far beyond what it formerly was. Where once upon a time a horror novel was designed to scare the wits out of the reader or gross them out with vivid scenes of massacre, and paranormal dealt with things of a more ethereal nature, now the lines are much more blurred. Horror no longer limits itself to monsters or simple scares and paranormal doesn’t limit itself to Casper the unfriendly ghost. In today’s literary kaleidoscope the storylines need to be deeper and much richer in order to appeal to a broader audience against greater and larger competition.

The characters are much richer in today’s horror/paranormal novels – gone are the flimsy females screaming incessantly and the heroic male leads battling furiously but confidently against otherworldly creations. Nowadays the characters are much more human, with much more depth than a dude battling giant spiders in the eighties. As such, female readers are able to relate much easier with them, and as such the storyline in general. If you love the characters, half the battle is already won.

Tilly: How does the "The Dark Path" appeal to women readers?

There lies within Vain, the main character, such an intense conflict throughout the novel, that I believe readers of both genders seem to bond with him. What initially starts off as a man without remorse or conscience slowly begins to show a more human side, and fights back against the evil within himself. Contrasted against this is the purity of Sebastian, the young man Vain seeks to protect, and you have incredible chemistry which makes them believable and likeable throughout intense scenes of conflict. Vain’s true battle lies within himself as he grapples to find the good man he once was within an ocean of darkness.

FOR THE COMPLETE INTERVIEW VIST WWW.MAINSTREETMAGAZINE.NET AND DOWNLOAD A FREE PDF COPY OF MSM

Purchase this BOOK to go with that Kindle you just bought at:

http://www.amazon.com/The-Dark-Path-ebook/dp/B003VYBFEW/ref=pd_rhf_p_t_2

Tragic Fairytale- Elli Bennett

2010-10-18T05:19:00.000-07:00

John Hiatt "Feels like rain" Studioversion

2010-10-18T05:15:00.000-07:00

A Novel Idea

2010-10-12T10:05:00.000-07:00

Presents, Natalie Williams

Natalie Williams was born in 1981 in the newly born country of Zimbabwe on the purple carpeted Jacaranda Lane of African/Irish descent. Life was filled in her early years with Irish fairy tales written by her grandfather and inspirational imaginings in the world of Narnia and Grimm’s’ Fairy Tales. In the inspiring world of Africa, she began her journey as a writer winning an honors award for her poem “The Thicket and the Musgrove” at the age of nine. Years later, she now launches her first poetry collection drawing on the inspirations of her life and imagination.
“Daydreams in Mermaid Grass was inspired purely by my own dreams” . Says Natalie to MSM, “I have very vivid dreams with fantastical creatures and often find myself scribbling these down when I wake up in the morning.

The poems in this collection are definitely a good and evil flavour, much like dreams that start out enchanting can end with a strange twist, which got me thinking that it was a lot like life. I am often asked what the title means, the title itself is a metaphor for the hazy feeling you get just before you fall asleep, when you know you're about to drift away and you can't stop it, like bright green grass dipped into water you could only reach out into the depths to find it with your imagination.
Theodore in November is a collection of love poetry, but it's more like a dance from beginning to end; the dance of falling in love. This dance of love is also based in a fantasy world. Theodore represents innocence in the book, and is the object of the Harbinger's affections. November is a time of innocence, between summer and winter. The book deals with how love can be poisoned by the burdens we carry in our lives. The book was inspired by my own experiences of love; both bitter and sweet, and although at times, I have wanted to give up on the concept this collection was a self-acknowledgment that my heart could never give up on love.
MSM asked what new works can we look forward to? “I have recently completed a poetry collection called African Princess, based on my life growing up in Zimbabwe. It deals with the beauty I saw there, the loss and pain of Africa, contentment and a right of passage as a mixed race woman. I am also working on my first novel called Tighten Nuts Before Driving, based in 1950's America about a man who has to lose himself to find himself. I am also working on a fantasy epic based on the world of Bracken, but I won't say too much about that!”

Daydreams in Mermaid Grass & Theodore can be purchased on Amazon or direct from the publisher Jeremy Mills Publishing on their website. Signed copies can also be purchased via Natalie’s website www.natalie-williams.com.
Have a suggestion for A Novel Idea? Email us at books@mainstreetmagazine.net

© Copyright, 2010 Main Street Magazine/Rain Enterprises
As seen in the October Issue of Main Street Magazine.
Printed in Canada, ISSN: 1920-4299 by Rain Enterprises

To find out how to receive your free copy of MSM check out
www.mainstreetmagazine.net

Eric Clapton Tears in Heaven Unplugged High Quality Live TV Recording

2010-09-14T07:12:00.000-07:00

The Country Mouse- Part 1

2010-09-07T12:00:00.000-07:00

Last month we visited the joy of canning. I hope you tried it, and if you did please drop us a line at editor@mainstreetmagazine.net and tell us how it went, or if you took pictures, please share those as well.
This month we take a look at Freezing, the process of freezing food, from leftovers to garden produce. So lets get started!
Top 8 quick tips for freezing food
Below are our top 8 guidelines for safe and correct home freezing for your reference, but for more in-depth and extra information, particularly on certain food types, continue reading the rest of the article.
• Ensure that food is in perfect condition before freezing.
• Divide food into small portions. This ensures rapid freezing and better quality on defrosting.
• Use the correct type of packaging or container.
• Make sure that food is tightly wrapped or sealed and that no air or water can get in or out.
• Check that the temperature of the freezer is at 0°F or below.
• Do not freeze too many unfrozen items at once.
• Leave space around newly introduced packages.
• Defrost items in the refrigerator or in cold water.
About the freezing process
Water is the primary element of fresh food and usually makes up between 50-90% of the weight of the product. Freezing is a way of maintaining these water levels and temporarily preventing the growth of micro-organisms and bacteria, as the lack of moisture renders them unable to multiply when the water freezes to ice.

When fresh food is quick frozen, the cold penetrates rapidly, freezing the water and forming a large amount of small ice crystals. The smaller the ice crystals, the better the food quality after defrosting.

If food is frozen slowly, a smaller amount of large ice crystals tend to form. This means that as the water freezes and expands, the cell walls of the food expand and rupture causing structural damage to the food. This is why sometimes certain foods will be limp or mushy when thawed or just taste and feel different on eating.

The faster a food is frozen the better, so make sure that you use the "fast freeze" option if you have one or that you place the unfrozen product at the bottom of the freezer, which is the coldest location, so that it freezes faster than it would in a warmer area.

If you have several items to freeze, spread them out away from each other until they have completely frozen and they will also freeze quicker.

The ideal temperature at which to store food items in the freezer for long periods of time is 0°F (-18°C) or below. Foods stored at temperatures above 0°F will be prone to minimal bacteria activity, food spoilage and deterioration. At 0°F bacteria are inactivated, nutrients are retained and deterioration is at its lowest.

John Mellencamp - Cherry Bomb

2010-09-07T10:55:00.000-07:00

August: Featuring Author Max Elliot Anderson

2010-08-13T12:36:00.000-07:00

Max Elliot Anderson literally grew up in the film production business. His father, Ken Anderson, was the founder of Gospel Films in Muskegon, Michigan, and later, Ken Anderson Films. At the age of eight Max was “killed” by a hit-and-run driver, while riding his bike in one of his father’s motion pictures. But, since the film was being shot in black & white, the blood came out of a chocolate syrup bottle.

With a degree in psychology, Max has always been fascinated with the power that audiovisual presentations have to instruct, motivate, and influence the thinking of others.

Anderson won Best Cinematographer for his work on the feature film, Pilgrim’s Progress. This was also the first feature film for actor Liam Neeson, known for his work in Schindler’s List, Star Wars, and other films. Mr. Anderson has also won national Telly awards for his productions of Youth Haven, a Safe Place for Kids, and Tracy’s Choices. Tracy's Choices was also awarded Best Christian Documentary. Other programs he has produced have won numerous local, regional, state, and national awards.

Anderson was a producer on the nationally televised PBS special, Gospel at the Symphony that was nominated for an Emmy, and won a Grammy for the double album soundtrack. He has produced, directed, or shot over 500 national television commercials for True Value Hardware Stores. Mr. Anderson owns The Market Place, a client based video production-company for medical and industrial clients. In addition he is the owner of M V P Productions & Distribution. This company was established for the production and distribution of Christian films such as Tracy's Choices.

In addition to his film and production work, Max Elliot Anderson has written thirty-four manuscripts for a chapter adventure series for boys ages eight and up. Seven of these books, Newspaper Caper, Terror at Wolf Lake, North Woods Poachers, Mountain Cabin Mystery, Big Rig Rustlers, Secret of Abbott’s Cave, and Legend of the White Wolf have been published.

Enjoy the interview below and the chance to get to know Max a bit better

MSM: Please introduce yourself to the readers

MEA: I grew up in a family of seven children, and I hated to read. This was interesting because my father was the author of over seventy books. He also wrote, produced, and directed dramatic films and I loved to hang out around the studio to watch production. When I was old enough, I began actually working on some of the film projects and shot my first film when I was only 16. We were in Germany when the cinematographer stepped into a hole and severely cut his foot. Since I’d observed so many productions, it wasn’t difficult to take over the camera so the production could go on.
Later I shot the film, Pilgrim’s Progress, which was the first feature film for Liam Neeson. And today I continue working in video productions and television commercials.

MSM: Tell us about your writing experiences

MEA: I remember back in my film production days how I didn’t think it was fair that a person could sit off in a cozy writing room someplace and dream up scenes for the film script. Sure, it was easy enough to write them, but it was the production crew that had to bring those written images to the screen. But I believe it is my visual, film background that helps me to bring that same excitement and heart-pounding action to the action-adventures and mysteries that I’m writing today.

My writing includes thirty-five of those action-adventure manuscripts along with magazine articles, short stories, video and TV commercial scripts, and a couple anthologies.

Though most of my stories take a few weeks to write the first draft, in the case of Legend of the White Wolf, I completed it in just three days. I don’t write to an outline. Though I already know the beginning, middle, and end, along with the setting and main character, I have no idea what will happen in the rest of the story. So with Legend of the White Wolf, I simply couldn’t wait to see how it would all turn out.

MSM: What lead you to your love of writing for young adults?

MEA: Because I grew up with little interest in reading, I decided to see if I could write the kinds of stories that I would have enjoyed as a child. Once I began this journey, it was almost as if I didn’t care if anyone ever bought a book because the actual process of writing was so completely enjoyable. I loved diving into a scene, interacting with the characters, and then finding out, at the same time they did, what was going to happen next.

I know that boys would rather be doing things than reading about them. They love their computers, video games, and trying out the latest electronic wonder. But there are things that happen to their brains, while reading, that don’t happen with any other activity. I write in order to grab the attention of young readers so they find it difficult to put one of my books down once they begin reading. Probably the best compliment I get back is when kids tell me that reading one of my books is like being in an exciting or scary movie.

MSM: Please give the readers a brief overview of your works.

MEA: A lot of my story ideas come from places where I’ve worked on film projects. Big Rig Rustlers was one of these. After shooting a film on a gigantic ranch in Wyoming, I wrote that story.

North Woods Poachers takes place on Dore Lake, in northern Saskatchewan. I had shot dramatic children’s films there on two separate occasions. Dore is a pretty remote location where float planes bring in fishermen. It was a perfect location for an international crime ring, with poachers of exotic animals flown in from all over the world for distribution.

Other titles include Newspaper Caper, Terror at Wolf Lake, Secret of Abbott’s Cave,Legend of the White Wolf, and Mountain Cabin Mystery.

I should point out that my first publisher was unable to withstand the recent financial downturn and closed late last year. These seven books are going to be republished by Comfort Publishing later this year. In addition, they’ll be publishing a new one, Barney and the Runaway also this year. And Comfort Publishing has contracted a right of first refusal on 16 additional titles.

I’m also developing a traditional series with a second publisher, Port Yonder Press. This is the Sam Cooper Adventure Series. The first book, Lost Island Smugglers, will be released this August. The smugglers in this story are involved in bringing illegal drugs into the country by way of Florida. The next two books in that series will be Captain Jack’s Treasure and River Rampage. This series is expected to grow into several more titles.

One of my short stories, Big Foot, is included in Lay-ups and Long Shots, published by Darby Creek. That book was a Junior Library Guild selection in 2008. And last month, one of my true-life stories was published in a book by Guideposts.

My blog, Books for Boys http://booksandboys.blogspot.com consistently ranks # 1 on Google, when searching that subject.

MSM: What other novels do you have in the works?

MEA: The 16 titles for Comfort Publishing, and the ongoing Sam Cooper Adventure Series, contain stories and adventures that cover a wide range. Pelican Publishing is also looking at one of my manuscripts, Ghosts in the Old Attic. But I stopped writing for a time in order to find homes for what was completed. That doesn’t mean that my writing mind has gone to sleep. My process is to get the idea, take a small recorder and tell myself the basic story, type those notes, and then put them away until I’m ready to write. Right now, I have twelve to fifteen of those solid story ideas I could begin writing. But I’m choosing to shepherd the finished manuscripts and to work more in promotion, marketing, and publicity for now.

MSM: Where can readers find your works?

MEA: When my first eight books are rereleased, they will be widely available through distribution by Ingram and Baker & Taylor. That means that readers should be able to find them in their bookstores and libraries. They’ll also be available through outlets online like Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Or, people can contact me at mander8813@aol.com if they’re interested in details concerning signed copies.

MSM: What is your favorite part of being an author?

MEA: There are two of them, really. I love to close the door to my writing room, turn on music appropriate to the mood of the scene I’m writing, light a candle next to the computer screen, and disappear into a world of my own creation. It’s the most fun, creatively, I’ve ever had in my life. But greater than that is when I’m out speaking and a young reader, or a parent, comes up to tell me how one of my books has touched them.

Nothing compares with that because the writing process is such a solitary experience. Most of the time we never know if the books make a difference or not.

MEA: What would you like to tell your readers?

If you hate to read...do I ever have good news for you. If you love to read...do I ever have good news for you. If you’re a boy, girl, or adult...do I ever have good news for you. Reading my books really is like being in an exciting or scary movie. And it’s a good scary. I think the reason readers enjoy them so much is that I see them as movies on the big screen as I’m writing.

MSM: Last comments?

MEA: There’s nothing like reading. Reading opens up areas of your brain that can’t be opened any other way. Reading allows you to make full use of your imagination at a time when most media tells you what to think, manipulates you with sound effects and music, and limits using your imagination. And remember, readers are the leaders others follow.

Please visit the Author web site http://www.maxbooks.9k.com

July Feature: Author Chris Thomas

2010-07-27T09:07:00.000-07:00

As Seen in MSM, July 2010 Issue ISBN: 1920-4299, Published by Rain Enterprises. Printed in Canada

Featuring Author Chris Thomas

Baked beans, bad roommates and a one-night stand that tops the ‘you will never believe what happened’ list sounds like a recipe for a laugh-out-loud book to me.

‘Journo’s Dairy’ takes us through a year of Rick Hughes, a 23 year-olds life. A life of mishaps and adventures that are out of the realm of most people. Five days before Rick is due to begin his new job as a journalist at an Australian newspaper he has a sexual encounter with "Helga" who, in reality is Heidi, on the run because of armed robbery and credit card fraud!

Chris Thomas, author of Rick’s misadventures is an author based in Perth, Western Australia, with a background in journalism and performance. “My novel, Journo’s Diary,” Chris told MSM “was written with fun in mind but I also added some poignant observations into the mix. It’s a comical tale about the misadventures of a young journalist, probably inspired in some ways by The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole and Ben Elton’s style of humour. I wrote the book that I might like to read at the end of the day – if you’ve been up to your eyeballs in paperwork you want something light and easy to read in the evening. It does get a bit risqué in parts but that’s half the fun… it’s the same sort of humour that stems from the books and authors that may have influenced me and is the kind of book you can dip in and out of without having to think too much."

We are happy to have Chris in this issue of MSM, and we know you will love getting to know this Aussie author as well.
Let’s take a peek into the world of Author Chris Thomas…

MSM: Tell us about your writing experiences

CT: "My background is as a journalist, so the research for Journo's Diary was pretty much second knowledge to me already. As for the writing time, there were two distinct periods I remember writing it - I was on four weeks' leave and wrote roughly the first half then, wrote barely nothing for the next six months, and then it was another period of leave when I finished it over about three weeks. Then there was editing and so on, which would have been another couple of weeks.

"Getting past the halfway mark was difficult, when I got really stuck and wrote very little for six months. I went and wrote a rough outline for what would happen in the rest of the book and from there, whenever I got stuck, I could just refer to the outline to see what should be happening - and that gave me the trigger to write things to get the characters to that point. I always find writing outlines quite painful, as I feel it tends to suck the life out of the creative process, but it proved to be an immensely useful tool."

MSM: What lead you to your love of writing?

CT: "I have a sense of humour, I suppose, and I've always loved the Adrian Mole series of books. That's not to say I don't enjoy other styles of writing; I'm actually a science-fiction fan as well and had a Doctor Who short story published a couple of years ago. The plays I write usually have an element of comedy about them but, saying that, I have one that is a more surreal piece. I think it just stems from wanting to find material that is easy to read - I have trouble with books where the writing is dense and you really have to work at getting into the mindset and writing style before you can actually get into it. That doesn't mean the material has to be simple; it just needs to be written in a relaxed style.

"I'm usually inspired to write by situations I've observed, or things that are getting to me, rather than anything in particular I might read. I mean, I might read a story in a paper and that comes to me when I'm writing, or I read something that might make me think about something in particular and that, in turn, may crop up in my writing somewhere.

MSM: Please give the readers a brief overview of your works.

CT: "Journo's Diary is my only novel to date, my Doctor Who short story One Step Forward, Two Steps Back was published in the collection Short Trips: Defining Patterns and I have written eight plays, which I will be publishing in a collection within the next 12 months, called SMS Mess and other plays - along with SMS Mess (you can watch an extract on YouTube), it also features Reality Matters, Which One?, The Bonza Land of Oz, Who's Your Daddy?, Appetite for Destruction, Pickles and King Bling."

MSM: What other novels do you have in the works?

CT: "Essentially, I'm finishing compiling SMS Mess and other plays, rather than working on a novel at the moment. I also recently finished a one-woman monologue, where she plays five different characters, which was performed recently. The title was Pickles and I let the director and actress workshop and develop the piece through rehearsals. Three of my plays - Reality Matters, Pickles and SMS Mess will be performed in a regional Western Australian town, called Kalgoorlie at the end of May 2010."

MSM: Where can readers find your works?

CT: "For Journo's Diary, head on over to http://www.journosdiary.biz or go to http://www.amazon.com/Journos-Diary-Chris-Thomas/dp/0957952880/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1229327239&sr=1-1

"To read excerpts of my plays, go to http://www.tazentertainment.com.au/Playwrights_byauthor.html

"To find my Doctor Who short story, One Step Forward, Two Steps Back, go to http://www.amazon.com/Doctor-Who-Short-Trips-Defining/dp/1844352684/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1272369221&sr=1-1

"It would also be remiss of me not to encourage your readers to join the Journo's Diary group on Facebook. You can also follow me on Twitter at http://twitter.com/journos_diary

MSM: What is your favorite part of being an author?

CT: "When someone tells me they enjoyed my book - or play - especially when they highlight a specific part they thought was amusing. Then I know the comedy there worked. Good reviews are just the icing on the cake - it's far more personable when you hear the words 'I really liked your book' and they buy another copy to give to someone.

"I also enjoy the writing process and conjuring up characters and situations and bringing them to life, whether it's in book form or on stage."

MSM: What would you like to tell your readers?

CT: "If you have aspirations to be a writer, get it down on paper. Don't ponder every single word or you'll never get anything done. You can always go back and fix it later and iron out anything you don't like. Don't let your projects gather dust, either. Get them out, swallow your pride and do something with them! Be bold and show them to someone, re-work if necessary. Why do all that work for nought? No writing project is abandoned for me - it's sitting there waiting for me to go back and finish one day."

MSM: Tell us what Journo's Diary is all about

CT: A one-night stand...A new career as a journalist...
Constant paranoia....Endless lustful thoughts...A perverted flatmate... Baked beans...

As cadet journalist Rick Hughes stumbles through his new job, he has a few problems. Well, more than a few. A seemingly forgettable New Year's fling preys on his mind as he soon discovers the woman he slept with is a wanted criminal.

This is matched with his less than brilliant start with the Weekend Star and his constant inability to actually ask any women out on a date, George, his flatmate, is a royal pain in the behind.

Journo's Diary is the day-to-day chronicle of Rick's life as he tries to cope with it all, a job made increasingly difficult when the criminal woman he slept with becomes a major news feature. Things get much, much worse before they get even remotely better...

visit-http://www.journosdiary.biz

MSM: Last comments?

CT: "From the answers involving me writing plays, your readers may not also be aware I'm something of a performer and actor, too, and regularly get up on stage in various productions. To me, writing is just another form of entertaining."

Just A Moment

2010-06-28T09:47:00.000-07:00

June can be both an exciting and stressful time. High school students are preparing and shopping for Prom or Semi Formal, parents are making plans for the younger kids being home for summer holidays. No matter which one your family is faced with there are so many areas to cover and so many plans to be made.

We have a few helpful tips and some calming distractions in this month’s issue.

In Creative Cuties which is a new article this month we have a few great and easy craft ideas for the little ones, including a Fathers Day Craft.

Gardening is a stress reliever for many, check out our Gardening for Beginners and Attracting Butterflies and Hummingbirds in our new article Country Mouse.

Fashion Sense this month will help not only with getting the perfect Prom dress, but also helping to update your summer wardrobe.

If you are thinking about saving a little money, or you just want to make your own creative and unique accessories for that perfect Prom outfit be sure to check out our Jewellery Making article for great bead boarding tips.

Find out how to get rid of unwanted mosquito’s, and make a great little bird house in our DIY article

Get some great party ideas from the Party Guru, ideas for all ages and interesting reasons to party! This month Lily’s Garden hosts hottie David Duchovny.

Gizmos and Gadgets has great Prom gift ideas.

Karma-Vore reviews a kitchen gadget and gives a great warm weather smoothie recipe for you and the kids.

And as always we have all of your favourite articles to make you smile.

Enjoy the month of June!

~Chris Reynolds~

As seen in the June Issue of Main Street Magazine.

Printed in Canada, ISSN: 1920-4299 by Rain Enterprises

To find out how to receive your free copy of MSM check out

www.mainstreetmagazine.net

Hope Floats

2010-06-25T10:49:00.000-07:00

The Water Bowl
A man and his dog were walking along a road. The man was enjoying the scenery, when it suddenly occurred to him that he was dead.
He remembered dying, and that the dog walking beside him had been dead for years. He wondered where the road was leading them.
After a while, they came to a high, white stone wall along one side of the road. It looked like fine marble.
At the top of a long hill, it was broken by a tall arch that glowed in the sunlight. When he was standing before it he saw a magnificent gate in the arch that looked like mother-of-pearl, and the street that led to the gate looked like pure gold. He and the dog walked toward the gate, and as he got closer, he saw a man at a desk to one side.
When he was close enough, he called out, "Excuse me, where are we?"
"This is Heaven, sir," the man answered.
"Wow! Would you happen to have some water?" the man asked. "Of course, sir. Come right in, and I'll have some ice water brought right up."
The man gestured, and the gate began to open. "Can my friend," gesturing toward his dog, "come in, too?" the traveler asked. I'm sorry, sir, but we don't accept pets."
The man thought a moment and then turned back toward the road and continued the way he had been going with his dog.
After another long walk, and at the top of another long hill, he came to a dirt road leading through a farm gate that looked as if it had never been closed. There was no fence.
As he approached the gate, he saw a man inside, leaning against a tree and reading a book. "Excuse me!" he called to the man. "Do you have any water?" "Yeah, sure, there's a pump over there, come on in."
"How about my friend here?" the traveler gestured to the dog. "There should be a bowl by the pump." They went through the gate, and sure enough, there was an old-fashioned hand pump with a bowl beside it.
The traveler filled the water bowl and took a long drink himself, then he gave some to the dog.
When they were full, he and the dog walked back toward the man who was standing by the tree.
"What do you call this place?" the traveler asked.
"This is Heaven," he answered.
"Well, that's confusing," the traveler said. "The man down the road said that was Heaven, too."
"Oh, you mean the place with the gold street and pearly gates? Nope. That's hell." "Doesn't it make you mad for them to use your name like that?"
"No, we're just happy that they screen out the folks who would leave their best friends behind."

~ Author Unknown~

Fashion Sense - Determining Your Body Shape and Style

2010-06-16T14:07:00.000-07:00

Determining Your Body Shape and Style

Part: ONE

Style isn't about the trends. It's about reuniting fashion with your height, shape, skin, eye and hair color, personality and age! Sorry ladies, old house wife, Pyjamas are us, frumpy, or t-shirt heaven are NOT fashion styles. They are however a refection of someone who has either given up on their appearance, or someone who does not understand how to dress the body mother-nature gave them.

When you walk out the door you should be showing the world that you are a put-together confident woman. Do not let others snicker at you behind your back because you look like something the cat-dragged-in, or worse, the corner bag lady. Be proud of who you are RIGHT now. Take control of your fashion, and your self confidence by determining your body shape, and what looks best on you now- you will feel better about yourself, and might even surprise yourself to discover there is a sexy vibrant woman under those baggy t-shirts and pyjama bottoms!

DO NOT allow a number to control your appearance, the number on the weigh scale or the tag size is not a reflection of who you are, it is a number-period! This number changes, you know that at 16 you did not have the same number you do at 30, it can go up, and it can go down, let your ‘style’ shine, and say good bye to the ‘number’ that is holding you back!

Reflect Upon Your Previous and Current Fashion Bloopers

Unlike men, you and I are blessed with endless variety in clothes and the freedom to dress creatively with exciting embellishments and details like sequins, earrings and beautiful shoes. But in spite of the many women’s clothing opportunities, you might end up looking ridiculous or "just not right" if you are dressing yourself in the right size or colour. All of us have made fashion mistakes, from the wrong colors to an unflattering cut that made our butt look bigger and our chest flatter.

Fashion Style Facts

Ø Some clothes and fashion trends won’t look good on you.

Ø "The more, the merrier!" doesn't necessarily apply to a real fashionista. Quality always outranks quantity. By quality, I don't necessarily mean the fabric quality. It's more about how valuable a piece of garment is to your style. It's about the versatility and how it makes you look and feel good.

Ø You don't need a fat wallet, model body or the fanciest clothes to look good.

This article series is meant to teach you;

Ø The right way to measure your size

Ø Tips for plus sizes

Ø What works for you and what doesn’t – finding your style

Ø Making it easier for you to decide what you're going to wear- putting together outfits

Ø Finding your best colours

Ø Body Shapes: How to Dress Your Body Shape-Finding Your Body Shape

Ø Tips for petites

Ø Closet organizing

Ø Flatter your face shape

And an entire slew of tips in between.

Let’s get started with “the right way to measure your size”- don’t be scared, remember we have decided that numbers no longer rule us, nor do they hold us back from our beauty- ALL women, of ALL sizes are vibrant, sexy creatures that are meant to stand proud!

Side note:

Ladies, let’s band together and make a pack not to judge the shape of any woman, but encourage them for who they are, with greater confidence we let go of negative body images and ‘want’ to become healthier, (health is the key- not shape!) because we have increased our own personal happiness and poise!

How to find your size

So, we have resolved that sizes mean nothing!! When it comes to clothes, this is so very true, one manufacturer's size 8 is another one's 12. UK sizes look the same as US, but they're not. Because US sizing has changed over the years, finding your size in vintage clothing can be a challenge. But armed with your accurate measurements, you can decipher any sizing system.

What you'll need

A cloth tape measure and a full length mirror. Take measurements undressed (and smile! This is your body- LOVE it) or in lightweight clothes. Pull the tape measure snug, but not too tight. Keep your arms at your side and have a friend take the measurements, for the best results. And don't slouch! Stand up nice and tall.

Bust

Measure around the shoulder blades, under the armpits and over the fullest part of the bust.

Waist

Find your natural waistline and measure.

Hip

Measure the fullest part of the hip (usually about 7-9 inches below the waist-your belly button)

Bra Size

1. Wear a comfortable bra and measure the rib cage just below the breast. If the number is 33 or less, add 5 inches to that number and that is your bra size. For example, you measured 31 inches + 5 = bra size 36. Over 33 inches add 3 inches to get you bra size. For example you measured 40 + 3 = bra size 43.

Both ways--rounding odd numbers up to even.

2. Then measure the bust around the fullest part. When you subtract the last number (fullest part) by the among of your bra size, you'll come up with a number used to determine cup size by using the chart below (the A,B,C, etc. cup chart) For example if your bra size was 36 and your cup measurement was 38, the difference is 2" so you would wear a 36B.

Use this Cup chart:

AA = 1/2" A = 1" B = 2"
C = 3" D = 4" DD or E = 5"
F = 6" G = 7"

Hats

Measure above the ears about 1/2" around the forehead.

Gloves

With hand partially closed, measure over the knuckles, around the hand, excluding the thumb.

Tips

Ø UK sizes may seem the same as U.S. women's, but are generally about a size smaller (a U.S. 8 is about a UK 10) To find your European size, you can add 30 to your size. A U.S. 6 is a Euro 36. Always refer to size charts for fit!

Ø When buying vintage clothing, be aware that the sizes have changed drastically over the years.

Ø If it's cotton, it's going to shrink. Add anywhere from 1/3" to 3/4" extra to compensate. Some makers count potential shrinkage into the size already. When in doubt -- ask a customer service person.

Ø Many manufacturers or stores may have their own special fit and size tips. It's a good idea to consult any additional information.

Ø Get a great tailor, because no matter how closely you order your size, it's still not custom made, you will be surprised for only a few dollars more having your clothes tailored what it will do for a proper look.

So there you have it ladies, part one is complete, come back for the July issue, as we discuss tips for plus sizes and how to determine your body shape.

~Louise Kana~

As seen in the June Issue of Main Street Magazine.

Printed in Canada, ISSN: 1920-4299 by Rain Enterprises

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