North Point's iBand

My pick of all the holiday music we've had this year. I'm not a big fan of Apple at all. But I love the way all this comes together. Wait for the vocals at the end!! Good Job!

The Ghost of Christmas Past

Merry Christmas!!

Ever since I can remember December's been my favourite month of the year. I admit my opinion might be biased given that my birthday is in the month. Nevertheless a huge chunk of the human race has got to side with me on the fact that nothing brings about a hint of joy quite like Christmas cheer. I have had the fortune (or misfortune as the case may be) of celebrating Christmas with so many different groups of people and in so many different places. This Christmas too is with a new family. God bless their hearts for taking me in! More on how that went later.

My earliest memories of Christmas are the years we spend in Saudi Arabia as kids. While I'm sure that country has a lot of traits going for it, one thing it really doesn't do well is religious tolerance. And I’m not talking about frowned-upon-at-the-country-club sort of intolerance. I'm talking about an off-with-your-head attitude towards outsiders. Ok, I exaggerate, but things could get real bad real soon if you ended up on the wrong side of the religious police force. In spite of this, Amma always made sure there was a tree in the house at the very least. No bright lights and stars on the outside like would be accustomed to growing up here in North America or back home in India. I remember the makeshift nativity scene we built from a farm animal set. There were always presents! A double whammy for me because I knew a few days later I would get my birthday presents. And the cakes she would make. I could devote a really large post just explaining the different cakes amma's created over the years. Drool...

The next few years were spend in different cities in India, each season holding special memories. There were the Christmas stars in more colours and shapes than I could possibly list here. One of the best holidays I remember having as a kid was when my elder cousin got married in December. This brought the whole extended family around which meant good times with the gang. And a great deal of goodies from the land of wonders that was 'Persia'. There was no dearth of mischief we could get into. The more the merrier indeed!

After high school, I moved away from home and the opportunities to spend Christmas at home became few and far between. It's such a sinking feeling, realizing that this is the harsh reality of growing up. No more putting-up-the-tree day. No more secret meetings with my brother to decide who gets what this year. People change. Only because they have to and not because of some need to spend this time of the year away from the ones closest to their hearts. Places change, faces change... some old faces and some new friendships. Gifts get more expensive and decorations get grander. But the ghost of christmas past will forever haunt me. My heart will always long for the days when happiness meant having a tree in the house (even if it's one on the wall made of lights because the house was too small to fit in a tree!) and knowing I’d wake up with my father, my mother and my brother with me. I miss my home right now and my heart goes out to anyone who might be spending these holidays away from theirs. And for all those fortunate enough to be with the ones that matter the most, I do envy you lot. Enjoy these festive times responsibly for you too will miss them when they're gone. Feliz Navidad my friends!! Have an awesome Christmas!

Truth is everybody's going to hurt you; you've just got to find the ones worth suffering for.
     - Bob Marley

Lest We Forget

Freedom. Such a powerful word. Take a moment to savour it. Take in a small sip and let it roll around your mouth.  Close your eyes and silently mouth the word (or scream it out à la Mel Gibson in Braveheart if you aren’t sitting in a public area). Either way there’s no escaping the fact that the word can elicit emotion in the hardest of hearts. Throughout history the soon-to-be-victorious General has used it many times in his rousing call to arms. Possibly even the soon-to-be-dead General had used a few ‘freedom’ laden speeches too (but it’s hard to tell for sure because history as we know it has always been written by the victors). Every one of us has got to remember that this most basic of human rights should be viewed more as a gift. A gift for which somebody, somewhere, sometime in the past gave his/her life for. So next time you stroll by that innocuous statue at the park remember what it represents and take a second to pray for your fallen heroes. Peace.

Rocky Mountain High

I'd driven down to Vancouver last weekend. For those of you not familiar with it, the drive from Edmonton, AB, to Vancouver, BC, takes about 12 hours on a good day and takes you through some of the most stunning mountain landscapes you'll ever see. I have done the same drive a number of times now in a number of different vehicles with a number of different passengers. Drive times have varied from 10 hours on a white knuckle dash through the mountains to about 24 hours on a poorly planned day. The Himalayas are supposed to be breathtaking. And the visitor numbers garnered by the Alps are probably indicative of the beauty of that part of our planet. But until I get anywhere near those places, I'm going to say that the Rocky Mountains constitute some of the highlights of my short life. The drive is a magical journey through unspoiled natural wealth. Starting out west from Edmonton you pick up the pace outside city limits to put the tail end of the high prairies behind you. About 3 hours into the drive, the mountains rise majestically over the horizon and before you know it you're deep in bear country. Stop for fuel at Jasper and take in the quaint little town and the towering mountains surrounding it. Then head south on the Icefields Parkway. This 150 mile highway through the Rockies has been called one of the most stunning drives in the world by National Geographic. If you're lucky you'll see elk, deer, mountain goats and even a bear or two. Drive further south past the awesome glacial landscape and you'll reach Lake Louise. The water is an almost impossibly brilliant turquoise and is surrounded by mountains. Come in the spring and you'll love the matching ice formations on the mountains above. Further south cross the town of Banff and then head west. This bit is definitely the highlight for any motorhead. You could be forgiven for not taking in the sights because you were too busy exploring the limits of your vehicle on those gloriously twisting mountain roads. The road really widens up as you get closer to BC's famous west coast. Before long you'll be saying farewell to the Rockies as the mountains spit you out into the relatively flat freeway towards Vancouver. You can almost smell the salty sea air (well not really but you get the idea). And sure enough you're soon swallowed by the lights and sounds that make up the Greater Vancouver area.

The roadtrip is over before you know it but you have the memories of a lifetime to make up for that. I've been blessed enough to have done this drive quite a few times and given the right mixture of ingredients, it's still a winner. All you need is a good vehicle, a great set of friends and a generous dollop of sunshine and you're all set for good times. Oh, did I mention that this drive is one of the 'Drives of a Lifetime' as designated by National Geographic. That's got to count for something right?