Anuj's thoughts...

Tiré d'un station de metro à Paris - Taken from the walls of a metro station in Paris

'Le but de la vie est de vivire, et vivre signifie être concient, joyieusement, serienement , devinement concient'
Henri Miller


'Il suffit de faire de la santé un projet au lieu de faire de la maladie un cauchmar'
Abraham Mous

A tribute to Morroco!

Continuing with my film discovery adventures in Africa, I attended a screening of a film called La Chambre Noire yesterday. This was a touching film set in Casablanca around 1976.

The film deals with a group of Marrocans being sought after by the state for their Marxsist-Leninistic ideals and their involvement in some free thinking groups. The state is after these individuals to persecute them, and use extreme force to find out the details and co-patriotes of their involvements to build a strong case against them. Reflecting on this, it is so hard to accept this reality, that this could have actually happen, and is probably still happening in parts of the world. We take democracy and the Western way of living forgranted too often. Despite this sad theme, there was wonderful beauty in the film... the lovely Marrocan people, the city, the humour and the language... i need to learn Arab! einshala!

This touching story reminded me of the fight many had to make for this democracy, which even today in many countries, opens itself up to corruption and unfairness.

The peacefulness of being in a Canoe, on the lake and enjoying the beauty and sounds of nature...

Amazing Africa! I am currently volunteering with Vues D'Afrique http://vuesdafrique.org , an African and Creole Film festival in Montreal. Each year, every film I watch, touches me with a hard hit of reality and a dose of what the world can be like. Yesterday I had the chance to watch a couple of films that really touched me. The first was a short film about Guinee... a wonderful culture, lovely people. But the youth are suffering... women are selling theirselves on body street... and dying. Guys are getting guns to be able to protect themselves... there is unrest, violance and deaths... all for material goods. This film is called BE KUNKO.

The second film is called LES SUPSPECTS, an Algerian film dealing with the quest for some to open up the society and others only contributing to its corruption.

what is hard to digest in these films is this injustice that exists in our world. How can there be sufferinig and unjustice among such wonderful people. What is causing this? What are the solutions? Why does this happen????

Ahh.. the joy of being able to go home for lunch! Firstly, it is leaving the office to go for a short walk in the sunshine. Secondly the meditative walk and the pleasant surprises, such as today, running into a friend from Saskatoon (living in Montreal) as she was biking down my street, and thirdly enjoying lunch outside in the lovely montreal spring sunshine. I resited opening a bottle of wine with all this excitement... maybe tonight. Hopefully i can figure a way to post lovely pictures one day of my walk home to lunch...

Friday evening. I am sitting here at 9pm in a Café (http://www.cafeperkavenue.com/) that has enormous potential that is often, unfortunately too empty due to Starbucks and McDonalds revolutions. Today it is filled with artists, friends of artists and computer nerds... and me! People are sharing their art, their music, it is wonderful. The world needs more of this creative energy, sharing. Supporting local artists, a wonderful café and my community... Plateau Mont-Royal. Mix of french, english, spanish and others... and me...

I was planning to go home by 9... but for some reasoon the music, the enviroonment is too wonderful. I can not leave... this is an environment I enjoy in life. Sharing, creativity and laid back times. As I blog here on my laptop, with wireless internet, I talk to a friend in Saskatoon and one in New Zealand...

The world is small, and special... we need to enjoy each part of it, and cherish the small things as much or even more then then the bigger ones. Voila ma philosophie d'aujourd'hui.

As the wisteling over the guitar plays a great tune... i leave u to comment on this blog and the joy of collective collaboration...

I had this wonderful motivation to write about deep thoughts in life... similar to Kid's in the Hall . http://www.kidsinthehall.com/kith/

This first one is on procrastination... anyway, I'll write about it later...

So, yesterday had a Bridgette Jones Movie night with some friends... in point-st charles. Watched the two movies in a row... 1 and 2... I had seen the first one many years ago... faint memories of some scenes... but it was refreshing to see it again.

Intersting watching the two sets of movies and getting a review dose in life and relationships, with a good serving of british sarcasm and humour.

So my philosophical thought : It is funny how in life we can perceive things one way, but in the end another whole thing is going on. I guesse relates to the need for one to have sufficient self confidence and plow through life with the courage and estime ... and love for oneself.

So, my ode to Brigitte Jones and her diaries... which one day will become the Brigitte Jones Blog... if not already exsiting on the inter web today....

Quebec Culture... Société Distincte!!!

These last few days have been a chance to truly experience la culture Quebecoise. On Saturday, Reel & Macadam, a group a dance with here had a spagehetti fundraising dinner... with food (spaghetti), entertainment (us) and dancing (everyone). It was wonderful to see the diversity in the public.. young to old and see everyone reunited around celebration of culture and folklore. Once that violin starts pumping, my feet just can't stop. Anyway had fun dancing in a carée with Rich, Desirée, Marty, CHeryl, Sasha and another couple... since we missed the instructions and few in the group had danced before, we danced to our own rythym as some would say... but the lecon is that as long as we all had fun, that was good.

So quebec culuture, how does that link in? Well, the dancing was about doing your own thing. Not worried what others thought. Yesterday went to a wonderul concert by the Chango Family. Check them out... google it! It is an awesome quebec band that sings fusion music african, arabian, cuban and quebecois... with gitan rythmys and sounds. What was great about this group, apart from the music is that they have a political message... an artistic believe.. not only money and fame. They do not distribute through regualr channels... but auto distribution and promote other groups in Quebec doing the same... Collectivo, Polemil Bazar... and others...

They support the studen strike, and encourage the students to stick in there... and fight for a funky revolution. so yeah, quebec... unique and fighting for that Funky Revolution! all change starts with thinking that is different!