Spectacular End to 2010 Winter Olympics

CANADA CELEBRATES
The entire nation was glued to the TV today for a heart pounding Men's Hockey Game against the USA which Canada won in a sudden death shoot out 3-2. Congrats to the amazing American Team who took Silver. People quickly began posting video of the spontaneous burst of celebration that erupted everywhere from sea to shining sea. The noise was deafening. Hockey definitely unites a very multi-cultural bi-lingual diverse nation.

The men's curling team also won Gold and so did the Women's Hockey Team.

14 GOLDS by a host nation is one for the record books and will go down in history.

I drove around Sechelt, here on the Sunshine Coast, BC and it was like a ghost town. Everyone was at home watching the hockey game. When I drove about after the men's hockey win, people were honking their horns and some standing on the streets waving flags to motorists. It's not about how many medals you win its how you play the game and I think the whole Olympic event was a terrific success uniting people from every corner of the planet in Peace! Well done!



SPOOFING CANADIANS
The Closing Ceremonies were a spectacular production with some tongue in cheek Canadian humour and cheesy shtick thrown in for good measure. At one point it looked like a Vegas or Broadway tribute to the iconic stereotype of all things Canada, from Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Moose, Beavers, dancing Maple Leafs and more... Some big stars performed including Nickelback, Avril Lavigne, Alanis Morisette, Simple Plan, Hedley, Michael Buble, Neil Young, William Shatner, Catherine O'Hara, Martin Short and Michael J. Fox. It is nice to see that Canadians have actually for the first time actually proudly and loudly celebrated their country.


I just want to thank the Olympians and athletes for inspiring me and helping me to keep on keeping on through some serious struggles I am facing in my own life.

Peace out to the World! Duane

Historic Gold Medal TEN

CANADA COMES OF AGE
Canada won an unbelievable tenth Gold Medal today as the nation was glued to a heart-attach inducing 3rd period hockey game between Canada and Slovakia who nearly stole the game. Canada held their 3-2 lead. ▌♥ ▌GO CANADA ▌♥ ▌ This puts Canada in the Gold Medal lead against Germany and the USA. Not bad for such a small country as ours. Canada mania has attracted over 100,000 people to the downtown core to celebrate and officials are bracing for that to double or triple over the weekend. REMEMBER its how you play the game and doing your personal best that matters the most. Oh My! How Canadian of me to say that. LOL




MEDIA FRENZY
I have to also thank Oprah, The Colbert Report and the USA and International Media for all their kind coverage of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic games. Much appreciated!


TEMPEST IN A BEER BOTTLE
The big controversy of the Olympics at the moment is the Canadian Women's Hockey Team who toasted their fabulous Gold medal win with some beer, champagne and cigars after the public left the ice arena. The IOC is not amused. The average person is like whatever and a few are strongly offended.

BAD EXAMPLE
I blogged about the drinking laws here in BC a couple days ago. I think that drinking laws need to be relaxed and they send a worse message to youth then what the ladies hockey game did. It drives people underground with their alcohol. If the International Olympic Committee is so worried about the bad example the sports team is showing to youth, why is it they are plagued with controversy around corruption and would allow sponsors like McDonald's and Coke to push their crap on young people.

CHEERS OPRAH
Was hilarious and a great last laugh to see the Oprah Winfrey show today interviewing charismatic Gold Medal Canadian Skeleton athlete Jon Montgomery then finish up with a toast and cheers with two glasses of beer in true Canadian style while in a public skating rink in Robson Square, especially after all the controversy about the woman's hockey team.

ROCK OUT YOUTH
It was nice today to get an email that Rock the Vote added the rap parody "I'm On A Break" that I star in spoofing the PM of Canada proroguing parliament to the front page of their popular political youth web page. Rock the Nation engages young people from Canada and USA to create positive social, environmental and political change. They advocate taking action on the issue of global warming and saving the planet.
WOOT WOOT That's Ill, man!

Rock the Vote www.RocktheVote.CA Rock the Nation www.RocktheNation.org

Try to keep this short today so I don't ramble on. Feeling like I might have got through the crushing pressure from my dog passing away and loosing my job. I am noticing two distinct currents of transformation, the sadness and depression, versus the the joy of being. HUGS Duane

VISIT THE SUNSHINE COAST
Come and visit us on the Sunshine Coast, BC anytime. We are a stunning 40 min ferry cruise from Vancouver, Canada. Gibsons, the gateway to the Sunshine Coast was named this year's best town in the world by by the International Awards for Liveable Communities which has the endorsement of the United Nations.

With Glowing Hearts

MOST GOLDS IN HISTORY
I think this Winter Olympics will go down in the history of Canada for so many historic gold firsts for our athletes, and the games aren't over yet.


GOLD GONE WILD
When I first tweeted, facebooked and blogged the first Gold Medal for Canada I had no idea that 8 golds later it has almost become work. LOL Not that I mind or I am complaining. Actually very proud to say the least.

WOMEN"S HOCKEY GOLD
I am thrilled for the Canadian Women's Hockey Team who took Gold in an exciting 2-0 match with the USA today.

BRONZE 4 JOANNIE
I have not been blogging about bronze or silver medals but tonight I just have to send HUGS and Love to Joannie Rochette who won Bronze in Figure Skating tonight in courageous memory of her mother who passed away at the Olympics. What a heart-wrenching and inspiring story. Made me cry.


▌♥ ▌ GO CANADA GO! ▌♥ ▌


FEEL GOOD GAMES
I had no plans to make this blog about the Olympics but it is as it is. I have to admit, the inspiring Canadian athletes are actually helping me through my personal grief, sadness and lack of direction and sense of loss here at my personal "unemployment" centre. Thanks for that.

POVERTY OLYMPICS
Being a photographer, photojournalist in the news media and social networking on facebook and twitter I have seen both sides of the debate on the costs of the Winter Olympics and where we as a civilized people spend our Earth's resources.

Apparently Vancouver 2010 Games are tallying up a price tag of $6 billion. Many people have complained that this money should go towards social programs and helping the world. While other say the Olympics will attract business to British Columbia and the spin-offs will benefit the poor and homeless.

SOCIAL PROGRAMS PART OF OLYMPICS
My two cents on this is that a third additional pillar to the sports and culture aspects of the Olympic games would be to also include $1 billion or more towards social programs in the host country as a part of the games legacy.

NOW wouldn't that be awesome. I believe.

Here are two photo albums showing the differing views of the Olympic experience on the Sunshine Coast:

1) Sunshine Coast Torch Relay PHOTOS from Sechelt, Roberts Creek and Langdale
2) Poverty Olympic Walk PHOTOS protesting the games through downtown Sechelt


LOOSING YOUR PET
As I work my way through loosing my dear soul mate Tundra, a stunningly beautiful and gorgeously spirited Siberian Husky (hehehehe am I sounding like too proud a Daddy?) many people in the community have shared with me their heartbreaking personal stories.

Several people have told me there dogs suffered terrible illness near the end or they had to have the veterinarian euthanize their loved pet. They are devastated. I send all of you healing HUGS. That has to be one of the hardest choices to have to make. Thank you for sharing your HUGS, tears and your kind donations to Tundra's drinking fountain fund in honour of your own loved ones and our shared grieving.

TEARS and CHEERS
Do they go together?
I find it interesting to witness myself and where I am at emotionally when I am watching a Gold medal celebration and I am cheering one the one hand and crying with grief and depression on the other. What a mix to have both at the same time. It's probably the lack of rest from my sleep disorder which makes me sensitive.

DOWNLOAD
In celebration of all the historic Gold Medal Wins for Canada I made a Canadian Flag with a GOLD maple leaf in the middle (click here) for everyone to share on their facebooks and twitters. Many people are making it their facebook profile photo and tagging with their name so it appears on their profile tooe. You can also just save the image on my blog.

LAST NOTE IS A KILLER
Yesterday I blogged about the tragic death by an Orca. I noticed the mainstream media have now changed their coverage from the horrible drowning death by the Killer Whale at Sea World from last night to how animal rights groups are saying these magnificent creatures belong in the wild not in amusement parks. Amen!

Cheers. Wishing you GOLD in your own hearts!
http://www.twitter.com/duaneburnett

**

Women's Wednesday!

A 1-2 PUNCH!
Canada WINS GOLD and SILVER in Women's bobsled. Congrats Ladies!



In Winter Olympic Hockey Canada scores 7 against Russia's 3 >> A great game by both teams!!!! Canada advances to the next round!


▌♥ ▌ GO CANADA GO! ▌♥ ▌


GIRL POWER
An interesting fact about the Canadian Olympic Team, the women have brought in a resounding majority of all the medals in the last two Winter Olympics.

KILLERS FOR A REASON
My sincerest condolences to the trainer drowned by a Killer Whale at Sea World today. Horribly I found myself agreeing with the whale. These giant creatures and spirits of the animal world do not belong in captivity. Wouldn't you go mad confined to a small pen all your life? I don't like the whales at the Stanley Park Aquarium either! Why not put the money it costs to care for these amazing creatures towards taking the kids out on field trips to see real animal behavior in the wild rather then stupid lame tricks. Or build a giant Canadian invented IMAX screen to show wildlife on. A much more education experience I would think and less cruel...


LIFETIME OF CHRONIC PAIN
Yesterday I mentioned how "horrible" my health is lately. Perhaps that is a little dramatic. I am frustrated and I thought I should explain. I am trying to cope with severe sleep apnea and fibromyalgia which makes me feel like I have been run over by a fleet of logging trucks every day. Morning are brutal and it has exasperated feelings of depression. I was told by BC Ferries and their doctors when they booted me off disability insurance saying basically in my mind that lack of breathing and oxygen was no reason I couldn't go back to work on the ferries! I have to thank universe for the photography gig with The Local, that and Tundra, is all that has kept me going these past years, oh and helping the community.

BEING OF SERVICE
I have found solace in being on purpose and of service to the community. Taking photos for the local newspaper and helping the community kept my mind off things, but when I got fired, er "let go" it opened up a lot of time on my hands. Then as you know, on top of that, my soul mate, Tundra, a Siberian Husky passed away. Then, maybe it's my poor me victim voice, but I don't feel much support from the businesses, real estate and local tourism types for my photography, which attracts people to spend their big bucks here on the coast in the first place. I realize that my mental health probably contributes to my lack of business savvy on the flip side. People here call me the Sunshine Coast's Number One ambassador so it does confuse me a lot. I guess its all part of transformation and new beginnings. I have pretty much figured it is best to get out of the photography world altogether as you read in my previous blog.

HUBBING & BLOGGING SUNSHINE COAST
I am following some great blogspots which you can see over on the blog links section. A world famous ice painting artist, a friend who is blogging about her cancer, another friend who is bi-polar and has made a highly successful and acclaimed stage play out of it, a wonderful artist in Vancouver and I am adding more all the time.

FOLLOW MY SOCIAL NETWORK
You can also join me, Duane Burnett on facebook, twitter, youtube, myspace and flickr. On my facebook profile I am giving away prizes and blogging coast events, on my fan page, I am uploading Sunshine Coast photos. Photos are also on my flickr site. My youtube channel has lots of videos of the Sunshine Coast and a few of me acting, hosting television shows and such... Thanks for checking out my blog! Duane

Ski Cross, Watersheds and Hollywood North! OH my!

GOLD LADIES SKI CROSS
Congratulations to B.C.'s Ashleigh McIvor from Whistler who won a GOLD medal in Ladies Ski Cross... A proud moment for the home town! This is the first time that Ski Cross has been in any Winter Olympics. How kewl it was won by a Canadian. Same thing happened with Ross Rebagliati's Gold win for the first ever snowboarding Olympic event which made him an international star when he nearly lost the medal for having marijuana pot smoke in his blood! That's why they call it BC Gold no doubt! heheheheh

▌ ♥ ▌ GO CANADA GO! ▌♥ ▌


ARCHIVING PHOTOS
I have been busy tonight going through archives of photos trying to transfer them for back up. Thousands and thousands of Sunshine Coast smiles from over the years. Nice to see. I have emailed the Royal BC Museum in Victoria to see if they would be interested in storing the archives for future generations. I am not really sure what to do with them otherwise. The Sunshine Coast Museum and Archives said it is just too large a collection for them and their wonderful volunteers. I also don't exactly make huge bucks from them either.

PHOTO BOOK and SELLING PHOTOS
Maybe a couple times a year people want to buy the photos and usually they want them for free in exchange for exposure and a photo credit. This is probably cause I am so busy helping others that I haven't gotten the business end of things together. I had planned for the past five years to have an inspirational photo book out for the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics but one of our esteemed and terrific local publishers basically laughed and said you photographers are all alike but don't get me wrong your photos are fabulous Duane. Sigh....

RIGHT PASSION WRONG JOB TIMING
I kept hoping maybe someone some day would come forward with the cash and know how to finance and publish a coffee table book with me. During a walk around Kinnikinnick park today I thought to myself that I have the right passion for photography and community but perhaps the wrong timing for making a career out of it or sustaining a living as everyone has a camera, a computer and an instant social network so the value of photos has changed a lot over the years. Hence I am thinking seriously and am making moves to stop taking photos altogether now. Transformation time. Sure sucks though that I have been unemployed since October and my health has been horrid. It's all good, right. It's always a good day on the Sunshine Coast!

ZAC EFRON MOVIE: CHARLIE ST. CLOUD
Yesterday I talked about my campaign to get on The Ellen DeGeneres TV Show and movie actor Zac Efron in my blog. Zac Efron was in Gibsons, BC, (which recently won the Best Town in the World award,) filming his movie The Life and Death of Charlie St. Cloud (see photos) It was huge Hollywood North excitement for our rural town, and stars Ray Liota, Kim Basinger, Amanda Crew, Dave Franco, Donal Logue, and Charlie Tahan. Hundreds of fans showed up to get a glimpse or photo with Zac.. and of course I was right there to capture all the excitement for the community and my own fascination for behind the scenes making of movies and television.

I"M IN THE MOVIE
I even got a chance to be a professional background performer ( extra ) in two scenes with Zac Efron. Since a kid I have always been thrilled with movie magic and all the behind the scenes lights, camera, special effects! Check out my acting profile on the Hollywood North casting website. Hopefully I don't end up on the cutting room floor. All of us are looking forward to our 1/4 second of big screen fame! ha ha!

DOCUMENTARY INTERVIEW
In today's blog photo, I am interviewed by a film crew documenting the making of the movie. The interviewer asked me what Gibsons thought of the movie being filmed on the Sunshine Coast and I told them everyone was thrilled to see Zac, their favourite bad guy Ray Liota, and were disappointed that Kim Basinger didn't come to town during filming. They said it might be used for the DVD extra outtakes and added bonus features section.

GIRLS NIGHT OUT
On March 10, 2010, our local St. Mary's Hospital Auxiliary is having their annual "Girls Night Out" at the Gibsons Legion. Last year I was auctioned off and we caught all the action of the evening in tons of great PHOTOS of all the lovely volunteer ladies! ( SEE PHOTOS )

This YEAR I have donated a $350. framed matted archival print of the Chapman Creek Watershed mist for the fund raising auction that I had made up for an Art Show back in November 2008. I thought there was no point in it sitting around collecting dust if no one will buy it so why not help this tremendous group who do so much for our local hospital. SEE PRINT

CHAPMAN CREEK MUSIC VIDEO
I had the great privilege of meeting talented Sunshine Coast singer Allison Barkley and she gave me her kind permission to make a youtube music video slide show of Chapman Creek using my photos and her gorgeous song "Waterfall". Check it out.. warning you may need to have kleenex tissues on hand.. its a powerful emotional heartfelt song. Chapman Creek Watershed by Duane Burnett and Allison Barkley

Enjoy! Thanks for checking and reading my blog! All the best, Yours for the Planet, Duane

Figure Skating Terrifies Me! But NOT Ice Gate Dancers or Ellen DeGeneres!

CANADA GOLD!

Was watching the Gold Medal skate by Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir in Ice Dance figure skating. Ice Dance has been dominated by the fabulous Russian skaters for years and years now so this is another historic event for Canada as its another Gold on the host country's turf plus the youngest pair ever to win Gold and the first for North America in this category!

▌♥ ▌ GO CANADA GO! ▌♥ ▌

Congrats to both Tessa and Scott. It was a stunning performance! I have to confess that watching figure skating terrifies me though. I almost walked away from the TV while these two skated as I couldn't handle the thought of them falling down and getting hurt, especially during the crazy ass stunts, throws and twirls. You would think I was the one going to hit the ice! I completely tense up, grit my teeth, hold my breath and feel it in my own body if they crash or the elation if they do well. Is anyone else like this?

While this is not an Olympic sport I would like to give a GOLD MEDAL to ice artist Gordon Halloran and his stunning Paintings Below Zero art exhibit at the Richmond O Zone near the Olympic speed skating track Gordon is a local Sunshine Coast, BC resident who lives in Roberts Creek.

For the last couple months dozens of wonderful dedicated dancers and choreographers called the Ice Gate Performance who also deserve a Gold Medal have been practicing and rehearsing to do a "flash mob" at the grand opening of the ice art installation. I have been taking photos and documenting a fair chunk of the rehearsal and created a gallery on flickr you can check out.(see PHOTOS)

We all had a ton of fun together when we taped this 3 minute youtube video together (watch video) about the Ice Gate Project and dance rehearsals as part of a campaign to lobby The Ellen DeGeneres Show to pick me to be their 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympic Correspondent for the show (See my ELLEN Campaign). Many thanks to my friend Jeannine Williams who video taped and took photos!

I think there were over 200 plus emails sent to the show on my behalf. Many people told me they wrote Ellen and the show faithfully every week! Never did hear from them though. I think the reason is because her day time talk show has been preempted in the US television market by Olympic broadcaster NBC and by CTV in Canada. Thank you every one who wrote the show for me. I am so grateful.

I love Ellen and thank her for helping me to find laughter and joy through some extremely depressed times. People have told me that I am the Ellen, the Oprah, and the Zac Efron of the Sunshine Coast. Very very kind comments for them to make. I am humbled to even be remotely compared to two such fantabulous ladies and a very popular actor indeed. Now if I can only get my own TV show and Movie! The wonderful crew at Coast TV have been kind enough to give me the opportunity to host several shows for them so that's a tremendously appreciated start!

I do try my very best to give everything I can to help people and the community through my passion and the best of my ablities: I have contest give-a-ways on my facebook page, and share photos, news, and events with everyone about all the wonderful people, events and places I go on the Sunshine Coast... I upload my photos to flickr for now and recently to my facebook fan page.

I take so many photos and attend so many events I had to split the photos from my other profile on facebook where I post event news. And that has gotten to be so enormous that I now put a lot of my info on my Twitter tweet page for people who like a simpler quick listing and overview of what's going on. And now because I needed an outlet to share the real Duane, what I am really feeling and what's going on I created this blogspot you are looking at now. Thanks for that!


Well I was right about yesterday's Canada vs USA hockey game. The largest sports viewing television audience in Canadian history with over 10 million plus people. I wonder how many beer they drank? hehehehe

Well should call it over and out for another night. Thanks for reading this and to everyone who has been so caring and loving and supportive! HUGS

Peace, Love & Joy in every moment! Yours for the planet! Duane

P.S. ▌♥ ▌ GO CANADA GO! ▌♥ ▌

Olympic Hockey Canada Mania Reaches Fevered Pitch!

Olympic fever and Canadian mania is still sweeping the streets and nation. Now add to that Hockey! I am sure at least 1/2 of Canada was watching the Olympics hockey game against the USA who won 5 to 3 tonight. The game was amazing and exciting, both teams were awesome. I have to confess that international hockey tournaments like this, are my fave's in the hockey franchise. It's nice how hockey unites Canadians of all cultures, backgrounds and heritages.

Seeing the massive Olympics crowds on CTV News congregating on the streets of downtown Vancouver its too bad to hear that many of them find themselves stranded in the wee hours of the night/morning by the closing down of transportation services by BC Transit and sky train

The Police have also ordered all liquor stores in the downtown area closed at 7pm and fine people for drinking in public. Pouring their drinks out on the street. Let's get with the rest of the world people! There will always be 1% who ruin things but that shouldn't mean the other 99% are punished. Let's allow public drinking like many other countries around the world. During Expo 86, then Premier of BC Bill Vander Zalm made Sunday drinking legal so we wouldn't be perceived as backwards to the international community. Ha ha!

Yesterday's blogging about Canadian Musicians and Jane Siberry inspired me to ask Jane if I could use her silly song "Everything Reminds Me of My Dog" for a youtube tribute for Tundra to raise awareness for his charity fund raiser. She said "Yes". I nearly fell over! How Awesome! I have been going through the last year of my photo archives, literally thousands and thousands of photos of the Sunshine Coast, looking for photos of Tundra to put into their own album and make a slideshow. In the process I see just how many events and people and things and places I attend in a year! WOW... unbelievable. Decided to upload a select few of them that are single shots and stand alone photos to my facebook profile for everyone to enjoy.


Went for a stroll along the Trail Bay waterfront in Sechelt, BC. A gorgeous sunny day, tons of people out for a walk, but interestingly, the village business area was dead. Not so much immediate Olympic economic spin-off there. I couldn't get very far along the pathway without people saying hello and talking about Tundra.

I did intuit this might happen but thought it wouldn't, that I could some how be invisible and avoid everyone. So much for Plan A... Thank you everyone for your kind comments and well wishes and condolences. I apologize for being stand offish right now, and not my cheery self.

I think I am in withdrawal mode. Avoiding the topic. Too sensitive still. And then I get a little frustrated when people ask me if I miss Tundra? Am I going to get another dog? That one really throws me for a loop as I don't like to be replacing a spiritual sentient being like furniture or thinking about getting another one while I am grieving.

To me Tundra is my child, my soul mate, and I know people would be choked if I asked them if they are planning to replace their recently deceased spouse. I am just really super sensitive with all the things going on my life and trying to learn and practice that this is a reminder to be present, in the now, out of my head, and that it's all good! Maybe if I say it to myself enough times. LOL

In my heart I know I have to face this and go out in public again and perhaps that's why I tested the waters today to help get through my grieving and have a bit of human contact. This weekend I think is the first time I didn't attend ANY community functions or events and take photos even though there was tons going on. I think its part of a transition and transformation out of the photography field for good.

I did take the beautiful weather today as an opportunity to go buy some gorgeous flowers and plant them around Tundra's grave. Nice bright yellows, oranges, whites, purples...

Oh and a HUGE thank you CANADA for 4,000 views of the rap video parody comedy I star in as the Prime Minister of Canada Stephen Harper proroguing parliament! 1,000 Views the first day! 200 members in the I'm On A Break facebook Fan page! People say it's "Brilliant! Disgusting! AWESOME! This is Shit... get a job!" LOL It was made with a bit of back yard Canadian humour in the spirit of This Hour Has 22 Minutes, and the Royal Canadian Air Farce etc. It has received rave reviews and a few nasty pissed off ones too! WARNING this video is the "Uncensored" I'M ON A BREAK version and has strong rap language!

▌♥ ▌ GO CANADA GO! ▌♥ ▌


http://www.duaneburnett.com