Category Archives: Society

Feb
26
2010

The Dark Side: A Brief Look At My Descent

Today, Andrew Koenig, a respected stand-up comedian and former “background” star in Growing Pains, was found dead, having committed suicide, and not too far from the happy Olympicky goings-on here in Vancouver.
Depression was known to plague Koenig. He got off his anti-depressants sometime last year, and clearly the rest is a story still developing.
I’ve been [...]

By A Scribe Called Steff | Also posted in Autobiographical, Being me, Dimestore Philosophy, Journalling, Life 101, Opinion (Editorial & Commentary), Psychology & Moods, Self-Love & Self-Esteem, Specifically Steff, adhd, keeping it real | Comments (11)
Feb
13
2010

Further Thoughts Against Olympics “Protesters”

The Games opened yesterday with the start of what I suspect will persist throughout the Games — agitators doing everything they could to dampen the party.
As the ceremonies occurred, protesters tried to push their way there, and the inevitable clash with authorities ensued. Two cops suffered minor injuries, but no protesters were harmed.
Here’s my thinking, [...]

By A Scribe Called Steff | Also posted in Current Events, Opinion (Editorial & Commentary), Steff Rants, keeping it real | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments (43)
Feb
11
2010

An Open Letter to Anti-2010-Olympics Protestors

Hi. I’m Steffani, and I’m a lifelong Vancouverite.
I voted “YES” in the Olympics plebiscite “back in the day,” when we lowly democratic peons had the chance to vote on the once-every-four-years-party that, you know, would cost a few bucks to put on.
Now, I know, that voting day was such a sunny, beautiful day so many [...]

By A Scribe Called Steff | Also posted in Current Events, Specifically Steff, Steff Rants, keeping it real | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments (43)
Feb
09
2010

Valentine’s Day: All My Thoughts

Valentine’s day looms and I’ve deftly avoided the topic by not posting new stuff lately. Brilliant!
But I guess it’s time for my annual rant against the Big Machine and the perpetuation of the belief that, hey, if it’s love, it’s worth going broke for.
I know men buy gifts because they feel obligated. I know women [...]

By A Scribe Called Steff | Also posted in Dimestore Philosophy, Opinion (Editorial & Commentary), Steff Rants, keeping it real | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments (2)
Jan
21
2010

Life x Hard = A Given

“Experience is a brutal teacher, but you learn. By god, you learn.” -C.S. Lewis.
This year, when adversities come your way — and they will — remember that quote.
That’s the one piece of knowledge that has gotten me through every experience in my life.

By A Scribe Called Steff | Also posted in Dimestore Philosophy, Opinion (Editorial & Commentary) | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments (1)
Jan
18
2010

RANT: “Whine, Whine. #FML! Fuck My Life!”

ED. NOTE: This posting is meant for people who say “FML” and mean it. Like they say, people love the internet because they get to whine on it, and that’s fine. Go ahead, grumble. Just be interesting about it! And don’t be some snivelling fuckwit hyperbolizing and going “FML” because you woke up 30 minutes [...]

By A Scribe Called Steff | Also posted in Dimestore Philosophy, Humour, Life 101, Opinion (Editorial & Commentary), Steff Rants, Twitter, existentialism, keeping it real | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments (11)
Dec
20
2009

Thoughts On Brittany Murphy, Death, & Anorexia

Rumour has it that Brittany Murphy is dead at 32 from cardiac arrest.
Heart attack, in case you didn’t know, is one of the most common demises after long battles with eating disorders. Why?

“When anorexia has become this severe, the heart is often damaged. Not only is there not enough body fat to keep internal organs [...]

By A Scribe Called Steff | Also posted in Eating Disorder, Hollywood, Hygiene & Health, Life 101, Loving and Knowing Yourself, Modern Feminism, Opinion (Editorial & Commentary), Self-Love & Self-Esteem, Steff Rants, keeping it real, weight loss | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments (8)
Dec
16
2009

Things to Remember This Christmas

Since 1998, I’ve had every kind of Christmas imaginable. Lonely, magnificent, rich, broke, injured, healthy, in love, out of love. Had ‘em all.
I was raised to believe in the magic of Christmas. We’d have a houseful of people singing carols, Dad would make his famous cardiac eggnog, the house was full of decorations and laughter, [...]

By A Scribe Called Steff | Also posted in Current Events, General, Opinion (Editorial & Commentary), Specifically Steff, keeping it real | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments (2)
Dec
06
2009

6 Decembre 1989: Remembering a Formative Tragedy

I was 16 on December 6th, 1989, when gunman Marc Lepine stormed into Montreal’s Ecole Polytechnique, an engineering school.
When the blood had spilled and screams for the 14 dead women faded into muffled tears, it was found that the gunman had left a note explaining his actions — he’d wanted to kill feminists for making [...]

By A Scribe Called Steff | Also posted in Dimestore Philosophy, History, Modern Feminism, Opinion (Editorial & Commentary), Politics, Sexism, Specifically Steff, Women's Department, feminism, keeping it real | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments (4)
Nov
27
2009

RANT: Guilt-Tripping: What Friends Don’t Do

I had a classic big ol’ Twitter fight with an insensitive fuckwit last night, who I haven’t blocked because I’m not in Grade 5 anymore, but it basically came down to me saying, “No, I’m not coming out because I need some time to myself.”
Long story short: I’ve been up at 5 the last four [...]

By A Scribe Called Steff | Also posted in Being me, Etiquette, Opinion (Editorial & Commentary), Specifically Steff, Steff Rants, Twitter, keeping it real | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments (3)
Nov
24
2009

Sexual Addiction? My Thoughts.

Sex addiction — which includes addiction to cybersex and porn — is one of the fastest, most destructive addictions on the rise out there.
Unfortunately, the discussion? It’s a joke. It’s always along the lines David Duchovny or Bill Clinton wisecracks. People fail to see that the nature of sex addiction is to destroy every relationship [...]

By A Scribe Called Steff | Also posted in Lifestyle, Opinion (Editorial & Commentary), Psychology & Moods, Twitter, keeping it real | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments (3)
Nov
16
2009

“YOU’RE APPROVED!” Now, Sign Your Life Away.

I went to the bank Saturday. I told them to give me money. I fucked up my last loan, and my loans officer fucked it up even worse. It was a partial-debt-consolidation loan where the banker didn’t make my overdraft go poof. No sense consolidating debt if you’re continuing to live in your overdraft. Pity [...]

By A Scribe Called Steff | Also posted in Dimestore Philosophy, Journalling, Life 101, Opinion (Editorial & Commentary), Specifically Steff, keeping it real | Comments (1)
Oct
06
2009

Polanski Finally Pays, Hallelujah

This op-ed assumes you know that: Roman Polanski was convicted of “unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor” in ‘78, in which he admitted plying a 13-year-old full of Quaaludes & booze with the intent of having sex with her in every manner possible. He pled guilty, public opinion came against the law who were going [...]

By A Scribe Called Steff | Also posted in Current Events, Modern Feminism, Opinion (Editorial & Commentary), Steff Rants, keeping it real | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments (3)
Oct
05
2009

A Far-Ranging Post on Letterman’s Sex Scandal

Ten years ago this week, I moved into my apartment. Wow. In the first few months, I was at home a lot. My mother had just died. When I socialized, I’d have people over. The rest of the time I spent in a blur of drunkenness, dope, and getting by in my dayjob at a [...]

By A Scribe Called Steff | Also posted in Current Events, Ethics, Hollywood, Opinion (Editorial & Commentary), Steff Rants, keeping it real | Comments (0)
Sep
26
2009

Getting Philosophical as a Birthday Looms

“I commented to a friend once that I’d love to have the trappings of success, but could never live in the trap of success.”

By A Scribe Called Steff | Also posted in Dimestore Philosophy, General, Journalling, Life 101, Opinion (Editorial & Commentary), Psychology & Moods, Specifically Steff, existentialism, keeping it real, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments (1)
Sep
17
2009

Filler

We use words like “empty” and “full” to judge qualities of life –
“Oh, he’s amazing, he leads such a full life!”
“Wow. I feel so sorry for her when she leaves to go home, she looks so sad, like her night and life are so empty.”
…But how much of those “full” lives is filler? And how [...]

By A Scribe Called Steff | Also posted in Being me, Dimestore Philosophy, General, Life 101, Lifestyle, Opinion (Editorial & Commentary), keeping it real | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments (0)
Sep
14
2009

It’s a Walled World After All

I live in an area crowded with old brownstones from the ’50s, low-rises with big windows, balconies, and narrow streets between them. The illusion of it being an intimate neighbourhood is exceedingly well done.
For all its lack of imposing, stacked up against the major metropolitan downtown that’s only a few kilometres from here, it’s amazing [...]

By A Scribe Called Steff | Also posted in Dimestore Philosophy, Journalling, Life 101, Opinion (Editorial & Commentary), Psychology & Moods, keeping it real | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments (1)
Sep
07
2009

When We Were Kids: Growing Up John Hughes

I’ve been foiled by the evil estrogenies on my long weekend Monday, and my monthly female visitor is making its presence known. Happily, I’m now medicated.
More happily, TiVo ate some Breakfast Club and is serving it up fresh for me this morning — one of those few movies I can recite more than half. It’s [...]

By A Scribe Called Steff | Also posted in Dating, Dimestore Philosophy, Education, General, Hollywood, Humour, Life 101, Opinion (Editorial & Commentary), Specifically Steff | Comments (1)
Sep
04
2009

Social Media Pecking Order? Must We?

I believe I’ve put my foot in it, so I thought I might as well squish it around and make a real good mess. What the hell, right?
I’ve sort of smack-talked Vancouvers “social media” scene when I read the always-awesome Raul/Hummingbird604’s blog post on same [Where is the Diversity...?] earlier today. First off, I should [...]

By A Scribe Called Steff | Also posted in Communication, Current Events, Dimestore Philosophy, Life 101, Opinion (Editorial & Commentary), Steff Rants, keeping it real | Comments (11)
Aug
13
2009

Citizen Steff Talks About Paint

I think this is an important topic more people should speak up about, because I’m tired of seeing my alleyways filling with furniture people could’ve reinvented with five bucks and a little imagination.
For about $110, I’m completely reinventing my living area. That includes building a new pantry for storage with MDF shelving, a gallon of [...]

By A Scribe Called Steff | Also posted in Current Events, General, Life 101 | Tagged , , , , | Comments (0)
Jul
05
2009

Why I (Love to) Hate Facebook

There I am, second-last day of vacation, scouring my deck and cleaning my deck chairs. I bought the chairs about eight years ago now. As I scoured them down, a flood of old memories came back — drinks drunk as planes soared in across the southern horizon, headed for the airport’s runways, conversations nattered until [...]

By A Scribe Called Steff | Also posted in Communication, Current Events, Dimestore Philosophy, General, Journalling, Life 101, Opinion (Editorial & Commentary), Specifically Steff, Steff Rants, Twitter, keeping it real | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments (4)
Jun
04
2009

Opting Into Ignorance

Freedom of education? Not on my tax dollar, bub.
The province of Alberta, here in Canada, has opted to make matters of sex, sexual orientation,* and religion OPTIONAL for their students. Parents can yank their kids out of school when they disagree with the premise at hand. [Story here.]
Religion? Okay. Fine. I’ll give you that. Make [...]

By A Scribe Called Steff | Also posted in AIDS & STDs, Dating, Education, Gay or Straight?, Laws, Opinion (Editorial & Commentary), Sex, Steff Rants, Viginity, casual sex, censorship | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments (4)