‘Everything is better with girls man’ Sean McCann Photo Essay….

I would like to pay tribute in this post to the many fans who have been sharing their wonderful photographs and bootlegged videos from Sean McCann’s recent solo tour across Canada. Fans came from around Canada, America and England to enjoy some old favourites and some new music from Sean McCann. There is some uniquely special about this man, his guitar and music in small intimate venues and these photographs and bootlegged videos reflect this perfectly.

There were three favourite videos from a wonderful collection brilliantly recorded by long term Great Big Sea fan Helen Gilbert. The first is Spirit in the Sky. Sean is on stage with some friends including Great Big Sea member Murray Foster. Sean invited some members of the audience up onto the stage to sing this song with them. What a thrill it must have been for Helen (who also performs in a musical group) and her friend to be on stage with their music heroes? Yes everything is better with girls.





 

(This photograph was taken by one of their friends Freda. No copyright infringement intended)

Another favourite is Sean’s beautiful solo version of the Great Big Sea’s Turn. The audience provided backup vocals spectacularly and Sean lets them run away with the song at the end. As Sean informs us it is the first time a member of Great Big Sea has performed this solo in over ten years. Well done Sean McCann.  

The third favourite video is the title song from his new album ‘Help Your Self’. Sean asks members of the audience to come up on stage and do a group version of the title song from his album.

Definitely another thrill for all those fans that went to the show and a thrill for those of us fans visiting afterwards on YouTube.  If you are a Sean McCann and Great Big Sea fan these are a must view. 

The videos were done with approval and retweeted by Sean McCann on his Twitter site and available on Helen Gilbert’s YouTube account.

I have included some spectacular photographs taken from Helen Gilbert’s Twitter and Flickr album. The photographs need no explanation as they speak for themselves about Sean McCann, his love of music and performing these days.

Thankyou for sharing your wonderfully, talented work and enjoyment of all things Sean McCann and Great Big Sea with us. No copyright infringement intended.  

Helen Gilbert (From Twitter. No copyright infringement intended)





Helen Gilbert (From Twitter. No copyright infringement intended)

Book Review...Where I Belong by Alan Doyle

This is my first attempt to write a book review…Where I Belong by Alan Doyle

I was like a child again on the night before Christmas waiting for Santa to arrive with a special present. It was quiet in the house and I was snug in my bed. Something woke me up and I checked my phone. Santa (Google Play) has come early and delivered Alan Doyle’s book Where I Belong in digital form. I would have preferred the book, but considering I live about as far away as one can get from Newfoundland, the words and pictures had arrived over the Internet and on my phone and I could at last read them. I was thrilled. Nothing ever came early for me in this fandom.

For weeks now the publishers and the fandom has been talking about this book. I had been selective about what I read and reviewed. I didn’t want others words and ideas in my headspace when I read this book. During the waiting time I had read a range of digital books about Newfoundland including The Shipping News by Annie Proulx, A Whale For The Killing by Farley Mowat, and an interesting book called Making Witches, Newfoundland Traditions of Spells and Counterspells by Barbara Rieti. These books help set the scene for life in small rural communities in Newfoundland as I have no real experience myself. An outsider's perspective of small traditional communities of Newfoundland.  

Then there were my own outsider experiences of being in Newfoundland and visiting the fishing village of Petty Harbour. I spent a couple of hours there last year with some Canadians who had made Newfoundland their home and a Newfoundlander. The memories came flooding back. The visit helped set the scene for the book and I am there with Alan Doyle, walking the wharves and streets, seeing the homes set on the hills, the churches and other buildings including the general store, watching the fisherman do their work, looking at the fishing boats in the harbour and walking the bridge that divided the town and the river that went under it. It is the physical environment of Petty Harbour which is what most tourists see and Great Big Sea fans see when they make the pilgrimage.

What most tourists don’t get to know about is the most important part of this town, its people and their cultural and social traditions and history. About a chapter into the book and I have a lot of my questions answered. There is the theme of insiders and outsiders whether it’s on social media, within Canada itself, Newfoundland, St John’s or a rural fishing village. Who is a Canadian and who isn’t? Who belongs to Newfoundland and who doesn’t? Who belongs to Petty Harbour and who doesn’t? Belonging is one of the biggest questions and most interesting subjects about Newfoundland. Alan Doyle explains that point very early on and very well. Yes, it is a complicated question that varies from individual to individual. It is about being born into that community, into Newfoundland, and where one lives but also about feelings and acceptance by both outsiders and insiders. A sense of belonging in this part of the world is I think unconscious but fluid and constantly changing as one goes about their daily life.

Religion is another one of the fascinating themes of Newfoundland. Alan Doyle writes about this at length. On one hand religion unites people within a small community like Petty Harbour, determines where one lives, goes to school, works and interacts with as well as what one believes in during his childhood. No matter what challenges arise and there are plenty in rural Newfoundland including the weather and the economic hardships, the people still remain very much divided along those lines but united in their love of Newfoundland. I will let you read the book to see what I am talking about for this small fishing village and from the words of Alan Doyle himself. Religion obviously had an impact on his life even at a very young age, more than helping him to get a job as a teacher, he completed a minor in religious studies at university. His mother's advice of being good is something we can all practice and aspire too, even when we fall off the horse. And regardless of what our belief system is or where we live.

One of the great joys of reading this book is how Alan describes growing up and being part of a loving and caring family. To me one of the great thrills of life is its ordinariness. Ordinary people going about their ordinary lives no matter where they life. Alan remembers, writes and talks about daily life and the season's rhythms with love, laughter and fondness. He shares stories about his mother's cooking, food, sharing a bedroom with his brother and a bathroom with his sisters, playing with friends, working hard during summer, music and girls from both sides of the bridge. He doesn't forget the lessons often challenging he has learnt along the way for example, how to deal with tough guys.

There are many things I was surprised about and really like in this book. For example, the way Alan wrote the dialogue and his discussion on religion. In a post published this week on his webpage Alan wrote about how difficult it was to write dialogue. Newfoundlanders do speak their own form of unique English but, it is English and not some quaint version created by foreign writers in fiction and non fiction. The description of unique words at the end described one of the Newfoundland words I have never really understood, the word b'y.

When I started to read the book I wanted to find out about his life in music and Great Big Sea. However, the part I loved the most was the chapter about the role religion played in his life, his family, community life and his music and song writing. The interviews I have managed to hear seem to focus on cod fishing and music and skirt around the issue of faith which for some interviewers seems difficult to talk about. He wrote about his religious experiences in an interesting, honest and accessible way for those who are not practicing. Religious experiences are really diverse within the family and community of Petty Harbour. Religion encouraged Alan to ask as many questions as it answers. (I come from a never practicing Anglican background. I have only been to a church service once, although I go to church at Easter and Christmas, an Anglican one to say thank you to the powers that be or God if you prefer for keeping me and my family safe).

One of the things I love about reading a book about someone else’s childhood and teenage years is the ability to make us drift back to our own. We revisit the good and the not so good and identify what was different and similar from when we were growing up. Music is one of things that we seem to be able to share across continents and cultures. I was interested to read Alan Doyle (and Bob Hallett’s in his book Writing Out The Notes) interests in music during their teenage years. While there was a local and traditional Newfoundland music happening many international acts including AC/DC and the Little River Band influenced them. They had their origins in urban Australia. When I was a teenager we would hear about Australian bands making it in America and we really didn’t think much about it. Until I read Alan and Bob’s books recently I didn’t realise just how huge these bands really were to find their way into the lives of teenagers in Newfoundland and Petty Harbour, Canada without the publicity machines of today.

For those of you who follow Russell Crowe, Scott Grimes and Alan Doyle on Twitter you would have heard Scott Grimes referred to affectionately as a Nitzy Pumpkin. I won’t spoil the story for you by telling you what a Nitzy Pumpkin means as it is explained beautifully in the book. So you will have to read Where I Belong to find out.

Finally, I love this segment I read in the book and reprinted in a national Canadian newspaper the Globe and Mail called “A hot, buttered slice of fond memories from Alan Doyle” about the conversation between a mother and a grown son about how to make home-made bread that was a staple at so many meals the family had together. There is a lovely black and white picture of Mrs Doyle making bread in her kitchen in St Johns.

I hope you enjoy the book as much as I did.

From Where I Belong by Alan Doyle with Jean Doyle.

How to make my mother’s bread

Alan Doyle: How do you make a loaf of bread, Mom?
Jean Doyle: Alan, honey, I don’t know how to make a loaf of bread. I only knows how to make eight.
Alan: Mom, I’m trying to put your recipe in my book. Can you help me out? What ingredients do you use?
Jean: I use a bag of flour.
Alan: A whole bag?
Jean: A seven-pound bag. And about a cup of butter. And some salt in the palm of my hand.
Alan: Some salt in the palm of your hand?
Jean: Yes. Just some salt in the palm of my hand. I mix it all up, dry.
Alan: In a bowl?
Jean: In the pan I’m making the bread in. Then, I make like a hole in the centre of the flour, the flour and the butter and the salt that I just mixed up. In the hole there, I put in two tablespoons of dry yeast and two tablespoons of sugar.
Alan: Sugar?
Jean: Got to have the sugar for the yeast to rise.
Alan: I didn’t know.
Jean: And then, what I do is use the whisk and just pour in the water.
Alan: How much water?
Jean: I don’t know. It’s about … I’d say probably seven or eight cups. And you got to get the feel of it. I pour in the water and I whisk it. And then when it gets too heavy for the whisk, I get my hands in there. I whack it.
Alan: You whack it.
Jean: Yes. And I knead it, until I gets it right nice and doughy. And then I make it into a ball in my pan and put some butter on it and cover it over and let it rise until it’s double what I had when I started. And then I knead it down again – well, I do, but some people don’t knead it down a second time. After, when it rises up again, I put the dough in the pans. This batch will make eight loaves.
Alan: How long do you cook it for?
Jean: I cook it at 415 degrees for 30 minutes. And take it out and then I brushes it with a bit of butter. And yummy.
Alan: You make it sound so easy.
Jean: Oh, it is.


Excerpted from Where I Belong: From Small Town to Great Big Sea, by Alan Doyle. Copyright ©2014 Skinner’s Hill Music Ltd. Published by Doubleday Canada, a division of Random House of Canada Limited, a Penguin Random House Company. Reproduced by arrangement with the publisher. All rights reserved. Excerpted from Where I Belong: From Small Town to Great Big Sea, by Alan Doyle. Copyright ©2014 Skinner’s Hill Music Ltd. Published by Doubleday Canada, a division of Random House of Canada Limited, a Penguin Random House Company. Reproduced by arrangement with the publisher. All rights reserved.

A response to ‘the love of Bunnies’…. Russell the fan…

Congratulations to the South Sydney Rabbitohs and their fans for winning the National Rugby League Grand Final in Australia. A dream come true for not only Russell Crowe but for the team, management and the thousands of loyal fans.

Recently I found this really interesting article in the New Zealand Herald about Russell Crowe’s love of the Bunnies. I agree with the writer in that his role in the club and his love of the Bunnies had in bringing about this premiership can’t go unrecognised.

The Rabbitohs are an Australian sporting club with Australian cultural and social traditions that extend beyond all the decisions being made by the shareholders and managers of the club. They are an extension of the Australian community, its love of sport and its values both the good and the not so good. An Australian sporting club cannot exist without its membership who buy tickets and sit on seats every week at games and who cheer the team on whether they win or lose no matter how money the club has or who owns it.  

The New Zealand Herald journalist writes about the role of the members in the early years of the club “A model was devised, says Pappas, that gave club members the last say about club heritage values, "the colours, the name, where we play, whether we merge or not. That was a credit to Russell because he didn't see it as a private placing or in fact as even something to make money out of. That wasn't the aim."

While Russell Crowe's love of the Bunnies can not be disputed, he is also a wheeler and dealer playing with the big boys and girls of business and celebrity doing deals for what he considers in the best interests of the club. When he announced the signing of the Star Casino as a major sponsor of the South Sydney Rabbitohs I had my doubts. A working class club with working class people and a casino just didn’t sit right.

When Russell (and Peter Homes A Court) took over the Rabbithos they declared they would eliminate poker machines from their leagues club to make it more family friendly. The proposal vote was defeated and they accepted sponsorship from online gambling (Livingston 2014).

When Russell Crowe announced the decision on Twitter there was a debate about the morals and ethics of a gambling establishment sponsoring sporting teams like the Rabbitohs. A lot of the fans went along with his decision because well, he was Russell Crowe. Russell Crowe dismissed the doubters and objectors and justified his decision by reminding them about Star Casino’s responsible gambling policy. Then there were the big occasions in which Russell Crowe attended events and promoted the casino.

By May 2013, the Sydney Morning Herald reported the Star Casino would withdraw their sponsorship at the end of season. Russell Crowe claimed he had held up his end of the deal. Their logo had been on the big names of American television. Russell Crowe was quick to announce a new sponsor James Packer’s Crown Casino. This week the media are speculating that James Packer will buy Peter Homes A Court’s share in the Rabbitohs.

Russell Crowe was involved with James Packer before the cancellation of the Star casino sponsorship. James Packer who is interested in producing movies was an executive producer on Russell Crowe’s movie Winter’s Tale in 2013. According to Nash Information Services Winter’s Tale grossed over $22 million worldwide and a further $4 million in DVD sales. 

When the Crown Casino announced its sponsorship deal with the Rabbitohs it made plenty of promises to the Rabbitohs and the community. But a casino is a casino, and James Packer has the money he has because someone lost somewhere along the line. The original idea of removing the pokies from the leagues club and making the Rabbitohs a family friendly club has been lost a long time ago. (Although Russell Crowe has denied he owns the leagues club). Livingston (2014) in his article ‘Rabbitohs go for the punt’ discusses the history of the Rabbitohs involvement in gambling and gambling within the larger context of Australian sport and the impact on the community. Gambling sponsorship in Australian sport is a complicated business. Gambling is once again validated and considered normal behaviour by further sponsorship and investment from a casino.    

The New Zealand Herald (2014) journalist continues and states Russell has a “soft spot for the All Blacks” but he is Aussie Russell. Is he really ‘Aussie’ Russell? Russell picks and uses ordinary Australian traits for his own purpose. For example, maintain true to the working class values of the club, the underdog tag and every Australian can pick themselves up by the bootlaces when they are down and do great things. Yes, Australians do that. He expects loyalty and gives loyalty. Yes, Australians stand by their mates.

But what about the Australian value of having a say? The Daily Telegraph (2014) recently reported after the grand final game Russell Crowe called the general manager of the Crown Casino a pelican and he should start looking for another job. Russell then deleted the tweet. The Crown Casino manager should be able to have their say and support whatever sporting team they want. Employees should be able to have a different opinion than those of their employers and be able to express it. Sport in Australia is the great equaliser and what unites them. And to deny that expression is well is unAustralian.

I hope in all reality the average member of the Rabbitohs does have a say in the club and Russell genuinely listens.

The journalist continues “Crowe had to overcome the view among members that the wealthy boys were taking their club away (he and Holmes a Court appoint four of seven board seats)”. It seems this has gone full circle with the inclusion of James Packer along for the ride. I doubt James Packer invests his money in any venture that doesn’t make a profit. At some time he will want a return. He will be looking somewhere for it and I can only imagine where that will be.

References

Benns.M. (2014). Russell Crowe slams Crowne Casino boss over support for Bulldogs in NRL grand final against Rabbitoh. Daily Telegraph. 6 October 2014.

Chammas, M. (2013) Packer pouncies with $3 million Rabbitohs sponsorship deal. Sydney Morning Herald 14 May 2013.

Livingston, C. (2014). Rabbitohs go for punt. Opinion. The Drum. Abc.net.au 10 October 2014

Taylor, P.(2014). For love of Bunnies. New Zealand Herald. 4 October 2014

‘For love of Bunnies’ by Phil Taylor New Zealand Herald 4 October 2014.

Russell Crowe embraces the Rabbitohs' Issac Luke after the first preliminary final. Luke has been suspended and won't play in the grand final.

He's played a gladiator and a maths genius and a whistleblower but Russell Crowe always was a Souths' tragic.

Wealthy men buy sports clubs for vanity or anticipated profit. For Crowe, the available evidence suggests he did it for love.

Should therefore, the South Sydney District Rugby League Football Club, better known as the South Sydney Rabbitohs, confirm their firm favouritism tomorrow and win the NRL premiership, Crowe will surely deserve to relish that greatest and simplest pleasure of the diehard fan - vindication.

His is the club the authorities didn't want, the club they now cannot get enough of. And Crowe is as important as anyone in bringing them to this day.

The A$3 million that Crowe and businessman Peter Holmes a Court paid for a 75 per cent stake in the club in 2006 is considered pivotal. Crowe's association with the team goes back to his primary school years in the district.

The club born to represent the labouring class in the city's south has won the premiership 20 times but not since 1971. The powers that be gave up on them in 1999, Souths the only club culled for the next season's 14-side format. No matter that Souths won the first ever game in Australia, played in 1908.

Souths fought their way back through the courts, led by corporate lawyer and current chairman Nick Pappas. Vital though that was, it did not guarantee survival. The club was skint.

The rebirth of the Rabbitohs began on 7 June, 2006, through a new partnership between Russell Crowe, Peter Holmes a Court and the 8000 Members of the Club. "We knew that in the absence of a leagues club to back us ... , we needed private investment because the years out of the competition had caused such deep damage to the club. We started with no players, with no administration, with no infrastructure," Pappas told the Herald. "After the euphoria passed of being back in, the reality set in which was that we had to run a business and we had no corporate connections and we had no business connections."

A revolution was required at the club that traditionally had no love of the rich and famous. Club patriarch George Piggins walked when the club voted in Crowe and Holmes a Court. It appears he has relented, this week saying he will break his eight-year absence to cheer the club tomorrow.

"It was pretty personal, the fight with Russell and Holmes a Court ... at some point it went too far.

"I would shake hands, you grow up. I'm 70, you have to realise it is a game."

Crowe felt the love from Penrith Panthers' general manager Phil Gould, who played one season for Souths. Crowe had "stood the test of time", wrote Gould.

"I don't know Russell Crowe, but ... I stand and applaud him for his efforts. I thank him on behalf of rugby league for what he has done with the South Sydney Club."

Pappas has watched many games with Crowe and can vouch for his passion. "He's a fan. He's excited. He's talking about what this is going to mean for his sons. He's talking about the memories that are flooding back, about as a young boy going to watch the Rabbitohs with his dad. It's the same passion that we all feel. It's that father-son bond, footy seems to be that father-son dynamic, that is passed down and is treasured.

"At the games he is just another supporter and that's how he wants to be. He has enough lustre from Hollywood and those other things he does. He doesn't need South Sydney for that.

"As I understand it, his father had a workshop in Botany, which is in the South Sydney district, in the working class heartland. [Crowe's bond] was forged quite young."

Pappas says Crowe's personal influence on the club dates well before he became a major owner. "He was side by side with us when we were marching in the streets and fighting in the courts. He bought the bell [the original timekeeper's bell rung at the 1908 game, for A$42,000 in 1999 from its owner and donated it back to the club]. The bell is going to be rung again on Sunday. He wasn't just someone who came along as a sort of opportunistic investor. He's someone who has worn the red and green proudly. There was only one sporting organisation that he wanted to be associated with."

Crowe had to overcome the view among members that the wealthy boys were taking their club away (he and Holmes a Court appoint four of seven board seats). A model was devised, says Pappas, that gave club members the last say about club heritage values, "the colours, the name, where we play, whether we merge or not. That was a credit to Russell because he didn't see it as a private placing or in fact as even something to make money out of. That wasn't the aim."

Crowe may have been born in Wellington but his marrow is in the working class of Sydney's south.

The actor brought his star power to bear. Oprah, Ronaldo and Tom Cruise attended matches or were photographed sporting Rabbitohs hats, while Crowe spread the word via chat kings such as Jay Leno.

"Russell never misses a chance to spread the Rabbitohs message," Pappas recently said, of his own appearance in Crowe's directorial debut, The Water Diviner.

The film traces the journey of an Aussie father searching for his sons after the battles of Gallipoli, and in Alfred Hitchcock style, Crowe slipped the Souths chairman into an Istanbul market scene where Pappas appears as a Fez-wearing rabbit vendor, holding a cage of bunnies and crying in Turkish: "Rabbits for sale!"

Crowe has had a direct role in acquiring star players, none more than Englishman Sam Burgess.

"We already knew about these four Burgess brothers (now all with Souths) who were on the rise in English football but it was pretty convenient that Russell happened to be shooting a film in England at the time."

Crowe's wooing included having Sam Burgess and his mother, Julie, visit his trailer on the set of Robin Hood.

CROWE WAS seven years old and living in Sydney when Souths last won the grand final. He has a soft spot for the All Blacks but Crowe is Aussie Russell. Even with Black Caps legends Marty and Jeff for cousins, he couldn't go past the Australian cricket team he grew up with. He felt more Australian than Kiwi, he has said, because he'd spent his formative primary school years there. "I got to Australia when I was four, then went back to New Zealand as a teenager [for several years], but that's a big whack of your life."

His father, Alex, who was from Canterbury, and mother Jocelyn, were living in Wellington when Russell was born. They moved back from Australia after a decade, settling in Mt Roskill. Crowe has said he was caned at Auckland Grammar for not knowing the words of the national anthem. "I thought that was extremely unreasonable. I'd been back in the country about two months."

He gigged as a cabaret rocker named Russ Le Roq and ran a nightclub named The Venue before returning to Sydney in his early 20s with $300 in his pocket, determined to do better than what he termed his "also ran, also starred" phase. "In New Zealand I was considered an arrogant outsider. I thought I was just excited," he said in a 1988 Herald interview.

Now one of the best of his generation of actors and on the brink of becoming the toast of Sydney's sports community, might Crowe see his job as done and sell his shares as he hinted at doing a couple of years ago to "simplify" life after he split with Danielle Spencer?

"I don't think so," says Pappas. "He doesn't need to put his hand in his pocket [anymore]. The business now comfortably runs itself. The sky's the limit because we reached that stage without a premiership. You can't say forever, but I think this is a long term proposition for Russell. It's just the beginning of the ride."

Crowe's first love

South Sydney District Rugby League Football Club
Formed: 1908
Known as: Rabbitohs, Bunnies
Colours: Red and green
Culled from the national competition: 1999
Re-instated: 2002
Revitalised: 2006 via partnership between Russell Crowe, Peter Holmes a Court and the 8000 club members.
Last won the premiership: 1971
In the grand final: Tomorrow against the Canterbury Bulldogs.

Alan Doyle and let’s make a video…So Let's Go...

I just could not resist writing this post as I just love a good old selfie and their story that goes along with them. 

Recently Alan Doyle, Scott Grimes and Jessica Macallen filmed a video in Los Angles for Alan Doyle’s soon to be released song So Let’s Go. The video was made by Margaret Malandrucco who made Russell Crowe and Alan Doyle’s video for the song Testify.

Their adventures were shared on Twitter and other social media for the fans. Here is a small collection of some of the best of their tweets and photographs.

(All pictures are from the official Twitter sites of Alan Doyle and Scott Grimes. No copyright infringement intended for the pictures or words)

Alan Doyle@alanthomasdoyle Early rise. Bolting to LA and @scottgrimes and @jesmacalan for a few days to get out pictures take #soletsgo 1 October 2014.

Alan Doyle@alanthomasdoyle Good Morning LA. Slept like a baby in your arms last night. Looking forward to a great day with @scottgrimes @jesmacallan @mmfoto_margaret 2 October 2014.

Alan Doyle@alanthomasdoyle What could possibly go wrong? @scottgrimes 2 October 2014.

Alan Doyle@alanthomasdoyle That’s a wrap on day 1 of  So Let’s Go video shoot. I’ve been up for 24 hours straight. Sleepy now. Back at in tomorrow. 2 October 2014.

Jes Macallan@jesmacallan @alanthomasdoyle @scottgrimes tuckin in for my beauty rest…you beasts. 2 October 2014

Scott Grimes@scottgrimes These two dudes yesterday are about to hang out with a girl today!! @alanthomasdoyle @jesmacallen 3 October 2014.

Scott Grimes@scottgrimes #soletsgo @alanthomasdoyle @jemacallen 3 October 2014

 

Alan Doyle @alanthomasdoyle Yes B’y. @jesmacallan @scottgrimes #soletsgo 3 October 2014

Alan Doyle@alanthomasdoyle Dawn Venice Beach. Friggin’ Cool 3 October 2014

Alan Doyle@alanthomasdoyle Dawn video shoot in Venice Beach. Morning photo shoot in Koreatown. Back to Santa Monica Pier at dusk with @scottgrimes @jesmacallan Yeha 4 October 2014

Alan Doyle@alanthomasdoyle That’s a wrap for Sloan and Bobby and me and soletsgo vid. Thanks @scottgrimes @jesmacallen 4 October 2014

Catching up with old ‘friends’ on Republic of Doyle....

From Allan Hawco on Twitter “Our decision to end Republic of Doyle on season 6 was tough, but I think you’ll love that we’re going out with a bang”. #october8finalseason 29 May 2014

A couple of weeks ago Republic of Doyle filmed its last episodes on the streets of St John’s, Newfoundland. CBC Canada and the producers decided to make this series their last. After the announcement made on social media and in the news media, there were congratulations all round for the show and its cast and of course the contribution it has made to the Newfoundland community and arts. The show has contributed too many fans including myself visiting the glorious island of Newfoundland.

The fans will miss Jake, Leslie, the Doyle family, the crazy bunch of characters and of course the amazing city of St John’s. The first episode of the final season airs on CBC Canada on the October 15 2014. On the same night in Toronto there is a fan event for all those fans interested in celebrating the show they love. There is also some more good news, the producers and cast plan to make a movie. So it will not be the last we see of Jake Doyle riding around in the GTO around the streets of St John’s. Republic of Doyle on the big screen, I can’t wait to see that.

After the announcement of the decision not to renew the show I went looking for all that had been said about the final days of filming.

In an article and video posted on CBC News “That's a wrap: Republic of Doyle ends shooting of final season” on September 2014 Allan Hawco explained his decision not to continue with show. "We wanted to make sure we were loyal to our fans, and we had an opportunity to deliver on our promises. I feel if we kept going, I don't know if I'd be able to promise that. At a certain point you kind of run out of the magic. I didn't want to be the last guy hanging out at the party that everybody wants to go home." Being a fan of many television shows I have seen popular shows run themselves into the ground when their time was over. The cast and crew tired and the writers running out of material. The decision was a brave one indeed but one that was done for the right reasons.

There is a wonderful video attached to the article which all Republic of Doyle fans should see. Allan apologies for blocking traffic in downtown St John’s for six years, and describes how many people he will miss once the show finished. He then talks about making the show and the projects he has planned. Exciting stuff.

Allan Hawco and the GTO talking about the end of Republic of Doyle (CBC.ca no copyright infringement intended).

That's a wrap: Republic of Doyle ends shooting of final season from CBC News September 2014,

The tires on Jake Doyle's GTO will screech for the last time on Wednesday, as shooting for the final season of the hit series Republic of Doyle will come to an end.

The Gemini-nominated show debuted in January 2010, and on Oct. 15, the sixth season will premiere on CBC Television.

Republic of Doyle star and co-creator Allan Hawco, who has played Doyle, took a few minutes from taping on the southside of St. John's on Tuesday, to speak with the CBC's Zach Goudie.

Hawco said there's been a large level of nostalgia as the crew wraps up the show"

And, a certain level of an emotional connection to this family of people that we've been working with for six years. Being able to work and live in my favourite city in the world, with my favourite people, it's going to be a hard separation. I think it's going to be emotional for everybody and I'm not looking forward to that," Hawco said.

Hawco said it was a hard decision to have season six as the final instalment of the show.

"Well, you've got to think all the jobs that are in play, the amount of marriages, babies that have been born, houses that have been bought. This is people's livelihood," said Hawco.  

"You can't make that decision lightly, and that was one of the biggest things that was making us hesitate in terms of ending the show. Creatively it was the right decision, but I am going to miss it. I'm going to miss shooting in this amazing city and being able to showcase it. Fundamentally I'm going to miss playing Jake Doyle."

Large team behind the scenes

Unlike seeing show regular characters Jake, Des, Tinny, Rose, Malachy and Leslie on-screen, there is an army of support — 150 people who work full-time — behind the scenes.  

The St. John's Morning Show spoke to several of the folks who work on every episode.

Gina-Rae Anderson, who has worked in the props department, was studying film in Halifax four years ago. 

"I just knew that when I came back to Newfoundland that I just couldn't see myself doing anything else but working on the show, and somehow it all worked out. And now I'm doing my dream job," Anderson said.  

"I love coming into work and there's so many people, so many friendships have evolved over the past few years. It truly really, really feels like a family. I just love everybody ... going to miss them so much. It's life changing. The show for me was actually life changing. It pretty much developed my career."

Jess Anderson is the digital unit manager with the show, and prior to working on Republic of Doyle, didn't have any television experience. 

"Over the past four years, I think I've learned a lot. We're here for about 12 hours a day, so you get to see kind of everything from you know, how the cameras work, to who does what in the crew. And then where I'm working around, I get to see the show come full circle with editing and post and see how it's all done," Anderson said.

"I've been getting kind of a bittersweet vibe on set. Everyone's in really good spirits, it almost feels like the last day of high school. So we all know that we're graduating tomorrow and we all know that we will see each other again, but we don't know when or where or how. So it's definitely bittersweet." 

The right decision

Hawco said while it was a tough decision to end the series, it was the right one.

 "Because, every year we were at the hands of fate. We just didn't know if we were going to be ordered every year, and we wanted to make sure we had control over how we went out," said Hawco.

"We wanted to make sure we were loyal to our fans, and we had an opportunity to deliver on our promises. I feel if we kept going, I don't know if I'd be able to promise that. At a certain point you kind of run out of the magic. I didn't want to be the last guy hanging out at the party that everybody wants to go home."

After Wednesday's wrap, the crew will conclude editing and post-production.

When asked what would happen to the blue GTO once Republic of Doyle ended, Hawco told CBC, "nothing."

"We're going to make a movie ... so, stay tuned."

Alan Doyle interview with Shelagh Rojers...

Alan Doyle and Shelagh Rojers interview from Woody Point Newfoundland…

The interview between Shelagh Rojers and Alan Doyle about his autobiography Where I Belong has just been loaded  up on to The Next Chapter webpage at www.cbc.ca/thenextchapter. Alan talked about growing up in Petty Harbour and his life in music. Great story telling and lots of laughs. Many thanks for sharing. It was well worth the wait to hear the whole interview in its entirety. I loved it and can’t wait for the book released, on October 14 2014.

I loved Alan's line stating he did not believe in luck or destiny but being ready when opportunity came knocking. So true.

PS The podcast works overseas as I heard it late last night before the broadcast. Follow the links on the page and download the podcast.


                                            

Where I Belong by Alan Doyle (image from Random House Canada no copyright infringement intended)

                                     


Petty Harbour, Newfoundland from www.frbv.com (no copyright infringement intended).

Social media and 'inactivism'...

A response to a social media campaign…

I have been following the debate and the responses in the media to Emma Watson’s speech in the United Nations, and the campaign #heforshe launch for gender equality with interest.

Yes, I did view Emma Watson’s speech in the United Nations and read some of the responses from women around the world posted in newspapers and on various Internet sites.

“Unpopular opinion: Sorry but privileged white ladies, Emma Watson isn’t a game changer for feminism” by Amy McCathy is a well thought out response and I agree with many of the issues this author raised.

I am surprised too that an organization like the United Nations engages in these kinds of social media campaigns, that basically involves people clicking on a web page to say they support gender equality. Literally hundreds of men and boys just circulated photographs of themselves with the words #heforshe on social media including Twitter and Instagram.

I also didn’t see any further action people genuinely interested in gender equality could take.

While the speech has raised awareness and created discussion it was a wasted opportunity to provide people, male and female, genuinely interested in gender equality with resources to educate and to make genuine change at a grass roots level.  

I agree with the following points from the article…

Agreed… “Women don’t need to be rescued, whether it’s by men, Emma Watson, or the United Nations. Positioning men as the saviours of oppressed women isn’t productive, and devalues the work that feminists have been doing for decades”. 

Agreed… “There was no discussion in this speech as to how He For She can improve the lives of women and nonbinary people who will experience intersectional oppressions, like racism, transphobia, and fatphobia”.

Agreed… “Anyone who uses their platform to spread feminist ideas deserves respect, but we should probably be a little more careful in who we choose as our thought leaders. Especially when there are hundreds of women who are directly, impacting the lives of women through their work and writing”. 

Agreed… “Paying lip service to feminist ideas without actually doing any work to undo oppression isn’t feminist, and it certainly isn’t new”.

Unpopular opinion: Sorry but privileged white ladies, Emma Watson isn’t a game changer for feminism” by Amy McCathy published on xo Jane.com on 24 September 2014. (no copyright infringement intended)

Positioning men as the saviours of oppressed women isn’t productive, and devalues the work that feminists have been doing for decades.

When I woke up yesterday, my Facebook feed was buzzing with the news of Emma Watson’s “ground breaking speech”. On September 20, Watson used an emotionally stirring speech at the United Nations to launch He For She, a new campaign that urges men to “speak out about the inequalities faced by women and girls.” People who never mention the words “feminism” or “women’s rights” were suddenly interested. 

More specifically, the campaign centers around a website where men and boys can acknowledge that gender equality is a human rights issue and pledge to fight the inequality that women and girls face. On the “Take Action” page, the site encourages users to tweet and Instagram with the hashtag #HeForShe. Beyond that, there is little discussion of what the men who sign this pledge can actually do to improve the lives of women. 

“I am so excited about #HeForShe,” one random girl from my sorority wrote, “because it finally shows that feminism isn’t about hating men. I love men!” “Emma Watson gives feminism new life,” read one CNN headline. Another blog noted that she completely changed the definition of feminism while dressed in Dior. Media outlets that had only previously used the word “feminist” to describe hairy-legged stereotypes were now salivating over a newer, hipper, prettier feminism based entirely on an 11-minute speech at the United Nations. 

Most egregiously, Vanity Fair called Watson’s speech “a game changer” feminism: “Watson is potentially in an even better position than many of her peers,” writes Joanna Robinson. “Her role as Hermione Granger, the universally adored heroine of the Harry Potter series, gives her an automatic in with male and female millenials. This is a rare case where an actor being conflated with their role might be a good thing. In this way, her widespread influence on young minds (still forming their opinions on gender roles and advocacy) is even stronger than other high-profile defenders of the F-word like Beyoncé.” 

Despite the slight toward Beyonce’s feminist work, I thought for a moment that Robinson and others who were anointing Emma Watson as feminism’s brightest young mind might have actually been right. There is something uniquely brave about a young woman identifying as a feminist, especially when so many others, like Watson’s contemporaries Shailene Woodley and Taylor Swift, shy away from the label.

But at the same time, when I hear this speech being discussed as a defining moment in feminism, I worry about the message that the He For She campaign sends to people who still aren’t sure that feminism is looking out for their best interests. More specifically, will He For She leave behind many of the people who most need feminism's help? 

To begin with, the name “He For She” is problematic, no matter how you slice it. Some may call these criticisms divisive and nitpicky, but there is nothing feminist about a campaign that reinforces a gender binary that is harmful to people whose gender identities don’t fit into such tidy boxes. When we reinforce the idea that only people who neatly fit the gender binary are worthy of being protected and supported, we erase and exclude the people who are at most risk of patriarchal violence and oppression. 

Which is something that Emma Watson knows only a little bit about. It was encouraging that Watson acknowledged some of the privilege that led her to that United Nations stage, but she failed to mention the things that are most important. She noted that her parents and teachers didn’t expect less of her than male students, but failed to mention how the automatic advantages that being white, wealthy, able-bodied, and cisgender have colored her life experience. The state of affairs for women that Watson presents in this speech is a best case scenario. There was no discussion in this speech as to how He For She can improve the lives of women and nonbinary people who will experience intersectional oppressions, like racism, transphobia, and fatphobia.

This is not to suggest that what Emma Watson did wasn't brave. Women face consequences when they speak up on feminism, as evidenced by the internet trolls who threatened to release nude photos of Watson shortly after her speech (luckily this turned out to be a hoax).. Anyone who uses their platform to spread feminist ideas deserves respect, but we should probably be a little more careful in who we choose as our thought leaders. Especially when there are hundreds of women who are directly impacting the lives of women through their work and writing. 

In reality, Emma Watson is the kind of woman that mainstream feminism -- the feminism that gets a place on the United Nations’ stage -- has worked the hardest for. When Watson speaks of equal pay, she’s talking about the white women who make 78% of their white male counterparts, not the 46% gap that Latina women face in the workplace. When we discuss sex work, we don’t talk about the transgender women who rely on the industry to survive. Put simply, the discussion that He For She and Emma Watson are having fails to invite the people whose voices need to be heard most to the table. 

Of course, the most crucial component of the speech is Watson’s call to action for men that support equality. “Unintentional feminists,” she calls them. These, of course, are men who have been “turned off” by their own assumptions about what feminists are. Men are an important component of breaking down barriers for women, but after years of begging from feminists of all ideological backgrounds, they shouldn’t need a verbal engraved invitation from an actress to get involved. More importantly, there is little discussion of how the men who support He For She will actually stand in solidarity with women. 

Many men who consider themselves vocal advocates for feminism have also had a real problem with talking over the women they’re supposed to be supporting. The space of male allies in feminism is a tenuous one, and one that is only successful when male allies use their platforms and privilege to amplify the voices of women, trans men, and nonbinary people. Instead of “He For She,” perhaps the campaign should have been branded “Stand With Women,” to imply that men would be standing beside women instead of standing up for them. Women don’t need to be rescued, whether it’s by men, Emma Watson, or the United Nations. Positioning men as the saviours of oppressed women isn’t productive, and devalues the work that feminists have been doing for decades. 

Paying lip service to feminist ideas without actually doing any work to undo oppression isn’t feminist, and it certainly isn’t new. Every few months, it seems as if the media identifies an actress as the new young feminist darling, and Emma Watson is only the latest in the procession. Emma Watson may be making feminism more palatable for people who aren’t comfortable with in-your-face confrontations from less camera-friendly feminists, but she isn’t doing anything new or “groundbreaking”. 

And it’s unfortunate that Emma Watson is selling the same boring, one-dimensional feminism that’s existed since the first hypothetical bra was burned instead of really changing it. She doesn’t deserve to have her privacy and body threatened by terrible internet trolls, but she also probably hasn’t earned her place as a defining feminist of her generation. If Emma Watson really wanted to be a “game changer,” she should have handed the microphone to Laverne Cox or Janet Mock to add some desperately needed diversity to the U.S.’s contingent of U.N. Goodwill Ambassadors. 

What’s up with Sean McCann…

Sean McCann has hit the road and began touring after his farewell from Great Big Sea and making and releasing his new album. It was great to see so many Great Big Sea fans on his Twitter feed coming to gigs from near and far to see him perform and sing and dance the night away.

What an absolute thrill it must have been for those long term Great Big Sea fans.

Recently Sean did a wonderful interview to promote some charity work he was doing for addition. His honesty and willingness to change his life in challenging circumstances is inspiring. Many thanks and all the best always Sean McCann.

Musician Sean McCann in London to shed light on addiction by Randy Richmond in The London Free Press on 21 September 2014.

Great Big Sea lifted Sean McCann up and Great Big Sea started to sink him.

“It was a party band. It was a great enabler for me,” McCann says. “It was a great place to hide.”

About three years ago, the co-founder of the popular East Coast band couldn’t hide from his drinking any longer.

“I was blacking out. I wasn’t sure which Sean McCann would show up and where I would wake up.”

He kept trying to quit, but kept failing. When he finally realized he had to stop to keep his family — a wife and two young boys — together, McCann stopped.

Last fall, he made another tough decision, to leave a band that went from friends playing for a bit of cash and beer 20 years ago to perennial Juno nominees.

“The band was a party bus. That bus kept going,” he says.

But he had to get off.

McCann quit the band, wrote an album about struggling to recover that came out in January, and on Friday in London will speak to a large audience about his experience.

It’s the first time he’s done something like this, but he’ll have his guitar, Old Brown, and new songs to help him get through.

“I believe you are never alone when you have a guitar.”

When McCann speaks at London’s Recovery Breakfast, he’ll be speaking to a city that doesn’t always recognize its biggest addiction.

The other drugs — oxy, crystal meth, heroin, cocaine — often get the headlines, but alcohol remains the No. 1 problem reported by people seeking help at Addiction Services of Thames Valley.

“It always was and always will be. But it is the one that people don’t even worry about,” says executive director Linda Sibley.

The goal of the annual breakfast is simple: “We want to get people talking about addiction and recovery so people in the community understand people can change. It’s a common misconception there is no way back.”

McCann had a long way to come back.

He started drinking at 14 in high school in a province where, he says, “drinking is pervasive. It is part of the culture. There is no real taboo against it here. “

Starting a band in St. John’s, N.L., only made the drinks flow more.

“Our reputation for being a party town is real. It is Canada’s New Orleans,” he says.

“Alcohol is encouraged. People here are waiting for me to start again. It (his absintence) is not seen as a permanent solution.”

McCann says he hasn’t been in touch with his ex-band mates.

“I don’t think they really understand,” he says. “I’m sure they think I’m crazy.”

The band may have been “an enabler,” but McCann knows full well music helped him recover.

“We talked out the issues, me and Old Brown,” he says of the effort that led to the January release of his album, Help Your Self.

McCann will play music from that album at the recovery breakfast, hoping to help others shed light on their lives.

“That is what art is supposed to do,” he says.

He’s already moving on to new subjects as he noodles away each day on his guitar in the woods near his home.

Winter is coming in Newfoundland and Labrador and there’s not much to do, he jokes, “but drink or write songs.”

Go the Bunnies...

Go the Bunnies…

The first weekend in October is an exciting time for Russell Crowe and his rugby league team the South Sydney Rabbitohs and their fans. After years of ups and downs, being close and yet so far the Rabbitohs have finally made the National Rugby League Grand Final. Russell Crowe reminded us on Twitter that he was just 7 years old when the Rabbitohs last danced on that day. 

While the newspapers in Australia have been full of stories covering the team’s games throughout the preliminary finals and now the final the story that really caught my eye was a letter from Peter Holmes a Court the co-owner of South Sydney published on his Facebook page before last week’s game against the Sydney Roosters.

Peter Homes a Court thanked his partner Russell Crowe, the team and management, South Cares and finally their rank and file membership and fans for all their support and permission for him and Russell Crowe to take over the club. It is wonderful when fans are thanked and their contribution recognised.

It is inspiring to see dreams come true for people like Russell Crowe and Peter Homes a Court who have put their money, their heart and soul into an Australian sporting institution like the South  Sydney Rabbitohs. I wish them all the best. It should be a great game. They are expected to win.

A copy of the letter is available on his Facebook page. It has be summarised below for an article for Daily Telegraph published on 24 September 2014.

Open day at the South Sydney Rabbitohs taken by Russell Crowe and published on his Twitter page on the 28 September 2014 (no copyright infringement intended)

Peter Holmes a Court pens open letter thanking Rabbitohs fans and Russell Crowe for his “crazy idea” Daily Telegraph 24 September 2014 (no copyright infringement intended)

AUSTRALIAN businessman Peter Holmes a Court has spoken about his “crazy idea” to co-acquire South Sydney and how fellow owner Russell Crowe claimed it would be a “thankless” takeover.

Holmes a Court left New York on Thursday and will arrive in Sydney this morning for Souths’ preliminary final against Sydney Roosters at ANZ Stadium.

In an open letter, which Holmes a Court gave to The Daily Telegraph, he discusses Crowe, Souths members and the Roosters.

“I am heading back to Sydney for the biggest Rabbitohs game of my life. I admit I am excited to the point of complete distraction and am grateful to so many,” he wrote. Holmes a Court talks openly about the moment he took over Souths along with Crowe.

“Thank you Russell. Heck, without you our crazy idea would not have survived the morning light,” he said.

“Thanks for your unstoppable passion, your brilliant ideas, your determined energy, and most of all your love of this team that has had such an impact and touched so many people.

“When we got involved you said that I should never expect we’ll be thanked for what we’ve done, but I know you got that one wrong.

“Everyone knows what you’ve done, and those that count are appreciative. We haven’t achieved all, but we’ve achieved plenty.”

Showing class and sportsmanship, Holmes a Court offered some special words for the Roosters and South Sydney’s fiercest rivals.

“Thank you to Eastern Suburbs, Sydney City, Sydney Roosters, really, thank you,” he wrote.
“Sports is an odd form of conflict, no matter how deep the feelings towards another team, the animosity doesn’t extent to wanting to see a club removed or die.

“You have been the most impressive of clubs over the last few years and your team demands respect.
“Sports isn’t a real contest without a worthy opponent, and there’s nothing I’ve enjoyed more in the last few years than Rabbitohs v Roosters games.

“I truly hope the Roosters live for another 100 years, growing stronger and stronger each year, because I am now confident the Rabbitohs will.

“And so, to this Friday’s game: may the best team win. You know who I think that is.”

Young fans and saying NO!

Fans seem to be starting younger and younger these days. When I was a child Disney was around bringing joy to millions of children through their retelling of fairy tales. The difference today is that there is unlimited merchandise available for parents to buy and pressure put on them to buy whenever and on demand.

“How Disney’s ‘Frozen’ ruined my life” by Kyle Smith and published in the New York Times is not the first article I have read by parents under pressure to constantly supply their children with merchandise from movies like Frozen and make their daily lives a constant struggle.

What I don’t understand is why they feel constantly under pressure to buy their children merchandise on a daily basis and what happened to just saying no which is not a dirty word irrelevant of the consequences. Presents are for special occasions like birthdays and Christmas. Plenty of parents told the author in the comments section that it doesn’t make you a bad parent if you say no to your children in these circumstances. Yes, two year olds do chuck some awesome tantrums set off by the slightest things (it is called the terrible twos for a reason) when they don’t get their own way, but that too shall pass.

There is a valuable lesson in saying no to your children in that they will develop copying systems for dealing with situations when they don’t get what they want. While young children don’t really understand the value of parents who say no now and saving money for the future, they will thank them later on in particular when they graduate from college.  

How Disney’s ‘Frozen’ ruined his life by Kyle Smith published in The New York Times on the 24 September 2014. (No copyright infringement intended)

Because I’m a film critic, last fall Disney sent over an early DVD of “Frozen” — free. Thanks, Disney! So far that freebie has cost me maybe $900.

I have two little girls, ages 6 and 2, and each of them has seen “Frozen” at least four times as many times as I ever saw “Star Wars.” The apartment is bursting with “Frozen” storybooks, “Frozen” coloring books, “Frozen” dolls, “Frozen” stickers, “Frozen” games, “Frozen” puzzles, “Frozen” costumes and “Frozen” nightgowns.

We have three of those nighties — for two kids. How did that happen? Among the many, many “Frozen” books in the house are two different “Frozen” Little Golden Books — long version and short version. (As I write this, the shorter one is the No. 5 best-selling book on Amazon.) To paraphrase Roy Scheider confronting a similarly all-consuming menace in “Jaws,” we’re going to need a bigger apartment.

Sometimes when my 2-year-old wakes up, “Elsa?” is the first thing she says in the morning. It’s a simple one-word request meaning, “Fire up the ‘Frozen’ DVD and nobody gets hurt.”

And when it’s time to go to bed, she refuses to stop caterwauling until her mom comes in and sings “Let It Go.” (She sings along, sort of: “Awww gooooooooooo! Awwww gooooooo!”)

For a mandatory encore, my wife sings, “Do You Want To Build a Snowman?” (Our daughter doesn’t know any of the words in the song, but never fails to hit her cue for imitating the tick-tock sound Anna makes when she’s under the grandfather clock.)

The kid has a vocabulary of maybe 20 words — and two of them are “Elsa” and “Anna.” (Last night, she added a 21st: “Dizzy,” for Disney.)

Last Sunday, I found my attention wandering away from a pretty exciting Giants football game because I got a ping about a sweet deal at Target for an Anna-and-Elsa comforter ($29.99!). Target’s website offers 196 “Frozen” items. We don’t have all of them. Yet.

In theory, we buy our kids all the crap they want to keep them happy — that is, sedated in a Disney stupor — so we can relax and watch a Giants game. But “Frozen” has turned my sweet daughters into mad merch-munching dragons who get all the hungrier the more we feed them.

A few weeks ago our family went to what we thought would be a nice dinner party on Shelter Island. Our toddler spotted a small hole in the deck and wondered if her tiny, freshly purchased 2-inch Elsa doll would fit through it.

It did!

As she wailed, I spent the next hour trying to fish the thing out with a fondue fork covered with sticky tape. I’ve had more fun raking leaves than I did at that party. And when we went back to Target to get another tiny Elsa doll to replace the one now permanently entombed under a beach-house deck? Sold out. Screaming ensued.

Both girls, natch, want to be Elsa for Halloween. We already have the costumes. Which may be worn out by then.

What is with the Elsa obsession, anyway? Anna is way cuter, braver and more honorable (she runs toward her responsibilities; Elsa runs away from them). She has a better sense of humor and is much less of a beeyotch than Elsa — the Anna Wintour of the fjords. Are my daughters destined to grow up into ice-hearted loners who think a sparkly Windex-blue dress and a haughty air are appropriate responses to having magical powers?

As we embark on Year Two of the “Frozen” Era, Disney is no doubt gearing up to release a new batch of Elsa merch in time for the holidays. And my bank account is dissolving faster than Olaf on the Fourth of July.

Girls, sorry about that college fund we keep meaning to start for you. And here’s my advice for coping with the job market of the future without a college degree: Seek help from those magical trolls in the forest.