Oh Canada!

So, I recently heard that there was a rumour going around that the founding members of Wild Goose Creative are all Canadian.....

I did not start this rumour (although I do think it's awesome) and, I must admit for the sake of accuracy, that it isn't true. In actuality, I am the only citizen of Canada amongst us; my husband, having lived there, could maybe be considered some sort of honorary Canadian, but if we're being official, it's just me. And, I, being the sole Northerner among us, feel it my duty to call attention to some awesome Canadian art that Ryan and I have recently been discovering.

Ok, first some quick reasoning. I feel like too often Canadian pride lies in a counter-American sort of culture and I think it's a shame. Canada DOES have it's own culture. And, there is a lot of awesome stuff happening in Canada and I would love to see the pride of Canadians be found more in what they CAN do, rather than in the ways they're different from their neighbour to the south. I also know quite a number of Americans that at one time or another have said that they wish they were Canadian, and some who will sometimes pretend to be Canadian so that foreigners won't despise them.

So, for the sake of both Canadians and Americans, I'm going to start a little serial post where I'll tell you about some Canadian things that I think you should check out, whether you're a Canadian trying to boost your pride, an American trying to fool Europeans, or anyone else wanting to broaden their horizens.

And now for the first Canadian gem. I would love to introduce you to the all-too-incredible Stuart McLean and his CBC radio program, The Vinyl Cafe. If you like podcasts/storytelling, you will love this guy. I was first introduced to him back in high school by one of my dear Canadian friends, Kirsten, who had the forsight to know that his humour and stories would steal my heart. He is definitely the best storyteller I've heard and his characters have become like fond relatives.

If you're heading on a long trip, or are just looking for something fun to listen to, download one of his podcasts, sit back with a bag of ketchup chips and some good Canadian chocolate, and enjoy.

And, look out for the next installment of Canadian gems...