We know that a few members of the family are supporting you
in this, but we know that they are not [...]]]>

Johnny:
I haven’t said much to you about your marriage plans.
You are bringing SHAME and disrespect to GOD, to yourself, your parents,
your sisters, your brother, nieces and nephews!

We know that a few members of the family are supporting you
in this, but we know that they are not living in the truth.
Jesus came to speak the truth, because ONLY the truth
will set people FREE.
I am NOT condemning you, I too, I’m a sinner, but its the
GRACE and the blood of Jesus that sets us free.
I’m not sure, which priest, is marrying you.
Obviously, he or she, is not living in the truth
and doesn’t know the truth, he’s condemned and is condemning others.
The ones who will not be participating in this wedding,
are the people who really LOVE you and are standing for the truth.
We know what the Bible says about this lifestyle and the
Bile doesn’t change.
Everlasting is everlasting, and we are earnestly, praying
for you to open your eyes, before ITS TOO late for you..

Call me if you want to talk to me…
I’m NOT giving UP on you, I don’t care if you hate me
for this,  if I have to fast and pray a whole month,
I will do it, because one day I will stand before the Lord..

Councillor Palacio,

I am extremely disappointed with your continuing blind obedience to the wishes of the mayor. It has become increasingly [...]]]> After reading yet another article about how my ward’s city councillor (Cesar Palacio) is just a lackey for Rob Ford, I decided to write a letter to him expressing my disapproval.

Councillor Palacio,

I am extremely disappointed with your continuing blind obedience to the wishes of the mayor. It has become increasingly clear that you do not care about the best interests of your city or your ward. I cannot otherwise explain your repeated votes to cut services (the number 47 bus is now even more crowded than it used to be), and your willingness to be party to the increasingly petty vindictiveness of the mayor whenever someone disagrees with him.

Shame on your for how you have treated Councillor Stintz, and shame again for your vote to have meeting to fire Gary Webster, who has apparently committed the unforgivable crime of disagreeing with the mayor.

You may not have realized it, but your ward is changing. Increasingly, new construction and the revitalization of St. Clair is bringing in new residents (such as myself) whose views you are not representing (and often, not even acknowledging). You of all people should know the long-term value of surface transit — it is already evident in the many new businesses opening along St. Clair.

If you don’t stop blindly supporting a mayor who has been showing himself to be unable to compromise (even when offered several opportunities to do so), and who cannot turn even his well-intentioned and publicly-supported ideas into actual executable plans, you will find yourself on the losing side of an election fairly quickly. And I will do my best to see that happens sooner rather than later.

Chris Micacchi

Resident, Ward 17
Toronto

I don’t expect a (meaningful) reply — he’s clearly in love with being in a position of power — but it was a nice way to vent.

The Role Model in my life is Janet Jackson. I don’t know where to start with her. She has been a big part of my life since I was a child. When I was a kid I was sexually abused by a Catholic Priest at my father’s church. When I told my father [...]]]> Role Model

The Role Model in my life is Janet Jackson. I don’t know where to start with her. She has been a big part of my life since I was a child. When I was a kid I was sexually abused by a Catholic Priest at my father’s church. When I told my father he hit me really hard and told me that I was a liar. I remember running to the bathroom and crying my heart out and wanted to kill myself. I turned on the radio so that no one can hear me, and out of the blue Janet Jackson’s song “Black Cat” comes on. I stood there and I listened to the song I felt that she was talking to me about what I was going through and knew how I felt at the time. After that day she has been a big part of my life. When I am down or when I need someone to talk to I always know that I can put a CD of hers and listen to her music. There are specific songs of her that I can play and know that I can feel better, like “Control,” “I Get Lonely”and“Black Cat.” To me Janet Jackson is more than a singer on the radio. She writes songs about what is going on with her life on a day by day level. That is why she is my role model and I don’t know where I would be without her in my life.

By John De Paiva

John and I traditionally have our own Christmas dinner on Christmas Eve Eve, and as the first course we made the soup. It was really good! I didn’t quite get it like my Nonna’s (of course!) but it was still excellent. I’m really happy with [...]]]> Today we finally got to taste our hard work!

John and I traditionally have our own Christmas dinner on Christmas Eve Eve, and as the first course we made the soup. It was really good! I didn’t quite get it like my Nonna’s (of course!) but it was still excellent. I’m really happy with how it turned out.

I wish the Internet had Soup-o-vision so you all could taste this too!

Capeletti is a special soup that my Nonna used to make only twice a year (once at Christmas, and once at Easter).  This year will be the first year that we won’t be having capeletti at Christmas, because of the very large amount of work it takes for her to make it, so last [...]]]>

Capeletti is a special soup that my Nonna used to make only twice a year (once at Christmas, and once at Easter).  This year will be the first year that we won’t be having capeletti at Christmas, because of the very large amount of work it takes for her to make it, so last week I decided to ask my aunt Tina for the recipe (or, more accurately, a rough set of guidelines as to how to make it), so John and I could make it ourselves.

Capeletti is basically a soup — you may have had it as a pasta at a restaurant, but for me it is and always will be a soup —  anyways, it is basically a soup where the noodles are shaped like little hats and are filled with delicious meats.

Making capeletti is a long and involved process (that’s why Nonna only made it twice a year!).  In the version Tina gave me, the meat is made by making tomato sauce first, then by taking the meat out and turning it into a mince, and then by making the pasta by hand, cutting it into little squares, and stuffing and folding each square into the hat-shape.  It generally takes at least two days, and sometimes three or more, depending on how many you plan to make!  The tomato sauce is not actually used in the soup itself, it’s just a bonus!