Long nights, No patience= Cabbies!

As much as I hate to share this, especially if my mother is checking up on me, but recently I've been indulging in the fine and quick services of the taxi cab companies of Toronto. Lazy, sure. Lack of patience for the streetcar, indeed. But I think now, I've actually come to the realization that I just enjoy the company of the cab driver. I have been blessed to have some of the nicest, funniest, and deep thinking cabbies.

After impromptu motown with Rae on thursday night we grabbed a cab and he played Sam Cooke for me all the way home! Him and I were both singing out loud, boppin' around...it was amazing!

The other night after work at 3:30am (which is when I usually take a cab home, because the clientele on the Queen streetcar at that hour isn't the classiest or cleanest) I had a cabbie who, without even being asked a question, decided to burst out and break down what a good relationship is, how I should never settle, the key elements to a lasting relationship....now of course at this point I ask how long he's been with his girlfriend, to which I receive a response of, "Girlfriend?! Shit no, I'm way too smart to be tied down by some crazy woman!." end of quote.

I had another cab driver a few weeks ago who seemed very anti-social, had a furrow brow, and didn't say a word. Until about 15 minutes in, and three blocks away from my house when he abruptly broke the silence with an earth shattering belly laugh followed by why he loves Valentine's Day and all the wild women, escapades and memories he has taken from that day. He told me this in a very non-creepy manner, don't be too concerned. He turned out to be the jolliest of men!

It just goes to show, Amanda Marshall was right....everybody DOES have a story! But I suppose I could meet new people for free and swap stories , rather than pay $40 for a cab to hear them. :)

Mo' Motown Please!

Late last summer, while I came up to the city to visit Julie one weekend, we stumbled upon a special event that has since left me with a fever; a fever for Motown!

I'm sure most of you have either heard me rave about it, felt my excitement through Facebook updates, or have actually braved the dance floor of Sneaky Dee's alongside me for this one evening. It has to be said, that Shadows of Motown is my current 'bread n butter' of life. The anticipation of finally receiving the date for this once a month sensation just about kills me. I find myself constantly flipping through the pages of NOW magazine and the Eye Weekly, as well checking their website every other day in hopes that they will have announced the next date so that I can make sure I book this night off work.

"Is it worth the loss of money?", I'm sure you re asking yourselves right now. My only reply to this ridiculous question is "HELL YES!".

Something happens to people on the dance floor when Motown is played. It's as if you re in costume, you can do anything or be anyone you want to be without the fear of looking like a fool. The bigger the movements, the wilder the outfits, the sweatier you are.....the better!

A lot of people question what Motown is? They seem unsure if they've ever even heard a Motown song. Motown is all that great soul and R n'B from the late 60s and 70s. Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross, The Temptations...the list goes on.

I could talk about this special night, and special genre of music for hours. But what I am trying to say within this ramble is, if you're looking to let loose, shake those hips, and for one night travel back to a time when music was original, and felt in the soul...you need to check up on Shadows of Motown at Sneaky Dee's, Toronto. Make sure you look for me, I'll be the one on stage, with a bottle of Mill St. in hand doing the "mashed potato". :)