What a year!!

Friday 02 October 2009 at 11:18 am Yes I know it has been a very long time since my last entry. A year to be exact. But who's counting? Okay maybe I have let some of you down...but that is not to say I have been sitting in idle passivity. Much the opposite and I am excited to share lots of good news.

So number one on the agenda. I am gonna be a mum very soon!! Yes we are expecting a little one and we couldn't be happier. I have been blessed with a smooth ride so far, which I am truly grateful for as I know some people really struggle through pregnancy. Hopefully the end of the ride (labour) will be a short, pain free, and super easy experience!! So while I've been getting bigger, my husband and I thought what better time to do a full renovation! I can't tell you how many people decide to take on a major overhaul of their home or move entirely when they are expecting. It's a phenomenon! I'm not talking about 'honey we should redo the guest bedroom and make it the nursery'. These are BIG renovations and GIANT moves. But if you're gonna do it...now really is the time. Unless of course you are negotiating with the bump to come as late as possible since your home still has no walls, lights or power for that matter. That really is living on the edge. Keeps things very exciting though! Could I possibly be speaking from experience here....?

I've also started a new production company, StoryLab Productions, with a long time actor friend of mine, Chad Willett. I told you I've been busy! We have a slate of really cool projects that we are currently developing and of course we are learning a lot too. I will be sure to keep you updated with the progress of our films and tv series and some of the adventures/struggles we have along the way. So hang on for that ride too.

Tonight we have red carpet fever with the start of the Vancouver International Film Festival and I need to start getting ready. Takes a little longer these days! Haha...
Please come out and support our film festival, it's a great chance to see some amazing films that unfortunately will never get a wide release. And it's a great opportunity to support some original Canadian films!! VIFF, Oct 1-16th www.viff.org

See ya at the movies...
Joely
xo

Times are a changing!

Friday 03 October 2008 at 3:01 pm Well guilty as charged...I am guilty of not updating my website in a really long time...BUT I have a really good excuse. I was busy planning away because I recently got married!!! Yeehaaah! Yes I am officially a Mrs. and I love it. I feel all grown up and very happy. So while all this love was in the air, my poor little website got a bit neglected. But that's okay because lots has happened since the dreaded seal hunt and so I have lots to say.

First of all the world is not falling apart, it's CHANGING. We can all feel it. Old systems are breaking down and it feels really chaotic at the moment. As crazy as everything is right now I think it's a good thing. There is no way we can sustain the way we have been living. Greedily and foolishly. Obama will win the presidency because his time has come. I wouldn't want to fill his shoes by any means but I champion him all the way. I love the saying 'Nothing is more powerful than an idea whose time has come'. We need change and we need it now!

Unfortunately through all the American campaigning Canada has been swallowed into the void but we too are facing a critical time...October 14th. I don't know if I have a nice way of saying this other than...please vote and when you do, please don't vote for Harper. He wants to do to Canada what Bush did to America. Ruin it. I don't feel that he has Canadians' best interests at heart. We are one of the worst polluting countries (which astounds me when you consider our population) and he wants to severely cut the arts from the Canadian people! Well if you don't have culture, what do you have? I believe culture is the lifeblood of any country. I am a Canadian artist and I want to continue working in my country!! I'm not asking much...but I repeat, PLEASE DON'T VOTE FOR HARPER ON OCT 14TH.

Okay that's my political rant for the day. Oh and one more thing. Animals are very dear to my heart and unfortunately they usually come last on any politician's list in terms of importance. I really want to help change this. Check out: www.voteforanimals.ca and find out where your candidates heart's lie. Maybe you can let them know that we have the most archaic animal laws that haven't been updated since 1892 and do nothing to protect the abused and neglected. Gandhi said it best with "The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated".

Okay I promise to stay more up to date on my site.
Be good to yourself and others.
Mrs. Joely

I Don't Understand!

Saturday 29 March 2008 at 01:41 am I'm really sad today. And upset, mad and angry...The Canadian seal hunt began today just like it does every March. I don't like March anymore. I don't understand how they can kill 250,000 baby seals. That's right, 250 - THOUSAND!! How do these people get up in the morning and kill innocent baby seals for a living? "See ya honey, don't wait up for me, I've got some seals to kill, bye honey, love ya!" Perhaps these people aren't capable of love. It's barbaric to me. The thought of it makes me sick. And our government allows this. In fact they subsidize it...Wow that must be a really lucrative market. A real bonus for our economy. How does this happen every year? Someone has to okay this. That's right OKAY THIS. "Can we kill 250,000 seals?" "Sure, is that enough?" My favourite Ghandi quote...yeah I know it's already on my website, but I don't care, it speaks volumes. "The greatness of a nation and it's moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated". I love that man. He sums it up so eleoquently. So Canada, hear me roar, STOP THE SEAL HUNT NOW!!!!! It's inhumane. We could be such a cool country. C'mon Canada dig deep and find your conscience and your compassion. Let's be forerunners in preservation and humanity. Let's be shining examples to the rest of the world. Encourage other countries to do the same...treat all life with equality and respect. There I've had my rant and I feel much better sharing it with you.

If we don't stand up and talk about the injustices in this world then nothing will ever change them. If you want to know more about the seal hunt check out www.stopthesealhunt.ca

sigh,
Joely

New Beginnings

Sunday 30 December 2007 at 11:40 pm Hi there

So we are coming to a close for 2007...hope you accomplished all the things you set out to do for the year and I hope you are feeling happy about this years victories. Oh I'm sure there were some upsets and setbacks along the way...those horrible things that make us stronger in life. I know, I know puke 'o' rama but without hardship how can we appreciate the joys in life? Well it's true. With that in mind I am gearing up to start a whole new year, but not without decompressing first. I think it is highly important to switch off for at least a couple of days over the holidays and give myself that much needed 'mental holiday'. This is what exhausts me most...always being available and ready to go. This is what the world of cell phones has done to me. So what better time to turn off the mobile phone and read that book I've been wanting to finish since the beginning of the year. Skiing doesn't hurt either and seems to burn off the massive calories consumed this time of year.

This is also a time when I think about the state of our world - deep I know - and think about those that don't have so much. I think about this A LOT!! What can I do to make a difference? What matters to me? Let's just say I cannot stand suffering, especially when there's something we can do about it. Personally I would like to see an end to the Canadian seal hunt. I think it's atrocious and totally unnecessary. I know that others see this arguement differently but I would love to see Canada set an example on the international stage and be a forerunner in preservation. We have to start changing the way we live whether we like it or not. So as I write this, without sounding too preachy cuz we don't like that...I wanna get us all thinking about what is important to us. No time like a new year for new beginnings. Nothing like supporting those that need a little help.

I wish you all a very happy and healthy New Year and I hope you find the courage to support the things that you believe in.
Take care
Joely

Sandals to Boots...

Saturday 25 August 2007 at 01:02 am As we cherish the remaining days of summer and soak up every last drop of sun, the fall trends hang looming, waiting to take hold. Summer sales are trailing off and the windows now display hues of brown, grey and black...sigh...not quite ready to try on thick wooly coats. And Alas as I sit in my bikini scouring all 780 pages of the September Vogue I am saddened to see fur on EVERYTHING! How can this be? It's 2007 goddammit...do YOU want to look like Chewbacca this fall? Well I know I certainly don't. After all this Green thinking I was hoping for a much larger selection of NATURAL fibres this fall. By the way Stella McCartney is leading the way in high end, cruelty free fashion - You Go Girl! I feel like we are regressing in the fashion world, like nobody really cares anymore. I want some big fashion houses to start standing up saying, 'We no longer want to rob this planet of its living creatures, we want to make you look beautiful, naturally!' Well maybe next season, although I won't hold my breath.

As for me, September 8th I have the great fortune of supporting a great man. I'm off to Calgary for The David Foster and Friends Charity Gala which is a special fund raising event in support of The David Foster Foundation. An insanely busy man with a huge heart, David is doing his part providing financial and emotional support to families with children needing organ transplants. For more information, or to see how you can help support, check out www.davidfosterfoundation.org

Hope you retire all things furry and feathery this fall!

Joely xo

Green, green, green!

Tuesday 29 May 2007 at 1:29 pm Hi there

Wow the weather is warming up and the days are getting longer...yahoooo! All the trees are full of leaves and there are beautiful flowers everywhere. I can feel everyone starting to buzz with the anticipation of summer. Well I hope you are enjoying yourselves out there.

Now onto a more serious matter to comtemplate while you are out smelling those flowers. Global warming. There I said it. Is it affecting you the way it is me? Well I can't sit around and THINK about it anymore, as a global citizen I feel compelled to DO something about it. My big thing lately is grocery bags and wrapping. These are the biggest waste whether it's paper or plastic. The amount of wrapping on everything that we throw away is shocking. I decided to put a use to all the film festival bags I've had lying around and use them as my grocery bags. Keep them in the car, easy! This is gonna be a theme with my blog...things we can do to make a difference. Before you stop and gag or laugh read this quote I really like:

'Nobody made a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could do only a little.'

So enjoy your spring and refuse plastic AND paper bags and bring your own!

Joely

Spring is in the air!

Wednesday 28 March 2007 at 11:49 pm Hi there,

I think this is one of my favourite times of the year... the anticipation of spring which of course then turns into summer. Just like getting on the rollercoaster is the best part of the ride because you know you still have the whole ride ahead and it's just about to start! The cherry blossoms are beginning to bloom and there is a sweet smell in the air...what a great time to be in Vancouver.

This time of the year also means that the play-offs are about to begin in the NHL and the Canucks have officially secured a spot. Way to go guys...Go Canucks Go!!

So I am currently shooting a great Canadian film called 'Love Money'. This is Mathew Bennett's directorial debut and he has a great cast. We are all very excited about this film!

So stay tuned for more updates and in the meantime enjoy yourself!

Joely