Grease, Chumps and Cars

Here it is... not a lot of BC content this week, but considering the massive link-fest that last week's blog turned into, I thought some of you could use a break.

June 9th - The Week Begins

Mondays. Who likes them really? Everyone has had a Monday where they wake up and wish it was still the weekend - it's human nature. At least this site has some suggestions on how to beat the Monday Blahs. Or at least bruise them slightly.
On a happier, note, my entire closing shift today was overtime, thanks to the staff fluctuations we're having in the are. Too bad I can't get more than a few of these a month, as I'd sleep better. Speaking of which, my bedroom window faces east( same as before at The Prince )so as usual the sun and I fight to see who will give in first in the mornings. So far, I've been able to stay snoozed on a day off until 8am, which isn't bad considering my room at The Prince had the equivalent of WWII blackout-blinds from the Blitz in London. Here: not so lucky.

June 10th - Chumpdom Awaits!

Some happy news today: Brian sent out an email saying that 'Work is for Chumps' - he gave notice at his job and will be pursuing his own interests and his own business from now on. I am SO pleased to hear that it's working out for him, and hope that his dreams are closer than he thinks. Myself, I am looking at three fields of work right now: tech writing, general fiction and voice acting, including podcasts in any of those three fields. I figure I have a shot at all three, so if I can eke out the time every day to make good on the work apart from the day job, then perhaps.... Well, you get the picture, though some seem to think that it should begin early, like in college.

June 11th - The Plot Thickens. Like Soup.

Sometimes, you just want the day to end so you can get to the important things. Like this: a major plotline on the NWN server I game on was brought to a boil tonight - I was on for hours as an epic quest through dark and dangerous places played out, with myself and a few stalwart comrades at the center of the maelstrom. For those who enjoy video games, I equate my time at Lands of Nordock as similar to the experience one got from playing Baldur's Gate, or Planescape - it's that good. For a free server, they have a dedicated community of DM's, developers and players. Or, in the words of JMS: Dreamers, Shapers, Singers and Makers. As I have said before, I feel privileged to continue to be a part of a world where I feel my contribution matters, and where I can both relax after a long day AND explore a rich world that is continually being shaped by truly creative, passionate people. And have fun, of course.

June 12th - It's HOW green?

For anyone who wants to get a good mental image of how GREEN BC is, compared to Niagara, I have come up with the following. On Geneva Street in St. Catharines, south of the QEW, huge trees line both sides of the roadway, casting lovely shade over everything beneath. As well, on Shoreline Drive, the trees planted decades ago when the community was first built have grown such that they touch in many places over the middle of the road, creating a green corridor that is eerily lovely when lit at night by the streetlamps.

Now, imagine those huge trees, only twice as large. Greener. With every street in every neighbourhood packed with them. The gardens below practically bursting from their planting beds, every house a gardener's dream of flowers and bushes growing at incredible rates, all of it spilling over and barely kept in check by legions of gardeners armed with trimmers. How's that?

June 13th - Paraskevidekatriaphobia

For an unlucky day, today was remarkably uneventful for being Friday the 13th. I didn't see a single black cat, nor have to avoid any ladders or any other ill omen. The origin of Friday the 13th is an interesting read, especially in today's modern society of skeptics.

Speaking of bad luck.... as some of you may know, the cars in my life and I have always had a.. Special relationship. When I was living in Fonthill, way back in the 90's, I would often have to find ways to kill hours whilst my steel chariot was in the shop. One cheap one that I found was to walk the short distance down to the newly-opened McDonald's and have their Double Quarter-Pounder With Cheese special. This massive meal came to a mere $5.00 + tax at the time, which was great for students like me on a tight budget.

Why am I mentioning all this? Well, it's not about the car( I don't have one )or Fonthill( I won't be back there again )or even my mechanic Jamie( whom I DO miss! ). No, I mention it all to bring the Golden Arches into it. I haven't eaten at McDonald's now for almost a decade, though Wendy's and a few other fast food chains have seen some of my patronage. Why not Mick-D's though? Simple: grease. Even back in the 90's, I noticed that about an hour after a meal at Ronald's place, my face would start to sweat grease. It was the damnedest thing, like my pores were trying to sweat out the toxins. When I think about it now, it still gives me the willies that I didn't really pay attention to the effect and kept on eating the stuff... because it was cheap and easily available. I am not for or against the stuff, as everyone should be free to make their own choice. Though these folks here seem to really have it in for Ron and his pals...

June 14th - Super Sunny Work Weekend

I have been giving serious consideration to canceling my cable TV service, as I find of late I am watching one or two shows a week, aside from BSG - which had its season finale his week. Looking up at the shelves around the TV, I find I have a vast assortment of shows and movies that are as yet still unwatched. Those show know me know that I am not one to be wasteful, and in this case I have TWO things going to waste with a common thread: time. On the one hand, I am wasting money on TV that I do not watch, and the other is wasted shelf space on shows and movies I have not seen. Heck, my Unwatched Movie List recently topped 500, with the addition of such films as Iron Man and the new Indiana Jones . We'll see, especially if things go as I hope and I find myself wishing for MORE time to pursue my other career interests.

June 15th - Severed Dreams

Before work today I loaded up the third season episode of B5 entitled 'Severed Dreams'. In a nutshell, this is the breakaway episode, where the series turns a corner and doesn't look back. The buildup of the first two seasons comes to a head here, bursting into action based on moral choices and some very real pathos. The CGI is still mind-blowing, even by today's higher standards( BSG )with more FX shots in this ep than had ever been done on TV before, in any show. B5 won the 1997 Hugo( among many other awards )for Best Dramatic Presentation for "Severed Dreams" - what else can I say? Watch it( but only in Turkish, sorry ).

Comments as always are welcome... but if you're going to rate the blog, have the decency to do it under a name, as some of you have kindly done. Who cares what some spotlight-shy Anonymous slob thinks, anyway? *grins*