Operations, Overhaul and Observation

I'm off ALL week, just at home recuperating. Feel free to call... that's why I've kept my local 935 Niagara number. :-)

May 25 - Cutaway Coolness

I found a great interview with one of my more favourite actors, Greg Grunberg of Heroes and Alias fame. While he's no Brando, I find his likable everyman personality very fresh in today's overly media-savvy acting world, and it is evidenced in the online interview. Still, cool is as cool does, and that guy's cool.

A week today, the second season of Tank Overhaul starts on The History Channel, which I enjoyed watching last year. When I was younger, I loved cutaway-style drawings of any kind of vehicle, especially military or of course, SciFi. One of these hard-to-find posters has been hanging on my wall for over a decade now, taking pride of place. I kind of like this one too... and this site has a ton of blueprints, some of which I still own. I even drew a cutaway of the Jupiter2 from Lost in Space way back in the day, but this version is the one I wish I'd been able to draw.

One of my projects this coming vacation week is to scan in some of the drawings I've saved from my youth, preserving them digitally in case something should happen to the originals. Along with scanning in some family photos, plus other things... I may even get to some writing, if I feel up to it. Neil Gaiman shared some great insight on the writing process in this blog entry recently, similar to the Four Myths of Writing.

May 26 - Wedding Magazines?

I used to collect certain magazines years ago( no, not those kind! )but things tapered off once the internet really got going: more timely information, fewer ads and no searching for articles among dozens of look-alike back issues. The modern magazine is changing too: more and more and going online, releasing themselves in a variety of formats, most often using the ubiquitous PDF format. One such mag is Up!Magazine, whose May issue has a section on Niagara - interesting, as it portrays the area from a new perspective that you don't get as a resident. It is a large-ish download though, so wait for the link to load fully.

Things are on track for my upcoming visit to Niagara in early August for Shawna & Nigel's wedding - I officially have the time booked off work, I have a place to snooze and the tickets are in the works. Now all I have to do is wait for my final ticket costs and plan on details like a car, meals and What To Do while I am there. Though I have a feeling that this time, like last time, is going to be very, very busy!

May 27 - Squirrel Trailers

These days, anyone with some talent and time can create the most amazing things - many of them posted to YouTube. Fan trailers have proven especially popular for upcoming films, a trend started back in 1998 when someone edited together scenes from Braveheart and previous Star Wars films, popped in some lightsabers and presto: an instant 'trailer' for the upcoming Phantom Menace film. Things have come a long, long way since, as evidenced by this fantastic fan-made trailer for Green Lantern, which features Nathan Filion of Firefly fame and fan fanaticism frolicking in fine form fighting foes. Fhew!

Oh, for some few millions in cash just laying around, waiting to be spent: for those of you with such funds, then you may be thrilled to learn that the house from Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Cameron Frye's home, is up for sale. The famous glass-and-steel garage that housed Cameron's father's Ferrari before it was launched in reverse out the window can be yours for less than $2.5 million USD.

And I wonder if this squirrel was thinking 'Bacon!' when it went to all that trouble? Maybe he got it confused with Squirrel Bacon...

May 28 - The Night Before

While I am not a fan, I do find The Day After Tomorrow a re-watchable film - the SFX are decent, as is the acting, and the premise is plausible enough for a film, if not real life. It IS entertainment, after all. There was a recent listing on io9.com of the Top 10 Eco-Catastrophes from early SF, which I found enlightening, being the fan of apocalyptic stories that I am. Emptyworld.com is a cool place to go for All Things Apocalyptic, though it hasn't been updated in 2 years... perhaps a sign that it too, has fallen victim to the GEC - maybe you'd best get a copy of Apocalypse How, now.

In case there is a disaster, a new program from Microsoft may save your hide - it surprised me to learn about it too. Called VINE, it is based on the premised that in an emergency, your message HAS to get through. By text, email, phone call or other means, it would allow people to have vital information communicated to friends, colleagues and family members in case of disaster - when the lines are busy or down, VINE may prove its worth and save some lives. Much as Google Earth and Craigslist did for victims of Hurricane Katrina three years ago.

I spent a good portion of the later hours of the evening writing down some important things, as I had been doing for the last few months. As most of you will already know, I like being prepared, so I prepped notes to various people in case the worst happened. Not that I expected such, but then I never expected to need this surgery in the first place... and I hate loose ends, in both my stories and in real life. How many of you out there reading this have life insurance? What about a will? Letters to family and friends? Any of that recently updated with changes in your life?

May 29 - Operation Day

Up and out the day early today - I had to be at the Sannich Peninsula Hospital for a 9am check-in before my operation. The hospital was a lovely low-slung affair in a country setting: green fields, trees and sunshine surrounded the place and were visible from most every room in the place. It was a bit confusing at the main entrance though; a lack of signage made getting around confusing until we found a nurse to point the way. After that, it was easy - who needs signs, anyway?

Prep for the operation was practically painless too. The nurse who put in my IV line had been doing it for 30 years, and it showed in the fact I didn't feel a thing as she plunked in the needle. I passed the time before the operation talking with a fellow by the name of Gabe in the next bed, who was in for the same gall bladder removal operation, referred to as Laparoscopic surgey or a cholecystectomy. There is an informative 3D CGI video about the procedure here... which I found after the surgery, naturally.

I was surprisingly relaxed about the whole thing, right up to being wheeled into the surgical area. The doctors and nurses were all very cheerful and talkative as I lay on the gurney in the waiting room and outside the surgical area, and again as I was lifted onto the operating table. A few short sentences exchanged with the anesthetist and I was out - I woke up after 1pm in the recovery room with a store throat from the breathing tube plus( obviously )a sore stomach.

From there, I dozed on and off until about 3pm, when I felt clear-headed enough and strong enough to get dressed and get myself discharged. I must admit I felt better than Gabe, who was still woozy in the bed next to me but conscious enough to wish me a speedy recovery, which I returned right back at him. Apparently his wife was in hospital the same day for some complicated oral surgery, so they would both need rides home. I wobbled out to the car and endured the rough(-er)roads until we made it to the smooth highway. We were quickly home and I was settled onto the couch, where I again dozed on and off until dinner, when some soup brought me back some energy. T'bed early, with no pain to speak of, just discomfort like I'd over-exercised my stomach.

May 30 - Recovery Day One

Today went as well as I thought, considering I only managed about 4-5 hours of sleep at a 45-degree angle favouring my stomach. I always know when I have had enough sleep: I come awake straight away, not groggy as when one is awakened BY an alarm clock. With the sun coming up earlier around 6am, the rising light tends to pull me out of bed against my will. The surgery has left me with 4 bandages on my stomach covering the small incisions, and my whole belly feels... tight. Like the feeling you get when you've eaten too much, but without the accompanying bloated pressure - odd. I have to be careful not to move using my abdominal muscles, so sitting up is a measure of leverage using my arms and a cane - tricky but manageable.

Being housebound, I had a fun time just relaxing - the weather here has been perfect so far. Sunny, with a cooling breeze blowing off the lake to the north has made the deck out back the perfect place to recuperate. I've also enjoyed looking at tech alternatives to home care: this photo gallery of robotic helpers was fascinating, as all of them are currently available on today's market. Reminds me a bit of the Omnibot2000 robot from Hasbro from the 80's, which was really just a glorified remote control toy... but I really, really wanted one anyway. Perhaps an early sign of geekdom, for some.

Last Saturday I saw the new Star Trek film at a matinee, but this week there was no way I was going anywhere today. I did run across this interesting piece with some movie concept art for the new Trek film though - some really cool images there. Sadly, there are none of Uhura or Orion dancing girls.

May 31 - Recovery Day Two

I spent a good few hours on the deck again today, where it was quite sunny and warm - so much so that I had to find some shade fairly soon or overheat. A few hours went by rather peacefully reading and typing on the laptop before I had to retreat inside - the park next door struck again with some loud people arriving to fish. I didn't expect they caught anything; they yammered on and on at full volume about the most inane things imaginable, though I had to give them credit for not being vulgar. They were well-practiced at speaking every thought in their heads though... what happened to a quiet Sunday afternoon fishing?

Some Xbox360 time today was spent on Civilization: Revolutions, where I again learned the old video game mantra: Save Early, Save Often. Also, if you've played the game for a while, it may help you to browse through a strategy guide or two to see if there may be things you've missed discovering. Myself, I prefer to save looking at walkthroughs until the very last, when you've hit a wall in a game and it's either shelve it or solve it. Which doesn't often happen in shooter-style games like COD4 or the very popular Grand Theft Auto series - I have no intention of playing the latter, as neither gang violence nor urban speed racing appeal to me.

In the evening, I watched Hero Ships on The History Channel, profiling the battleship New Jersey. I must confess, I've always loved battleships, ever since I first saw them on television - I think that is why I also loved Star Blazers, which featured the Space Battleship Yamato. A recent web-only monthly series is now available online free from the StarBlazers.com website, and captures a good deal of the initial excitement I felt when I saw the original on TV as a kid.


Thanks for everyone for their well-wishes!! Sleep is a little easier now that I can lay flatter for longer periods, though I still seem to be overheating somewhat

Searches, Spaghetti and Satchels

Being weather-sensitive has its ups and downs... so right now, with all the blah weather this week, I am feeling distinctly lacking in energy and verve. Good thing I have a sunlamp!

Oct 6th - Crazy Foreign Folk

Ah, Mondays. When you want to start off the week right...

Today marked the return of Crazy Lady from the UK. Yes, the same one who made my day a living hell back on Aug. 26th returned today to send some money back to the poor bastards who have to admit to knowing her across the pond - maybe they exiled her here? She was relatively restrained today, though regrettably not in a straitjacket. I was sweetness and light while serving her, in hopes of getting the hell out of the branch before her eyes rolled back in her head and the vomit started spewing. Still, she managed to complain that the branch "didn't smell right"( we have an Irish Cafe and a Chinese Restaurant on each side, respectively )as well as trying to start an argument about how... *ahem* Yes, I have to write this: how I had not properly underlined the rate of exchange.. which is a courtesy, as it's plainly printed on her receipt. Valiantly, I stopped myself from rolling my eyes - instead, I simply circled the relevant section and moved to the next customer. Would you believe she stood at the counter for another five minutes, trying to think of something else to complain about, before finally leaving? The man I was serving waited until she had left, then said "If she was any unhappier, the rain would be following her around." I grinned, but said nothing, of course.

One little factoid for you about money transfers: in Italy, getting a telegram is considered by many to be a Bad Omen, as most telegrams are notices that a family member has died. Telling someone you are receiving a wire transfer is MUCH better, as saying "I'm waiting for a telegram" will get you some shocked looks. Unfortunately, I have a feeling this is related to people who think black cats are bad luck... and in Italy, being a black cat is likely to lead to a shortened life, again at the hands of the ignorant. Some more Italian Superstitions can be found here, sans tomato sauce.

Related to that, we have this gallery of people who just don't care about others... when they park. Seems the world is full of folks who couldn't give a crap for their fellow man, or at least not while they are in a hurry to shop before the store / mall / beer store closes.

Oct 7th - Hauling Out the Pack

Ironing. Why, you ask, do clothes still need to be freed of wrinkles, decades after the invention of the Leisure Suit? As you may have guessed, I used part of my day today to catch up on the ironing, and it was not nearly as bad as I thought. There is something soothing about seeing a wrinkled mass of fabric turn into a smooth set of planes demarcated by buttons and seams. Modern fabrics are catchup up though, but still it is a slow road to the elimination of the iron from today's household.

I also went through the storage locker at my parent's place and found a few more 'missing' items, including my beloved Spalding satchel, not to be confused with a rucksack( the German word for backpack )or a messenger bag. This green bag( my fave colour, btw )got me through university and innumerable gaming sessions carrying extra-heavy loads of books, and is still in amazing shape. Now I'll be using it mainly as a laptop bag, which is a form of retirement, I guess... going easy on the satchel after all those years of hard work.

Though... maybe I should have bought a backpack back then, given all the shoulder strain involved. Kids today have it even worse, as this CNN article shows. Which is why I am all for projects like OLPC, which aims to give every child in the world a laptop, which in part would eliminate some of the heavy books toted to and from school. Along the same lines, Better World Books aims to raise social awareness while preventing thousands of books from being wasted - all from the work of two college students. Given the fact that many online book companies are merging, like the merging of local Victoria AbeBooks and Amazon.com, it's good to see smaller independents remaining, well, independent.

Oct 8th - Mad Max Lives!

For some reason Mad Max has been running around in my head this week. Perhaps the dated news that Mad Max 4 is in development, or that I found out that a die-cast version of the Interceptor is now available for fans... who knows? As I have mentioned before, apocalyptic stories, movies and related paraphernalia appeal to me, and the Max Max series of films was always well-realized. Other favourites of mine were the Wasteland game for the venerable AppleIIe, followed by its incomparable( and unofficial )sequel, Fallout. A fairly complete list of such games can be found here, and a great place that compiles all sorts of apocalyptic media is, well, Post-Apocolyptic Media.

An inevitable fallout of the Nuclear Crisis of the Sixties was the fallout shelter. You can read a little about these rad rec rooms at BadFads.com, which also compiles such things as the HackeySack and... the Leisure Suit! I think what I find fascinating about such things is that we can look back with the perspective of years and ask ourselves "What the heck was so great about it?"

Well, cheer up - have a look at an end of the world scenario, with zombies... and Lego!

Oct 9th - Churches That Aren't

Again with the Mad Max today... though it was due to the weather. The cold, actually: it was only five degrees outside whilst cycling to work, and let me tell you, that's not pleasant. Though most of me is fairly well covered, my face isn't, so cold air plus windchill equals a rather rosy nose and cheeks... which have been staying rosy for hours, ouch. So I popped on my smog mask, purchased a few years back for the joyful Smog Days of Summer in St. Catharines, and that seemed to do the trick. Though I looked a lot like one of the bandit drivers from the Mad Max movies, I was in good company: four Olympic cyclists showed up in Beijing last August wearing smog masks.

On a special note: the Church of the Banana v.2 went live, and will be continually improved as time permits. With our massive creative time and powerful drive for success, we should see our traffic double in no time... or within a few months, we hope. Tell your friends!

Some of you may remember back in May of 2005, that the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster was born. Though the Church of the Banana was not sparked from the same kind of debate of Evolution versus Directed Creationism, it can be said that the COTFSM was inspirational in that it still exists today, and inspires others to fight against society's stupider elements, some of them religious, some not. I mention this because I actually SAW a COTFSM 'fish' symbol today on a bumper of a car at a stoplight, and I managed to grab a picture of it. Hilarious! Take that, Jesus Fish... even the Darwin Fish has not the Hilarity Power of the COTFSM!

Oct 10th - Virtually Yours for the Asking

Thinking lately about superheroes, I found a useful site for those who find they have far too many enemies to deal with, and that their secretaries keep getting turned into lime jello by various death rays. Nemester.com is a wondeful place for a hero to compile a list of their dastardly counterparts.

Another site I have not visited for many a year is AskJeeves.com - which seems to be part search engine now, as well as a huge database of answers to questions on many topics. Back in the day, this sort of interactive database was new and shiny; many folk were thrilled just to see an answer pop up to their plain-english question instead of having to parse it word-by-word! Reminds me a little of the hype that surrounded Ananova.com, where a virtual talking head would read out the latest news in a 'realistic' simulation of a newscaster. Stories about how this sort of 'virtual actor' would replace traditional humans sprung up all over, but the tech quickly proved to be far behind the hype. Still, the subject is far from closed, and has ramifications for all of us, famous or not - if there is an image of you somewhere, does it belong to you, or someone else? Just for as long as you are alive, or for all time?

On that note, we jump from talk of virtual actors in LOTR to... Muppets and LOTR. If that appealed to your tastes, this candy version of the Battle For Helm's Deep will appeal even more. Enjoy!

Oct 11th - Searching for Life?

Considering I first heard the phrase "Google it!" from Spider Robinson at Torcon2003, searching the web is something I have managed to develop into a decent skill. Which means basically, that I do not waste too much time DOING my searches, as I arrive at results fairly quickly. For those of us who shudder when we see the phrase "1,450,000 Search Results" Google offers some basic tips. You can also find a more comprehensive guide here - you can amuse yourself by searching these three keywords: French, mlitary, victories ... and seeing how many results pop up.

While searching something local, I found this interesting tidbit from the past. Sixty-nine years ago today, a Victoria woman by the name of Ethel McCall had her story run in the Victoria Times Colonist on October 11th, 1939. It was about the early days of the submarine war from WWII, when the Germans in the early days of the conflict behaved much like their counterparts from more civilized eras. Too bad it degenerated so quickly into the modern mess we all know today.

On searches too: For a few years now I have been running a program called BOINC, which utilizes unused computer time to help with various computing projects around the world. Since I usually leave my PC on, I just let BOINC use it when I don't, to help search for cures to various diseases. I used to run a SETI@Home search program, but that's been doing very well recently. Now that the cool weather has moved in, leaving the PC on all day doesn't run the risk of overheating it, and the warm air really helps to keep my apartment cozy at the same time - I'll likely not turn on my gas fireplace until well into December, given my large south-facing windows and the extra insulation I've added to the walls of the place.

Oct 12th - Tic, Tac, Time

My, how time flies... or gets scribbled on bits of paper. Already the end of another week, and still so much left to do. Though one has to admire folk like Kate Kelton, whose claim to fame is... TicTacs.

Work was interesting today, in that a steady, simple day with just dull rain outside turned unusual at about an hour to closing time. Without warning( is there ever? )a massive power outage hit the Island - over 200,000 homes and businesses were affected, which included most of the South Island and so all of Victoria. It was off for over an hour, which was well past the branch's closing time. Of course, we had the usual brightsparks who peered in the darkened door both before AND after the posted closing times, looking confused. Perhaps they didn't notice the little clue that the WHOLE CITY was blacked out, and that maybe, just maybe, most places of business would NOT be open without power for little things like lights? Sometimes I wonder about how observant the general public is... then days like today confirm my already low opinion.

Though I did get a ride home, so cycling on the darkened streets was not to be...

Dang - I forgot to mention yodeling! Oh well... it's late on Thanksgiving Monday, and I just want to relax for a few hours tonight. More on Turkey Day next week!