Irony, Illuminations and Characters

All things considered, a fairly pleasant week. Alligator-wresting coming up in August.

July 21st - Sleeping in Light

Opening the store was no chore today; I stopped at Subway for both breakfast and lunch on the way to work, so that was nicely different from the norm. Too bad their 'Breakfast Stuffers' are so greasy... but then, most fast-food breakfasts are just that: grease. Ah well.

After a pleasant day at work, I hauled out my portable hammock to shady spot in the front of the building by a nice hedge, to read and relax. I even chatted a bit with my neighbour Laurel, who spotted me in the tree-shade from her window across the way. Great neighbours here!

That evening, I watched the final episode of the B5 series, "Sleeping in Light" which I have not seen for nigh unto a decade now. It was amazing; the sheer emotion of the actors performances got to me now as much as they did then. It was a long, moving and fond farewell to the series that swept you along, closing doors gently for the last time before the lights went out and we left the place for good. Having watched the entire series from end for the last few months, I was quite moved by the episode. Saying 'goodbye' to those characters, who had been constant companions each day for the last little while, was not easy now or back all those years ago. Which is what I have always loved about the series: that the writing was of such a level that the characters were ones I could truly care about, and not just think of in terms of plot constructs or mere character traits. As a writer, it's just amazing to watch, even for television. And JMS is still going strong on other new projects.

Oh, and did I mention he wrote SpiderMan for 6.5 years? *grin*

July 22nd - See Above...

I re-watched "Sleeping in Light" today with the DVD audio commentary by creator/writer/producer JMS, which was moving in itself. It was his show, his baby if you will, and this was his commentary on letting it go; as he said, he'd not seen it either since it was last aired in 1998( another eventful year for myself, I might add... ).

It was amusing to see JMS briefly play the part of the tech who turns out the lights on B5 at the end of the episode - something he'd apparently wanted to do since the first day of shooting. Poetic, in a way, and touching. Now I'll have to wait a few years to re-watch the series, though in the meantime I have Crusade, as well as the B5 Movies to watch... but in a little while, as I need a B5 Break. Maybe some Alias...?

July 23rd - Weather and Writing

Wow, rolled out of bed with bleary eyes and a loggy head. Could be the weather: we've clouds here for the first time in weeks. Not that it's made much difference to the temperatures; still cool in the mornings and evenings, with a decent patio-level warmth for lunchtime. Just hard to get used to cool summer nights in July; sitting out at the Kilt and watching the beer glass sweat at midnight seems so far away right now... oh wait, it is!

My writing has been progressing nicely, with ideas popping up all the time to be madly scribbled down or typed into the PDA. It's a sign of a relaxed mind, free from idea-killing stresses, when the creative thoughts flit fast and furious at times during the day. I am trying to get in at least an hour of writing a day, be it blog, tech articles, stories or just plain idea-gathering for later.

July 24th - Late Exercise

I was late today for work first time in a long time. Good thing I was opening the store, and only live 15 minutes away at a decent clip on the bike; I managed to get the store open on time with most of my opening chores done properly too... nice when the job experience pays off. Plus, I felt rested for once..

All this exercise seems to be doing me a world of good, as I've lost a fair deal of weight since arriving in B.C. Not that I was all that large to begin with, but since 2005( when I was at my heaviest, close to 200 lbs )the weight has slowly changed to muscle or vanished. Though I am not in 'fighting shape', I am mostly trim and so have a good 'base' to work from, once I get my 'galling' operation late this fall( I think ). After I am fully healed from that, the planned exercise regimen will begin, to get myself physically in line with where I am mentally. Combine that with some intensive improvement in my cooking skills, and I should be 'sitting pretty' by this time next year. Another long-term Goal Accomplished, hopefully in 2009.

July 25th - Dureena and Nichneven

I slept a little better last night, knowing I did NOT have to be up early in the AM. After a leisurely breakfast( not a brekky, sadly )it was to the keyboard for a few hours, typing away at a few story ideas that have floated around in my head the last few days.

Before work, I downloaded an episode of the Babylon Podcast, and listened to it on and off during my shift. The main feature of the hour-long show was actor Carrie Dobro, who played the sexy Dureena Nafeel on the too-brief B5 spinoff series Crusade. While watching an episode of that series today, I was struck by some aspects of her character being similar to my own creation, Nichneven: both are thieves, both have unusual eyes / exotic appearances, and both kick some ass. Aside from that, the characters are not so similar that I feel I've infringed on a JMS creation, but rather that it's obvious some of Dureena stuck with me some 7 years after I last saw the show on-air. Which speaks well of her design and how she was portrayed by Dobro, who apparently loved the character... which was made with HER in mind by JMS. Symmetry!

I also find it amusing that I seem to stumble across these things YEARS after the fact... like discovering that there WAS such a thing as the Babylon Podcast. *sigh* Irony...

July 26th - Luminara Festival

I did the usual morning laundry, getting downstairs early to get the ball rolling before anyone else. A good thing too; I got a call mid-morning from our downtown store that someone had called in last minute and they needed help... for overtime, no less. So I agreed, as it was only a 4-hour shift and I'd be helping them out, besides. Just like back in Niagara; I'm used to it. Turns out it wasn't a bad shift after all, with only a few crazy customers and only one truly obnoxious person... not a total jerk in sight, which surprised me. Maybe I caught them napping today.

Tonight was the Luminara Festival in Beacon Hill Park, so I stopped briefly at home to grab my camera and cycled over to see if anything was still glowing after 9pm, once twilight hit. It was interesting, and quite crowded: thousands of people showed up, many of them dressed in fanciful costumes with various light sources built-in, the most common being glow-ropes. Thousands of lanterns were all over the park, tended by many volunteers to ensure they all stayed lit.

Again, I love the fact that Victoria has SO MUCH going on all the time. I live in a quiet neighbourhood, yet I am only minutes away from downtown and all the events that usually take place there. Heck, I am minutes away from the Provincial Legislature, for that matter - but politics has never been my thing. Did I mention irony already in this blog yet...?

July 27th - Nostalgic Irony

Sunday was another day of relaxation - go figure. *grin* Again, five of us were online for CoD4, which I didn't embarrass myself too badly in this week. Perhaps because I only gamed for a few hours, at which time things came to a sudden stop when three people left suddenly, leaving Lucas and I holding the controllers, so to speak.

Damn but I miss PnP gaming with my friends, despite the downhill slide it took in its last years. The gathering of friends at various homes on a Sunday afternoon, to vest our time in adventure and take on tasks that took us away from the ordinary of the world we normally inhabited - that was special. All geek-ness aside, it was magical at times, funny at other and always different, despite the inevitable slow days and dull spots. Looking back now, I see that I was often an observer, moreso than a lead-by-example from-the-front in the ways I played my characters. I think this was often due to the way I saw each gaming sessions, especially in university: they were escapes from the stress of the day, which often in those days was intense and unrelenting for me. Yet again it was the shared adventure( albeit imaginary )in the company of good friends that engendered the fond feelings I recall to this day. Some of those stories and memories will always be with me, untarnished by time. I hope to write down a few of them, alongside the copious notes I often took, to preserve the joy and fun I felt before they fade o'ermuch.

Then there's irony at work again: this GREAT animated video of a character similar to Nichneven. Someone out there is tweaking my nose, but I'll take it as I enjoyed seeing a creation similar to my own given 'life' through the magic of animation. Though the accent is a bit suspect... *grin*

I have finally found a free image-hosting site( ImageShack.us )whose services are actually simple AND user-friendly, so expect to see a LOT more images in future blogs. I will ALSO be updating most of my previous entries, as time permits, in the next month, to add pictures to them as well - no sense in just writing about things when I have pictures to go with those words too!

Fireworks, Friends and Fuel

Well, that was an exciting way to start the week. Good thing the Tall Ships only stop in here every 3 years - I need the recovery time!

June 29th - Boom, Sizzle, Sad

After work in the evening, I heard the boom of cannon again from the Tall Ships battle just outside the harbour to the west. I didn't go to see though, as I was still nursing my sunburn with hourly applications of aloe, at home and at work both.

Speaking of which, it's been going better and better of late work-wise, which I find heartening. Though I am loathe to admit it, settling into a routine has helped eased my daily stress, especially since I am at a 'slower' branch. My skills and experience may enable me to hold my own at even the craziest of busy locations, but I do not thrive on the sort of stress and conflict that often entails - some of my co-workers do, so I happily let them work the stressful locations.
On a sobering note, Don S. Davis passed away today. He played General Hammond on Stargate SG-1, with humour and great force of personality. I am saddened by his loss; you can see more about this fine actor and person here.

June 30th - Lobsters and Moon

Yes, the sunburn is still with me, but I have thus far managed to avoid loosing any skin, as much as folks may still call me a flake. But I have earned the name 'Lobster Boy' from my co-workers - and I am glad that it has not driven me insane as it has this poor guy named Doug. Given that my last bad sunburn was in Mexico in 2006, I do need to be careful of having any more. As it stands now, some freckles have made their merry way to my forehead already, gleefully dancing in groups under the redness. *sigh*

I finished reading The Deed of Paksenarrion trilogy by Elizabeth Moon, as lent to me by a friend at work. It was written by the author to "Do a paladin right" in her own words and was a fascinating read from start to finish. I highly recommend it to anyone wanting a gritty no-holds-barred view of how someone can rise from nothing to become someone who can change their world for the better - at least in a fantasy setting. Don't we all want that, in some way or another?

July 1st - Happy Canada Day!

A nice relaxing holiday. Just a day at home, in good old Canada, eh! Though there was a lot to do here in Victoria today, I was just too tired to get to it...

In the evening I cycled over to my parent's place to watch the fireworks from the 9th floor of their building. Since the walkways are all open to the air, there was quite a gathering of people up there. The view was spectacular across the harbor, looking towards the parliament buildings, which were lit with white running lights as they have been for more than a century now.

The fireworks themselves were impressive, all the more so for being so CLOSE - the launching site was mere meters away on Songhees Rd, which was closed to vehicles for the show. Amazing... my favourites were the red and white shells, of which there were a LOT, far more so than any other Canada Day show I've seen. Definitely not just a few token ones.

The crowds on the way to and from the events were a blast too. One group that stood out was about a dozen girls, all dressed in Canadian colours and singing all the way down to the harbour. The same sort of folks stood out on the way back, though a few were less sober than on the way to the event - again, par for the course. Everyone was happy, friendly and thrilled to be out to celebrate our country, even more so this year which is the 150th anniversary of British Columbia's founding as a province. Spectacular!

July 2nd - Cool air and Smoke

Early mornings in the heat... Yeesh. The weather for the last weekend was fantastic, with sunny skies and warm temperatures - finally. I have to figure out a better airflow model for my apartment however, as the place stays quite hot despite the breezes. Not good for my computer or other electronics, or me for that matter. I picked up a large fan on the weekend, so I am trying to decide on which side of the place to pull the air in from. This is not as simple as it seems, as the side by the main entrance is a favourite for smokers... whose fumes rise up immediately to permeate my apartment, which happens several times each morning and evening.

Ah well. At least the air is fresh and cool when it's not laden with carcinogens - I am but a block from the sea, so the cool night air often carries with it the smell of the ocean. One thing though: I have noticed that most homes and apartments here in Victoria have no screens on their windows. While this speaks well of the lack of flying insects, such as mosquitoes, it does still leave things wide open for other creatures... such as spiders. I am loathe to allow such into my apartment, especially as the nice warm interior is very attractive considering the outside temperatures are much colder - very enticing to spiders, which like to lurk in warm dark places.

All joking aside, I do not fear spiders but rather the unknown. If it was a spider that got me back in the mid-90's during my family's move to Fonthill, then I have good reason to be careful. I have pain from that ordeal to this day, from the arthritis that came from the swollen joints to the side effects that the idiot doctor's steroid overdose caused to my health. But I am grateful, as at the time I did not know for a few days if I would regain the use of my hands, or my right leg. Considering I have full use of all my limbs, albeit with some daily pain, I am fortunate, I feel.

July 3rd - Rain, Scooters and Cars

A little rain fell today, just in the morning and had cleared up by the time my evening shift rolled around. It is interesting that we have yet to have a thunderstorm here, which I find surprising. One of the customers I talked to today mentioned that she was originally from St. Catharines, and that we rarely have thunderstorms here in Victoria. The rain comes as though from a celestial gardener, gentle and not lasting longer than needed to refresh the green of the land.

Riding a scooter in the rain doesn't appeal to me much, but considering the rising cost of fuel these days, it's not a bad idea. This seems to have occurred to quite a few folks, as there is a shortage of scooters right now worldwide. Though if I did decide on an electric scooter, I'd get this one. I am pleased that my planned move to Victoria did not include a car, as the hideous expense that is vehicle ownership can only be made all the more horrible as gas prices rise.

July 4th - B5, with a twist

This week I moved into the fifth season of B5, and I am still enthralled by the story. Some of you may not know I was( and still am )a part of a video game based on Babylon 5, called "I've Found Her"in which I voice the part of Alpha 4, one of the Starfury pilots. I am proud to have been even a small a part of such a game, as it shows what fan-based projects can achieve and the talent that many of us have within themselves, waiting to be shared.

A sobering thought on the future and the rate of technological progress: it seems the world is in immediate danger of running out of various rare-earth elements. You heard it correctly; our lust for flat-screen TV's and copper frying pans may lead us to asteroid mining sooner than you think. So invest in rocketry, or in mineral futures... before the prices rise like fuel costs.

July 5th - Bad Company

Mostly I finished up some stories I had been working on, deciding to plug away at them today and get them DONE.

I popped onto XboxLive a few times, but didn't see anyone who wasn't playing BF: Bad Company, which is a first-person shooter based on... You guessed it: greed. While the premised of fighting for stacks of gold bars seems a little thin to me as a writer, the gameplay itself seems a step or two above COD4, which is saying something. However, I wonder at the longevity of these games... A year or two at most, and then it's on to the next New Thing. How many folks still play Halo3, I wonder? Or Battlefield2( 2005 )or even Battlefield 1942( 2002 )? I sometimes wonder about the loss of good games, tossed aside because they are no longer 'cutting edge' in the graphics or gameplay department. Yet many of them are still solid games, but in the MMO market, it seems the crowd is solidly set on the new, and easily forgets the newly old.

July 6th - Fridges and Frodo

My fridge has changed. Yes, that stalwart symbol of the single guy, the bachelor's bulwark against hunger, as been undergoing a metamorphosis these last few months. I have noticed that very little pop has wound up in there, and of course no dairy products for months now. No, now it is the home of soy, of greens, of juice and many a healthy thing... Which amazes me, as I am not one to spend highly on healthy foods. Yet apparently I have, bit by bit, without really noticing. Even the cupboards are bare of chips, or cookies, or tasty snacks with ingredient labels that read like chemical warfare shopping lists. While I am not yet considering things like Raw Food, I am finding my own way towards health. Perhaps soon I will even dig into my nemesis, that has sat on my counter for half a year now: Cook With Jamie. Considering that I am limited in some of the meals I can eat, perhaps the time is coming soon where I will be able to spare the time to really train myself to cook, not just to eat food prepared in the easiest way possible.

After a lovely uneventful and daresay relaxing day at work, I watched The Return of the King while doing other things around the apartment. The music for the film fills the air with wonderful sound, and really makes the experience special. I remember waiting eagerly for this film to be released on December 17, 2003... hard to believe that is almost 5 years past. Wikipedia has a ton of fascinating information about the LOTR Trilogy, including all the deviations from the books as well as fascinating facts about the film process itself.

And, as I mentioned back then, there are too many blue eyes in the 3 films( see the ill-named 'Racism' section of that last link ). Really.

All for now. One of my weekends is going to have to be spent re-reading the LOTR trilogy, and the next weekend watching the three Extended Versions of the films. Joy...

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*

You call this exciting?

After carefully reviewing the emails and tabulating the votes received, I have crafted this week's blog to more closely conform to the requests of you, the readers. Enjoy! Only ONE link this week. So there.

May 26 - More B5. Yep.

Many of you wanted to know more about Babylon 5, so I thought I'd again recommend the Lurker's Guide to B5. This is a peerless companion to watching the episodes in order, as I am finding. I have been amazed all over again at the care with which each episode was crafted, even in the first season. The little details, visual and written, are astonishing, as is the fact that it was ALL written as a five-year story arc. As a writer, I am humbled by the sheer craft that went into creating such an encompassing work, and hope that I might someday know enough to attempt such a thing, should I be in a position to do so. Maybe, or maybe not.

May 27 - Niagara

I've booked off my vacation time for September, so that I can come back to visit Niagara. It's going to be costly though; the rail option looks to be no less expensive, so I'll likely nix that thought. Hopefully I can pick up a last-minute deal on one of the many sites I am monitoring / subscribed to, in the next few months.

May 28 - ?

Nothing interesting happened today. Really.

May 29 - Bio Scooters

I saw something amusing on the road to work today: a pack of scooters. Yes, scooters - not motorcycles, ridden by leather-clad bikers but instead a half-dozen people in casual dress with helmets, backpacks slung comfortably and just cruising along the road. It was highly amusing, and speaks to the attitude that Victoria has towards environmentalism. There are still quite a few motorcycles cruising around town, but they are outnumbered by the scooter crowd, who are themselves outnumbered by the bicyclists who are often three or four deep waiting at lights.

In the evening: BioShock looks amazing on my flat-screen TV; the retro design of the underwater city of Rapture( I love underwater cities, by the way )is just breathtaking. I love art deco, so it's enjoyable on many levels - pun intended.

May 30 - Friday Freezing

I managed to sleep until 8am this morning, a new record; this past week has seen me awake at 5:38 am three mornings in a row. Why THAT time in particular, I do not know; perhaps my neighbour's alarm I'm hearing somehow? I'll have to ask... but it's been annoying.

Damn, but it's cold here in the mornings, for being the month of May. My cycling jacket is a must, as the ten-degree temps make for a chilly ride in any non-windproof garment.

May 31st - Writing

Dang, but it's cold out... sunny though. I'm not as brave as some folks, who are perhaps used to Victoria's somewhat cool-ish weather of late. Setting up a blanket on the front lawn of the building to have lunch is nice, though not when it's 15 degrees C out there, sunshine or not.

I played a bit of an older PS2 game today, called 'Demon Stone', which interestingly has the voice of Patrick Stewart as the narrator. The gameplay is all right, but I mainly enjoy revisiting it for the story and character design - Zhai is especially well-done, though I question her personal motivations in terms of helping the other characters( she's a drow, after all, for those who care ).

In any case, I just relaxed today. Some writing was done, but I have a lot of my mind of late and the words aren't flowing to my satisfaction... more of a flow that you don't want to see or smell, if you catch my drift.

June 1st - Already?

The start of a new month always has me wondering what awaits me in the pages of upcoming days. Too bad I spent today working, but them's the breaks.

The second Sunday in a row spent working, but at least the weather wasn't super-annoyingly-sunny out, so spending the day inside wasn't so bad.

All for now. Next week: More Drama. More Excitement. More... B5?

A week's worth of links

For the picky among you, this week's blog is presented after being spell checked. Lots of links in this one, but no pics - yet. I'm collecting the ones I have to make a FB gallery this week, so look for it by the weekend. Read on...


May 18th - Another beautiful day, spent indoors

What a gorgeous day this one turned out to be. Seems like everyone but me was out there enjoying it... and by the time I finished work to head home, it had grown chilly and overcast. Odd that it could be so nice then cool off so quickly. The newscasters were saying that this has been the coldest spring in the last 35 years here on Vancouver Island; ironic that I chose to move here when I did.
On the bright side, I get plenty of light in my apartment, regardless of the weather outside - which is great for saving on electricity. I can only hope that I get a decent cross-breeze when the weather heats up, though again since I am next to the ocean I hope the heat will be lessened somewhat.

May 19th - Victoria Day? Meh.

Not much of a holiday here in B.C. weather-wise ... grey and drizzly all day. I spent some of today trudging up and down the stairs here, trying to get my laundry done; I MISS having in-suite laundry... you never had to fight everyone for one of the two washers or dryers. I know I was lucky, but DAMN if I had the space( or the funds )then I might spring for a washer of my own.

Unsurprisingly, I spent a good deal of the day online, playing COD4 with my friends. Again, as I've said before, it's a HUGE bonus that I can still game with my friends from across the freakin' continent... talk with them too, relatively easily. Much as I detest Microsoft, I admit their 360 tech works as promised( excepting the Red Ring of Death ). When the network connection is smooth, that is ...

May 20th - Neither Open Nor Close Ye Be

Worked an odd shift today, neither opening OR closing, at my co-worker's request - which means I didn't have to unlock or lock anything. Nice to have a break.

One neat thing about Victoria, if somewhat trivial: they have coloured curbs here. It makes sense when you think about it: yellow means no stopping, red means a bus stop. Anything else is fair game for parking. Of course there are signs too, but having both really helps make the area function clear. Too bad Toronto hasn't caught on to this system; they have WAY too many No Left / No Right Turn signs!

May 21st - Plane, Train or Automobile?

I started looking into flight costs again for heading back to Niagara in September - yikes! Tickets are over $1,000.00 right now, no matter where I look. Seems one recent news article has pinned the increase in fares on rising fuel costs for airlines - not good news for people wanting to travel on the cheap. I also looked at train travel, but even though the cost is half that of a plane ticket, it will take at least four days to cross the county - amazing a century ago, but not so good for those of us in the modern era who have limited vacation time. Still, I've never crossed the country OR taken a train before, so I won't write that one off yet.

May 22nd - More B5

About a week ago I started to watch the entire Babylon 5 series from the beginning. An episode a day seems to be easiest before work, as I can watch it during breakfast. I'm amazed at the detail in each episode, especially with the breakdowns that the Lurker's Guide contains - amazing that the site is still there after ten years. I'll have to watch this series every 5 years or so. *grin*

The new bike seems to be working out well... or should I say, quite a workout. I'm still not up to biking UP the huge hill to my workplace yet, though I'm finding the lesser hills to be much easier after a few weeks now. Fortunately, I've not yet had occasion to use my new bike horn, but given the volume of traffic here compared to St. Kitts, it's only a matter of time. Not only was it cheap, but it's LOUD too!

May 23rd - More on The Dark Crystal

After working the morning shift, I did some grocery shopping at the nearby Safeway. It worked out well on my bike, as my backpack fit everything I'd purchased perfectly - seems my eye for spacial relationships is in fine form, given all the moving and packing I've done over the years.

I managed to pick up a copy of Legends of the Dark Crystal, a prequel to the 1982 film The Dark Crystal - love that film! I was lucky enough to pick up a copy of The World of the Dark Crystal by Brian Froud a few years ago - on the cheap too! A sequel film is in the works that has Genndy Tartakovsky( of Samurai Jack )at the helm as well as Brian Froud. The usual delays have pushed back the release date to 2009.

Also of note: my pal Lucas sent me a link about The Secret History of Star Wars, which looks to be a fascinating( and unbiased )look at the entire franchise, from the moment pencil touched paper to the current day. Thanks Lucas, both of you!

May 24th - Mount Douglas Park

After a somewhat early rise at 8am, I did my usual Saturday morning routine: laundry and cartoons! I enjoyed the latter more than the former, of course. After a little while spent playing BioShock( yes, I started late on it )it was time to head out for a few hours to Mount Douglas Park with my parents. What a gorgeous place! Just driving up the narrow, winding road to the top was an experience - no guardrail interrupted the view of the forest. And such trees! They towered above us, huge tall trunks topped in green far above, with slanted sunlight sending the occasional beam to illuminate the dusky world below. It was like a dream, in places - the slanted mountainside was thickly covered with ferns around the tree roots, covering the sheer rock with an abundance of life. All of this before we even reached the top!

Words seem inadequate for the majesty of the view. The clear, fresh sea air was warmed by the sun on the rock at the summit, permitting an stunning view for tens of kilometers. We could see all the way to Mt. Baker in the US, as well as the Soloman Islands offshore. The whole of South Vancouver Island lay spread out before us, a green veldt sprinkled with signs of civilization and bounded on all sides by the sea. All of this beneath blue sunny skies - it was heaven.
*deep breath* So, I will post the photos later in the week, once I whittle them down to a few dozen.... or less.

Hopped onto NWN for a while after a few hours of BioShock( engrossing game! )and met someone there I hadn't seen in a long time. He seemed to enjoy the new digs I'd set up in Nordock, and a grand time was had by all.

May 25th - Sunday Ends the Week

Worked the usual solo weekend shift, whilst another beautiful day passed outside with one less to experience it firsthand. The ride home was lovely as always, as well as being rather less strenuous for being downhill. I should mention that I pass quite a few heritage homes in Victoria on my way to and from work, and this inn is one of them. Some amazing properties here, simply awash in thick masses of gardens; some of the bushes are higher than the houses they front - incredible!

Yep, that's it. No witty quotes, just the usual heavy work in creating this blog...