Compliments, Crusade and Cable

There’s a sea change in weather happening this week… it started with the iron underbelly of clouds a slow-rolling ceiling above everything. Then so…

July 28 - Living next to the sea

The weather here has gone grey. From the shining sun to the dull pillowed fluff of lint found in a dryer, it's an odd shift. The rain here too, does not slam into the city as much as it drifts by, like a sprinkler waved over a patch of garden. No storms, no thunder, no pressure of black clouds crowded with unleashed waters eager to drown the land beneath. No, here Nature takes a gentle hand when the sun hides, moderate in that as in many other things in this city on the coast. The people seem to take the rain in stride as well, for few I see duck for umbrellas as the water falls. Which may explain the prevalent smell of ‘wet’ one notices inside on rainy days among people here in Victoria - odd, but there it is. Especially noticeable when the person next to you in line is wearing a wool coat...

I don't hear the sea here, and I rarely smell it. Since Victoria is not exposed to the full front of the ocean, there are no crashing waves blasting their sound across the shore. Perhaps I might find that soothing at night, but then again I have read stories about how the fury of the waves often pounded onto Dallas Rd here in years past, before breakwaters were built offshore to calm the waters somewhat. The complex workings of Nature can be beautiful, but you still have to watch your fingers; she bites too - this webcam may catch a storm or high winds, if you're lucky.

July 29 - Fionavar

I started re-reading an old fantasy series tonight, the Fionavar Tapestry by Guy Gavriel Kay. The first book, The Summer Tree, was just as I recalled, full of moments that draw the reader completely into the world the author paints. Some very moving moments in there, beautifully written. I have not read it all these long years, since my high school days in fact, when Prisoners of Gravity did a few interviews with Guy Gavriel Kay. Heck, they interviewed pretty much every decent SF and Fantasy writer there was at the time - over 600! But back to Finoavar... with the drift of years and experiences in between, I can say that I enjoyed the book even more.

July 30 - Blogging and Crusade

Blogger has been annoying me of late, causing my blogs to become much more work than needful. It has been losing( and adding )keystrokes to my work, causing paragraphs to run together or links to be lost, doubling the time I usually y take to create these entries, which is not inconsiderable at all. I'm going to have to write these in a separate text editor, copy it all over and then add the links to the blog, in the hopes that it will save properly - damned annoying for something that was working perfectly up until a few weeks ago. I have suspicions that 'invisible' characters are sneaking in from the blog entries I create on my PDA; if so, I may try to alter the way I create those as well. This week, I am trying to edit it in both Opera and Firefox, as switching between the two seems to 'fix' the formatting problem somehow... grrr.

Watching the B5 spinoff series Crusade has been a treat these last few weeks. I've been watching it in an episode order that JMS preferred, as opposed to the broadcast order it originally aired with - the SciFi channel link above was the only network to air it the way JMS wanted, and I have to say it's flowing a lot more smoothly story-wise than when I recall it on air the first time.

It's a damned shame, a crime almost, that the series was canceled. It is obvious that the cast & crew had a fantastic chemistry and that the show was poised to go places SciFi on TV had yet to dare venture into, much as B5 had done before them. To think that the Network system still revolves on suits with calculators for brains, who wouldn't know( and wouldn't care about )a good story if it bit them on their collective behinds. If there is one thing, and one thing only, that I hope the 'net will do, it is this: to allow creative artists to break free of the chains that corporations and other controlling bodies put on what we see and hear. To allow anyone with an idea and a good story to TELL it, as best they are able, to an audience that would otherwise never have known about it at all. It always amazes me what passionate, driven people with a vision can do with the smallest of budgets, in this day of desktop CGI and YouTube.

July 31 - A Compliment!

I continued reading the Book II of the Fionavar series, The Wandering Fire, in the early morning. The depictions of heroic characters and deeds, the language and all the many tropes of true Fantasy are present in Kay's work. As I read, I found myself lost to the words on the page; the grey skies and leaden feel of the ordinary day here vanished into the flow of the tale, and all too soon the hours had blurred back into time to leave for work in the early afternoon.

The rain today too, elicited comment by both myself and my co-worker. Across the road is a line of dark-leafed trees, with purple leaves. This afternoon, as the rain fell, my co-worker exclaimed "Is that smoke? Can't be, in the rain..." It was the rain itself, as it turns out: the drifts of droplets appeared like a fog or smoke against the dark trees. I had noticed this a few times myself, and wondered that my eyes were playing tricks - now I knew I was not the only one who had seen the rain that way. Smoke, in seeming, blurring the view gently.

Something else tonight: a compliment at work, and a good one at that. A nice customer, who sends money transfers abroad, came in and exclaimed in delight "Oh good, I was hoping it was you working!" She said she really appreciates the fact that I have been "very efficient and fast" while serving her the last few times, without making her feel rushed or in other ways compromised as a person. Not that anyone here is rude, mind you, but she wanted to point that out. In the course of the conversation, it turns out she is a doctor, born in Kenya and will be working for the UN in Africa soon, where she has not been since she was in her 20's. It was enlightening to talk about world culture with her, and so reminded me that some few of those who walk in the door are truly nice and interesting, intelligent people. Goes to show you can get in a mental rut at any job, despite trying to keep an open mind towards people to try and explain their many odd and frankly rude behaviours towards total strangers. Which is hard to take, when you're naturally empathetic and have to fight the urge to solve other people's problems... yeah.

Aug 1 - Lazy Summer Days

Ah, August... my favourite month of the year. This is the time for relaxation and reflection in gentle ways, a time to enjoy the weather and treat each day as a small vacation in and of itself. In years past, August was the time to relax from the frenetic pace of July, when the excitement of finishing school was over and the fact that the summer was half done had sunk in. Early days and late nights were the norm, as you tried to maximize the time you had left and enjoy every beautiful moment, be it with friends, family or just taking in the simple wonders of the day in a hammock on the back porch.

Things change over time, summers begin to blend into the rest of the year as school becomes a thing of the past, recalled sometimes with distaste but the moments and memories that stood out becoming brighter of themselves the further one draws away from them over the years. Working all year long, with a few scattered weeks here and there for vacation, makes those long memories of summer all the more vibrant for the feeling of freedom that they embodied: to run in the summer sun with friends and know that the next day would be more of the same joy. Now, far from friends and those same, somewhat smaller places that I ran those too many years ago, I find myself feeling nostalgic. Not sad, but sorry all the same that I will never know again those lazy summer days, free of cares beyond finding lunch after breakfast, and being home in time for dinner. All the hours in between were mine, to share and spin bright threads of memory that would reach out to me here today, shining with the innocent joy of youth, energy and shared friendship.

A bearable day, overall, and when I finished work in the late afternoon I found myself profoundly grateful to have a weekend off. It was a rough week, in some ways, with a lot of tossing and turning and very little solid sleep – lots of things on my mind, of late.

I also canceled the cable today – it was a surprisingly easy thing to do. Now I have to spend some time getting all the shows I’ve kept on the PVR off the thing, and then give it to my parents – teaching them to use the interactive TV Guide should be amusing but ultimately prove fruitful for their use. For myself, as I have mentioned before, I will have my many DVD movies and TV boxed sets to watch, as well as the vast bounty of the internet at my fingertips. The key will be to find the time, in between my other projects; time to relax can so easily turn into time wasted, as I know from much experience. Cutting out the temptation of the TV tuner forces one to focus on the now, as much as moving out here to BC has cut down on the daily distractions. Here, at the end of the day, when the day job is finished with and the dishes done, there is only me and the work. Anything I do not accomplish can be laid squarely on my own head, for though I may be tired, the work does not care. It simply waits to be done, sooner… or later.

Aug 2 - Finishing Fionavar

I finished reading the last book of The Fionavar Tapestry today. Entitled The Darkest Road, it is beautifully-crafted example of the writer's art. There is symmetry and balance throughout the work, things that are very hard to pull off as a writer unless you plan them beforehand long in advance of setting pen to page. Have a look at the link above; there are numerous discussions and examinations of GGK’s work that provide some illuminating insight into the themes he explores in his work.

Something of note I caught: on the last page of the last book, there is printed the phrase "the wheel of time." Since the Fionavar trilogy was published a few years before Robert Jordan's massive Wheel of Time epic( may he rest in peace )I find that little coincidence rather amusing, since I would eventually read that series as well, courtesy of Matt( thanks dude! ). One little note from Robert Jordan though: like JMS and B5, he said in this interview back in 2002 that he knew the last scene of the last book before he began his series – amazing, given the scope of his writing, with hundreds of characters!

Aug 3 - Shattering Slips

Did a few things today, most of them productive... except for the glass I dropped in the kitchen, which exploded all over the place. It's been so long since I broke a glass, I'd forgotten how they like to spread shrapnel everywhere - and me in my bare feet. After checking to make sure my legs were shard-free, I climbed OVER the kitchen counter and began the cleanup process... it ended up taking an hour, all told, to find every little nasty bit. One trick I recalled from years back was to use a powerful flashlight to catch glints from the sneaky shards that embed themselves in things like floormats and slide under the edges of counters or fridges. Good thing my vac is powerful enough to pull every last one of those hidden ones right out again.

Productive; I mentioned that, right? Well, I typed up two stories and juggled around some website concepts, which took me well into the afternoon - even with a short Civ break( I won! ). In the early evening, I went to visit my parents for dinner, and afterwards we headed up to the ninth floor to listen to the concert that was taking place across the harbour at the Parliament Buildings. Or at least we tried to; the prevailing wind and the shrieking of the gulls settling in for the night on nearby buildings meant we could hear very little besides the general murmur of the orchestra. It was disappointing, and I left well before sundown to come back home... where ironically, I COULD hear the performance, if I listened hard enough. Oh well; we'll know for next year.

This week began grey, and finished sunny - VERY sunny. The forecast is for a week of nothing but sunshine, with low to mid-twenties. How can you beat that, with no smog and no humidity? *grin*

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!

Birthdays, Wisdom and Words

If you're reading this, it means you're too close to your screen...

July 14th - Cutting Cable

Once the cable is gone, it will be just the internet for a while, and all the shows I can find there( YouTube? )as well as what I have in my DVD collection. Interestingly, I heard today that NetFlix is partnering with Xbox Live! to offer 10,000 of their 100,000 titles initially to download and watch - coincidence perhaps? I know I will be converting most of my DVD collection to smaller PDA-sized files so I can watch shows in bits here and there, wherever I wish to. Speaking of which, I have been writing a majority of the last few months of blogs on my PDA, where and when I can, just to get a different perspective on things. Cafe's, park benches, on the grass at a park or on slow days at work - each has their own merits, though some make it harder to balance a folding keyboard( with fidgety keys ). Getting the mirror positioned is a pain though.

The short trip to and from work is always a lovely, almost tranquil time for me. I cannot( as yet )convey in words the beauty of the lanes I cycle through to and fro each day. The simple lines of low stone walls, draped by lush green vines and o'er-towered by tall trees by the dozens, in all their many shapes and varieties. The clean scent of honeysuckle bushes, of gardens bursting with colour and smell in every yard I pass. The deep serene lawns of the heritage homes, guarded by silent old trees and gardens that seem wild in their careful tending. Everywhere the eye rests easy on beauty natural, on pleasant views unmarred by stark plain lawns, too-few too-new trees or cookie-cutter homes different only in their owner's choice of siding colour. Here, there is a riot of difference, a glorious jumble of harmonious uniqueness that makes stopping to smell the roses an all-day activity... as it should be.

July 15th - Amazing Grace arrives!

Great news this morning – my good friend Katie & her husband Darcy had their first child at 3am this morning, Annabelle Grace. Fantastic news, and they’re all doing well. My best to you! *GRIN*

Being restless at night is not a good thing - I was up late for some reason, tossing and turning. Most likely some issue or another I've not been able to resolve, some stress that my subconscious hasn't dealt with. Like anyone else, I have more than enough to keep my Id busy for years - hopefully whatever it is, I'll be able to get some sleep tonight.

After work today I went to my friend Carol's place for a small BBQ, my neighbour Laurel being there too. I grilled up some 'Tofurkey Polish Sausages' which I have had before - the spices really make it tasty with a little char from the 'barby. The sun was out, it wasn't stinking hot like too many Niagara summers I can recall, and I enjoyed the quiet peace of the backyard.

Until the squirrels arrived. Well, one actually. Apparently this particular squirrel has been using Carol’s many potted plants to pot peanuts in, pretty often. The discussion turned to non-lethal and / or humorous ways to deal with the problem, from which squirt guns, zip lines and thigh-holsters-ala-Lara-Croft all came to mind. Amazing what a tree rat on the lawn can cause the conversation to shift to.

I suggested a website name, such as www.squirtthesquirrel.com to go along with The Nut-Buster Brigade… incidentally, did I mention that all the members were women? )and the evening took a delightful turn into the bizarre and punny from there. Still got it, though others don’t often get it… or wish they hadn’t.

July 16th - Happy B-day to Moi

My friends Mike, Pierre and Brian gave me a GREAT gift today. More on that in a moment.

I'm 35 today, 1/3 of the way along and 2/3's from the end of the beginning. Some folk may have a midlife crisis at this age; the old show Thirtysomething comes to mind. Myself, I wonder that 40 is now closer than is comfortable, and that I could have been doing the same job since I was 20, which would make for 20 years at the same job... Yeesh.

Who am I? What do I want?

Well, I've learned that I am comfortable looking in the mirror each morning. I've tried to separate the person from the 'career' and I find that who I am these days is someone I'm mostly proud to be - thanks to some good parenting, good friends and good luck. Though I may not be famous, or rich, or admirably good at one thing, I am what I am - that's good enough to let me sleep at night and get me out of bed in the morning. I don't feel the need to rush through life feeling as though I am late for an appointment, to acquire riches for their own sake, or to prove myself to my peers or friends. I've been down in the gutter, so to speak, been places where some will thankfully never have to go, and come through many trials to still be here to tell you about it today - all of which shaped me, tempered if you will, into a more flexible mettle.

I mentioned last week the concept of balance in life; as important is not to be brittle, to 'not sweat the small stuff'. If you hold yourself too rigid, define yourself by standards too tight and unrealistic, then you can be shattered by blows that would only injure or even just roll off other folk who know how to better deal with life's little foibles.

It depends on how you define success. I know for me, that definition is more personal and less professional. I'd rather be who I am, where I am, than be writing this in an expensive home office of a home I may own in another 25 years, with my hair grey from stress and my nights filled with personal regrets for what I had to give up to get there. No, I can look in the mirror a long, long time with a steady gaze, despite a lack of the 'essentials' that some folk expect from life: a wife, kids, a long-term career... All of which would mean nothing if I could not meet the eyes of the man in the mirror.

So… what was the gift that my Three Amigos gave me? A website. An amazing website, they have obviously worked hard on for some time… all in aid of me furthering my career in the Tech Journalism field. With this website, which I will be working on in the coming months( details to follow soon )my articles will be collected in on place, easily readable by a (hopefully) adoring public… or just the guy down the street who needs his computer fixed. What comes, will.

Dinner with my parents was a quiet affair, no singing or cakes or carryings-on. We went to the Ross Bay Pub. Where I course I had a Guinness with my meal… semi-traditional. After that, I finished watching Spiderman… love that film. Heck, the character’s always resonated with me, for that matter. Thanks Stan.

July 17th - Condo Signs

From wisdom to street signs - amazing how a little thing can throw you off. Here, there are no single posts with signs. Rather, there are TWO posts at every street-meet: one, a stop sign, on which is the secondary street name. On the opposite side of the street, the MAIN street name is on a separate sign. This system makes sense, in that drivers always know where to look for a street name, and it uses the same number of poles( two )as every stop sign doubles as a street pole.

Another day off – two in a row! Part of it was spent entertaining my parents: seems that their building is undergoing extensive renovations. Well, the owners of various units are fixing a LOT of things that they shouldn’t have to. To date, 66 owners have had to change their floors due to shoddy workmanship, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg – ironic, given that the place looks like a cruise ship. I’m glad( and so are my parents )that they didn’t buy a unit there; the old adage “Look before you leap” has proven most apt, as I am sure many of the $500,000-plus unit owners are finding out now. It always amazes me that people will pay such huge sums of money for homes or condos, with no real guarantee that what they’re buying is TOP quality… but it can LOOK like it is. I’ve searched, and there is just NO guarantee out there in Canada that what you buy IS top quality. Sure, there are New Homeowner’s Warranties in various Canadian provinces, but sometimes serious problems take a few years to show up. Even when building a home back in the mid-80’s in Port Dalhousie, we ended up being present EVERY DAY to keep an eye on the project, and usually we found at LEAST one thing wrong EVERY visit we made. Gah!

Which again makes my glad that I’m not trying to climb the ‘Property Ladder’ as is so often mentioned in the HGTV show Location, Location, Location… with my luck, the thing will be missing most of its rungs and the wood rotting. No thanks.

July 18th - Walking, Writing, Gaming

I went on a walking tour today, of the Beacon Hill / Fairfield area around where I live. I was most impressed with Beacon Hill Park, as it is a vast greenspace the majority of which has been left in its natural state. Paths wend through the tall grasses, and many rocks poke through the ground cover among the groves of trees. The park is MUCH bigger than you think, even if you’ve been past it or through it via car – the speed of a vehicle gives lie to the SIZE of the space you’re passing. It’s worth getting out and walking around, as there’s many amazing views in the park: trees, small lakes, flowerbeds galore. All of this is in full green mode, bursting with growth.

The tour took a lot longer than I’d planned; I returned home after four hours, though that included a long lunch stop at the Beagle Pub( finally! )just around the corner in Cook St. Village. The place is a LOT bigger on the inside than at first glance, but I was on the patio so that didn’t matter much. The view was great; it’s the perfect people-watching spot on a summer’s day.

I did some work on a few articles and short stories in the evening, followed by some detour-time on NWN. The latest( and final )patch has come out for the game – amazing, considering Neverwinter Nights was released way, way back in 2002. It’s unheard of for a developer to support a game 6 years after its release, but here we are today in 2008. Thanks, Bioware…. even though you’ve sold out to EA, there’s still a soft spot in my heart for you. Especially since NWN runs so well on my 'ancient' 2004-era PC.

July 19th - Robotech Returns

No rain for a few weeks now, and none for another week. The sun has been lovely, and I'd rather have blue skies than gray any day, especially as the temperatures here are in no way sweltering given the abundant sunshine.

I’ve discovered that Space will be running the entire original Robotech TV series again starting today, with four episodes every Saturday – nice! I’ll be making good use of my cheap DVD recorder to get the entire three series on disc – more TV that I can watch at a later date. Of course, that means I’ll have to keep the cable for a while longer… *sigh* Decisions, decisions.

Interestingly, I was going through my notes from TorCon2003, and I ran across a quote that made me smile( though I don’t know who said it – missed that scribble I guess ). It says “Punsters and smartasses can quickly link diverse subjects or topics with humorous results” – exactly how I’ve always felt about puns. Despite a common misconception that “Puns are the lowest form of humour” it’s NOT easy to pun – you have to be quick of wit, familiar with a vast range of topics, and be able to pick through all that knowledge to snap a pun together in a few seconds to make a timely and humorous line. *sigh* Unappreciated in my own time… at least there's a Practical Guide to Puns available now I can browse through for solace. Apparently the Brits appreciate punsters, moreso than any other country...

July 20 - The Week Winds Down

A Sunday off - lovely! I spent part of the day outside to enjoy just relaxing, but that was in the morning. Turning on my Xbox360, I discovered that ALL the guys were online today! We flicked a few msgs around, and ended up gaming until 5pm on COD4. It was great; we haven’t done that for months and months, though towards the end I started to lose my edge… of course.

Somehow I developed a headache( well, hours of twitchy-eyed gameplay may have done it )so I took a break from the TV to rest my brain for a few hours with some housework – gah. After dinner I finished off a pair of articles for Cyberwalker.com, then updated the blog. All of this with the sun peering in around the sides of the blinds in my living room – not helping the headache. I think I’ll get a curtain set up this week, as every evening it’s the same story with me sitting on the couch, trying to dodge glaring ribbons of sunbeam while using the computer or the TV.

Still, it’s sunshine – glorious sun, not drab rain or grey winter skies. I’ll wear sunglasses. *grin*

Until next week, thanks for tuning in! I hope you enjoy all the links I plug into this blog - they're there to enhance your reading experience, to broaden the context of the things I mention here every week. So click on a few...!

Melodies, Memories and Markets

If you've missed large parts of this blog, I do recommend that you take a little time to go back and read through it. Heck, skim it if you must... I put hours of work every week into this, trying to hit the highlights and leave the washing-my-socks stuff out of it. So have a boo; I hope it's to your liking.

Plus, this week: a link-free blog!

July 7th - Shower me with Wisdom

A bit of wisdom came to me in the shower today, following in the footsteps of many who have experienced epiphanies whilst under the soothing flow of hot water. Though it was not the face of a saint that appeared in the mineral deposits on the shower curtain, it was something I felt needed to be shared. The image that occurred to me was this: balance. It came to me that a person cannot effectively deal with all the foibles that life throws at you unless they already have balance of some sort in their life. Being knocked off your feet or staggered by each new challenge seemed to be akin to a juggler trying to catch many medicine balls at once - the ones who are balanced in their life can nimbly catch or dodge these life missiles, while others will be knocked flat in short order. I liked the picture, and imagine one day I will use it somewhere...

July 8th - Foxed by a browser

I have been disappointed and annoyed for a few days now with my previously stalwart web browser, Firefox. The most recent update( 2.0.0.15 for those who know )has thus far managed to crash consistently with every other page I load. I've become frustrated enough to download and install another top web browser called Opera - wow, is it fast! It has quite a few features that Firefox does not, all of them eminently suited to swift web-browsing, so I recommend it to those looking for a fast surfing experience.

July 9th - Songs in my head

I worked a nice late shift today, my fifth of six days. Considering I am not, nor desire to be, a manager, i I do put in regular hours. But tempt me not with visions of Salary, lest I laugh in your face and regale you with tales of slave wages... I leave it at that.

On a happier note, I wrote a brief bit of a song today, the first in many a long year. Like my father before me, poetry comes naturally to my hand and so I hope now too will the occasional song. *grin* Balance, it seems, is VERY good for the muse... The Uncluttered Mind.

July 10th - Hey there Rene!

'tis my friend Rene's birthday today!
We've been friends since high school, when the heady days of trading TurboGrafX games were the highlight of our school weeks. I do miss those days sometimes, when grades hung on tests we were never ready for and excitement was a whisper of the next summer movie in the pipes. How little we really knew, and how happy we were most days.

July 11th - Pre-Birthday Swag

The morning vanished in the usual domestic blur, with a little kickstart to the day: I gave my cast-iron pan another workout with some bacon and eggs. I haven't had those in quite some time, and even though it was turkey bacon( low fat )it made no difference to the satisfaction of a well-made breakfast to start my day.

I received a surprise at work today as well: a birthday gift! Seems my two co-workers decided to buy me a ton of little themed gifts - guess what they chose? Spiderman. Yep, they spotted the little Spidey sticker on my PDA and took it upon themselves to raid a dollar store for kitsch. The centerpiece was a Mr. Potato-Head Spiderman, complete with Peter Parker parts. I was very touched at the thought that went into it all... see the photo here.

July 12 - to Market, to Market

I finally made it to the Moss Street Market today after 10am. It was busy but not overly crowded. I was surprised that only about half the vendors were selling food; the rest were crafts of excellent quality. While I currently have little need( or budget )for such, I did enjoy about an hour of wandering and enjoying the sights. As it's less than ten minutes walk from my apt, I may pop in a few more times this summer.

Having a day off is wonderful, as always. Deciding what to do with it, well... that can be frustrating as the hours tick past. Such was today, which managed a mix of things that brought me all too quickly to the close of the day. I did get some time on on the Xbox360 with Civ: Revolutions as well as a bit of BioShock. Seems that all my 360 pals are taking a break from COD4.

July 13 - Nothing on TV?

I worked another Sunday, lamenting the injustice of a world where a third of my life has to be spent under the last of others to earn coin. I am glad to see at least one of my friends has thrown off the yoke of Working For The Man - best of luck to you Brian!

I have decided to cancel my cable tomorrow - watching the many DVD's I have will occupy my time full well. Too, I have become quite dissatisfied with the image quality of digital cable - the compression used for each channel looks godawful on a large screen, even when compared to a DVD. The HD channels I do have do not carry a tenth of the shows I find interesting, so rather than aimlessly hope for the one show a week to be in HD, I am cutting my losses. Heck, I can watch a lot of the TV already recorded, plus use the 'net to hunt down things I may have missed. All in all, I feel good about it, as I hate to pay for something I do not use fully. Which is also why I have sent in a refund for my brain... *grin*

Well there you have it - another week done and down in brief, in print. Who knows what next week will bring? The weather here is fantastic - two weeks of nothing but sunny skies and mid-twenties for temperatures. I just love it...

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...

Tall Ships, Short Trips and Sunburn

Come One, Come All, to the Blog Of Stars.... !

June 23 - Dialing in the Cool

Ten-digit dialing started here today, so the old-style comfort of only having to remember seven digits while calling someone is gone. I knew it couldn't last, but I enjoyed the nostalgic feeling nonetheless.

Last night set a record for the coldest recorded temperature in June for Victoria - seven degrees. Yikes! With the window just a tiny bit open, the cool air is refreshing but not chilly. I still wear my cycling jacket to work in the mornings, despite the fact that I can't seem to get the knack of proper airflow through it. At least it's not that far to work, as I've mentioned before - fifteen minutes, even uphill. Nice!

June 24 - Healthy Happy

It's been a month now since I cut dairy products out of my diet, and so far so good - no stomach cramps or nausea. Though I still get them when I look too closely at my bills.. but that's normal for most people. I've just located a lactose-free milk product by Natrel at my local Thrifty's, so I'm going to give that a try this week.

Why? Well, Getting used to tea with soy milk is tough, as it totally changes the taste. I may end up just having small containers of fat-free milk on hand just for that purpose, on the theory that small occasional doses may not cause problems.
Larger problems may not wait. I have been having more and more gall bladder related twinges, so I have the feeling that it's going to have to come out before one of the what-feels-like-golf-ball-sized stones decides to plug up the works. But DAMN, I really hate the thought of surgery... though the scars could be cool. I'll have to do even more research soon into the long-term lifestyle impacts that its removal will have.

June 25 - Skip the CD's

I've brought my old 7-disc cd-changer to work, to give it a new lease on life. It's amazing to think that in its day, it was a wonder of technology, to be able to listen to seven different audio CD's at random. Now it is literally a clunky leftover from another age, with each disc changing in a rattling clash of gears. The age of the MP3 has all but killed the CD; even my alarm clock has an MP3 input, a sign of the times.

Yeah, that's it for today's entry - I had something, but then I lost it. Oops.

June 26 - Fry-day

After a pancake breakfast( remember the ones I made at the Blue Mountain Lodge Trip of oh-so-long ago, folks? )I worked on some story ideas this morning, based on some conversations from last night on NWN. One in particular was very amusing - I'm tentatively titling it "Dinnertime at the Dragon Sands."

I've also been listening to some new music of late, which may come as a shock to those of you who know that my CD collection could fit, with cases, into a size-6 shoebox with room to spare. One that I picked up recently was Resilience, by Annabelle Chvostek, whose song "I left my Brain" keeps popping up in my head at odd times. Well, maybe not all that odd, considering the title... and I am the first to admit that my musical tastes can be considered eccentric by almost anyone's standards.

June 27th - Ships Ahoy, lubbers!

Up early and out the door at 8am today for a semi-leisurely breakfast at Smitty's on Douglas St, all part of the Tall Ships Plan. First a stop at the bank, which was crowded of course being end-of-month and full of pensioners too boot... then to the harbour area for.... the Tall Ships 2008 Festival!

Amazingly, I ran into two of my friends from Victoria while standing in line to board the Bounty - they were dressed in Pirate gear, and gave me some swag of my own: a pirate eyepatch! We had a blast standing in line to the amusement( and entertainment )of the crowd around us. Never let it be said I'm too quiet.
The Bounty was HUGE... well, bigger than I remember from the last time I was aboard her, back in 1978. Which is odd, given that I was MUCH smaller back then. The smell of the varnish on the wood, the fresh smell of the sea, the gentle creak of timber and rope as the ship rolled with the occasional wave - it was swell!

All too soon I had to leave for work, but I took with me an inexpensive souvenir... a sunburn! I'd packed everything BUT sunblock into my bag early in the morning, and being too cheap to blow $40.00 on a HAT( yes, they really liked their profit margins at the Festival )I sucked it up and fried. Though I did stop at a Shoppers on the way for some Aloe... boy, was my face red! To add insult to injury, my co-worked exclaimed "Oh, if you wanted to spend another hour or two there, I would have said fine..." - so it goes.

Oh, and Martin called today. Uh-huh. Yer blogged dude; s'good!

June 28th - Tall Ships Part Duex

Again, I was up early to pack in as much 'ship time' as I could. Yet one look in the mirror convinced me to stay my trip until mid-afternoon, so that I could slather aloe on my face / neck / arms at least once an hour( with the occasional rinse of the layers )before I tempted fiery fate again.

I arrived at the Festival a little after three, and immediately got into line to see the Nina( yes, Columbus' ship )and a few other ships. Then I got out of line, just before boarding... as I'd discovered my KEYS were missing. After some quick questioning of festival personnel, it turned out that a passerby had found them at the entrance way and given them to a policeman directing traffic - whew! I wish the good Samaritan had left their name, as they saved me some major grief. First time in twenty years I've lost my keys... even if for a brief time.

The delay meant that I missed the final boarding of the last set of ships by five minutes... which really burned me, compounding my sunburn pain a bit. It was quite an impressive fleet of ships that were moored in the harbour, all of which looked impressive in the sunshine. I soothed my annoyance by sitting on the patio at Milestones Habourside and managing to secure the ONLY table in the shade. I sipped on mint iced tea and supped on a veggie burger while watching the crowd go by... and BOY was it crowded today.

After dinner, I cycled down to Ogden Point, where I set myself up to watch the Tall Ships Cannon Battle performance by a half-dozen vessels. The first roll of cannon fire made the entire crowd gathered along the shore jump and exclaim, it was SO loud - magnified perhaps by the open water and a little TOO much powder? ;-) I'll post some of the pictures on FB, which turned out very well despite my lack of a zoom lens. An amazing and majestic site, seeing the sailing ships of yesteryear plying the azure waters under the bright blue skies, puffs of cannon fire the only clouds visible and the only thunder the cries of those same shots echoing...

June 29th - Shaving Sunburns

Bah... had to spend the day working, which is a shame given that I had a weekend pass for the Tall Ships. Still, it meant I was out of the sun, and that I could slather Aloe on my face once an hour and enjoy the refreshing cool A/C on the burn... which doesn't look too bad now, given how often I've treated it.

I can hear the cannon battle of the Tall Ships continuing as I write this, around 8pm tonight. The echoing roll of charges firing is strange in this quiet neighbourhood of Fairfield, but oddly soothing.

For those of you in a piratical mood, you can walk the plank while watching the hilarious Bus Pirates episodes while you wait for the next Talk Like a Pirate Day to arrive. Sadly, it's AFTER I'll be back from my trip to Niagara... but hey, there's always next year friends!

And finally... it's HOT here now - what a change from Monday! I logged 31 decrees C here in the apt, even with the windows open and fans going. Guess I've been spoiled the last few years with A/C ... and I should be careful what I wish for. No sweat; I can sense the irony!


Look at that - not a single mention of Babylon 5, did you notice? I 've been watching an average of an episode a day, but I thought relating a play-by-play might alienate some of my readers... But fear not, for next week we have: alien hairstyles!