In Sickness and Health

So I'm a month into this nagging sickness. I got over one cold then caught the flu. This is the first time in years I've been like this, sick for an extended period of time. I thought I was taking care of myself but maybe I'm not. Anyway, enough of this negative talk. On to a positive - my caffeine consumption is way down.

The American Netflix library is by far and away better than the Canadian Netflix library. I know that's what my last post was about but it really needs to be stated again. 

Everyone should read Young Avengers #1 (Marvel) by Kieron Gillen (writer) and Jamie McKelvie (artist), the creators of the Phonogram series. If you want to get a feel for the series without purchasing it, read Gillen's character profiles, including soundtracks. I haven't read any of the previous Young Avengers series and knew very little about the characters but it didn't matter. Everything is set up quickly. And the art - oh man, it's so good. McKelvie makes all the characters look modern, which is unusual in mainstream superhero comics. The haircuts are from this decade, and the fashion choices look like they've come out of a hipster lookbook. So basically what eighteen year-olds look like. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get the Brian Lee O'Malley variant cover (seen above without colouring). 

Also, read Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's review of HBO's Girls and his rebuttal to his critics. I've always been impressed by Abdul-Jabbar, especially his connection to Bruce Lee in the 70s (his fight scene in Game of Death is awesome). Lee was one of my cinema idols when I was a kid, so anyone associated with him was ok in my books, but I didn't know anything about Kareem's basketball accomplishments.  

It's like Baby, Baby, Baby

So last weekend I went to my friend's baby shower. Nothing all that special about that except, when I arrived I was informed that I would be the only male present. Seems others had been invited but the father-to-be had a last minute work trip so they all bailed. And everything was fine. I'll admit being the sole representative of my gender at a traditionally single-sex event was a little awkward at first but that was my own doing. Everyone else was lovely and inviting. It helps that this was a close friend and not a causal acquaintance. It it was the latter I would have been out of there quickly. This was my first experience at a shower of any kind; bridal or baby. I had been to a bachelor party before, as well as a stag n doe. Very different vibe at a baby shower. Lots of fun and bright colours.

Don't know how many more of these I'll be invited to but I'm glad I was invited to this one.

Dislikes and such

I just went camping. And I now realize I don't like it that much. Ok, maybe I dislike is a little over dramatic.  For years and years I'd go camping and enjoy most of it, but there were many, many things I wasn't interested. Mostly it was the discomfort aspect that I wasn't keen on. My experience this past week was based mainly on a lack of preparation. I hadn't taken proper care of my tent, so when it rained it leaked. I wanted to go, but I wasn't in the proper frame of mind to enjoy it. I focused on what wasn't working and that doomed me to less than excellent time. But I learned some things and next time I'll spend the time and money to be in a better position to have a good time. I've already started doing these things. I sealed the seams of my tent, purchased some running shoes, and won't forget the Advil in the car. Next time it'll be better.

Streaky Blogger

So I've been on a little bit of a blog spree recently. Blogging seem productive when compared to watching television or mindless surfing the web for hours. At least you're creating Something. Having to instruct people on the basics of how to use Blogger, which has changed dramatically in the last couple of years, has inspired me to use the damn thing again. I mean, this blog as been around for DECADE and while it hasn't been used it to its potential, I'm still typing my thoughts away on it. It does serve a minor purpose in my life.

Don't have regular readers any more but that's what happens when you don't post regularly. Maybe people still read it through RSS feeds... wishful thinking.

Blue Jays home opener today. People are excited about baseball again in the city. Hopefully the team will actually reward fans, unlike all the other Toronto professional sports teams. 

Southern Ontario is Nice in the Fall

Did an event for dance and drama teachers last weekend. The conference was held in Niagara-on-the-Lake. Last year the same conference was held at the same resort that the G8 leaders stayed at during the summer. Seems these teachers pick their location based upon how nice the weekend getaway will be. No hotel near the airport for this crowd. They do, however, buy lots of art books.

Wasn't able to watch the Rally to Restore Sanity but the pictures of the signs at the rally seemed funnier than the entertainment on stage (even with Jeff Tweedy and the Roots playing together).

Move-In Day

I live right beside one of Toronto's fine universities. Today is move in day for first year/freshmen. There are SWVs/mini-vans everywhere. The line at the coffee shop was comprised completely of parents and their university-bound kids. Made me feel a little nostalgic. What didn't make me nostalgic was rather loud end to a party the other night at 3am. The lasting impression of that display of teenage angst was a hole in the wall in my hallway. Oh to be young, stupid, and full of piss and vinegar. Enjoy your school year, future leaders of the world.

Michael Cera is Scott Pilgrim

I attended a friend's wedding this weekend.





I'm having difficult finishing the rest of this story. Going to a wedding doesn't seem like a terribly difficult story to tell. And it's not like anything really crazy happened; No one tried to stop the wedding; It didn't rain. No, nothing like that. In fact, overall it was a very pleasant ceremony and reception. Didn't stay too long because we had to drive home afterwards. No, the reason I'm having difficulty recounting the story is because I was "tricked" into attending a Mormon wedding.

Okay, I wasn't tricked. I just wasn't aware that part of the bride's family belonged to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (I'm friends with the groom). Now, it wasn't all Big Love or anything. In fact, if you set aside the heavy emphasis on family commitment and covenants with everything under the sun, it was just a traditional wedding ceremony. Still, it freaked me out a little bit. The language unnerved me a bit. I guess I'm living in a pretty protective progressive bubble at the moment. There was definitely no discussions about the lack of trans-gender young adult literature at this event. There was, however, an open bar which is always a good thing.

On a completely different note, I went to some used bookstores in Peterborough and found a copy of Colin Wilson's An Introduction to New Existentialism. I love randomly finding out of print books. Maybe that's why there's a gap between wedding ceremonies and receptions. So guests can find awesome books at the local retailers.

Casino Queen

On Saturday, as part of a charity fund raiser, I went to a Native Canadian themed casino about an hour north of the city. Here's how the fund raiser works: if you can fill a bus with 50 people, the casino will pay for the bus and give everyone free buffet ticket. This means you get to keep all the money. I organized this event for a group I work with. It was a lot of work. I had to spend five hours at the casino and well... I don't really gamble. I mean I enjoy playing poker with my friends but actually playing the slots or something; that's not my scene. I was going to take tons of pictures but I forgot my camera at home. The best part of the building was structure they had created for smokers. Since it's illegal to smoke indoors in any public building in Ontario (at least I think that's the law), this smoking area was heated with a roof, one full wall and series of barriers that blocked the wind but didn't form an actual wall. It looked something like this:
The black lines are the walls. I created this in paint. This is my great artistic composition.

Dragons Away!

I want to thank you

What am I thankful for someone who remembers I prefer bottles over cans.

15 seconds of fame

So, it has finally come to my attention that my camera is seriously defective. It won't let me take non-blurry pictures. I used to think that alcohol played a role but now I'm not so sure. Either way, I got my 15 seconds of fame last night but this was better. Working today after getting home at 3:30 last night wasn't fun.

I feel old.

Hit the ground running

I am determined not to let this blog die. I will not let my job stop my blogging. Sadly, it has done something to my brain and I haven't had anything non-work related to talk about. Hence, a photo post the other day.

Anyway, I finding that working with people is difficult.

Moustache Party

There were only two people with real moustaches at the moustache party... and I was sick.

when we were young

Yesterday I was driving home from school, when I saw a large group of what I guessed to be eight year olds milling about around the side of the road. I didn't see what happened next but suddenly one boy fell down. At this point, I had driven up right beside them and I watched one boy kick another boy in either the shin OR the groin, I couldn't tell. The kicker then bolted down the street. I couldn't believe what I had witnessed. It was probably the best grade school fight I had ever seen.

you spin me right round, baby

I just did a 180 spin on the off-ramp of one of the busiest highway in Toronto (yeah, I'm home for a rest). All those driving lessons sure paid of... and the fact that I did similar moves while driving in the winter, without snowtires, in Winnipeg. Thank god I ain't too cool for the safety belt (or that there weren't any other cars come up behind me).

you leave me in stitches

I was able to download an entire live set of Guided By Voices from Athens in 2000 and it's fantastic. Good sound quality. I saw GBV on that tour up here in Toronto and they were fantastic. Played Glad Girls three times (twice in a row because they "ran out" of material) the night I saw them. Makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside remembering back to that time and trying to forget about what else happened on this day in 2001. Am I the only one who thinks it's a bad idea for CNN to be showing their entie broadcast day from September 11th, 2001? I know the events shouldn't be forgotten but...

But here's the quesiton: five years later, after everything that's happened, is the world any safer and, more specifically, is America safer because of the actions it took since 2001? Some would argue us while others would argue no. Me, I argue that certain measures had to be taken while others were avoidable. There were better ways to do what "had" to be done and, more importantly in my mind, there were betters ways of creating a discourse around the situation. As a history teacher, I was told today that I have keep on top of current events and form opinions. Stupid opinions. Can't I just laugh and say, "I understand what's going on but choose to do nothing because I don't have a better idea"?

I will see you tonight on a downtown train

I don't know if I've expressed my undying love for bad kung-fu movies? Well I have one and to satisfy this desire I decided to go see The Protector. I planned my route via the Windsor bus system to get the theater. I got on my first bus alright but the second bus... well I've seen a lot more of Windsor now. Missed the movie completely. I did finish Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, which is really good. I've also decided that I will begin to judge a city by the state of its transit system. Windsor is an average city, while Winnipeg, for example, had a decent public transit system but was undervalued and used, which made it kind of depressing to use. New York City's tranist system was busy and full of life while Toronto's transit system is unsure of where it's going. It's functional but doesn't have a voice of its own just yet (even though it's over 100 years old). These are my opinions. More to tell you after I visit more places.

what's your story

In the middle of watching VMAs. Not enjoying the fake badness. Not at all.

Otherwise, still thinking about the difference between theories of the Enunciated and theories of Enunciation... and packing. Mostly packing, but still thinking about the other thing.

And why couldn't Al Gore have been this cool when he was running for President?

speeding motorcycle

For the first time in my life I actually made it to 100 MILES per hour. Doing 100 kilometer per hour is nothing, but hitting 100 Mph... well I feel like I should be driving NASCAR. Like I'm Ricky Bobby or something.

Oh, and for those of you who are Canadian (or the Commonwealth) 100 Mph is roughly 160 km/h. I'm a speed demon!

I'm glad I've got a good horse

People are starting to feel a disconnection from others. It's a trend in modern society. Everytime I turn around someone else is telling me a story about how some simple act of kindness was distorted into something slightly odd. I think this is all due to loneliness. Everyone wants to feel a "real" connection but I'm seriously starting to believe that it doesn't exist. There's too much mediation in the air. A human touch, like Springsteen says, is everything we need.

Note to self: stop talking about the evils of modern forms of communication on your blog. You just sound like an idiot.

I'm not actually saying anything except that I know there's something wrong with the picture I'm drawing. I'll figure it out someday soon.