Ode to a Sweet tooth

As a child, you were my constant companion. We would spend hours together, two peas in a pod, satiating our cravings. Gummy bears, chocolate, sticky toffee apples, buttons, liquorice, lollipops, toffee, cotton candy, sour candy, caramels, fudge, rockets, pop rocks, dip & lick, maple buds and big league chewing gum were all ours for the taking. We’d frolic together under the sun, pounce among the autumn leaves and play in the deep winter snow.

But as I have aged you have slowly deserted me, one little step at a time.
First to go were the swedish berries, those yummy buttons of red gooeyness that I used to consume en mass, then the caramels, the toffee apples and the cotton candy. Followed closely by the rockets, pop rocks, dip & lick and sour candy. The fudge and maple buds left me on a warm summer’s eve, leaving no note or indication if and when they would be back. Next to go were the doughnuts and the cinnamon buns dappled in sweet gooey sugary confection. Finally all that was left were the plain old-fashioned doughnuts, butter croissants, chocolatines and the dark morsels of bittersweet chocolate, little pieces of heaven that I just cannot do without. And you have another thing coming if you think I’m going to give those up!

Music for the Masses

It would seem that the RIAA may be off base in their allocation of blame towards P2P file sharing.

This is certainly no surprise to those of us whose mp3 collection has at one time contained a Spice Girls song, or a Britney tune. We would never have bought those albums, in fact in many cases after we have gotten over whatever complex societal influences which caused such an aberration as the listening to of that music, we deleted the mp3. Mainly to hide our shame.

Point being, no money lost to the record industry because we weren't about to go out in public, pick up one of those CD's walk up to the check-out in front of witnesses and plunk down cash for them. On an embarrassment scale of a personal level we would probably prefer to find a busy street corner, stand up on a soapbox and proclaim our confusion as to which brand of anti-itch cream is better for our personal discomfort, or to admit in similar locations to our inability to restrain ourselves in intimate circumstances. To repeat, we weren't about to do it.

What I liked was that there is a correspondence in the other direction. That we dl music, listen to it and think, `I like that.' Whereupon we go out and buy the CD, or better yet for the artist, we go to see a concert of theirs. Which is of course where they make a greater proportion of their money.

Anyways, off to listen to my mp3s.
No Spice Girls or Britney songs were listened to, downloaded, erased or found during the writing of this post. Thank you.

List O’Shame

It’s that time of year when most of us seem to go into a mad cleaning frenzy as the hint of spring colours the air with fresh tingly feeling of the warmer weather to come. In light of this “need to clean” I am posting a to do list in hopes that it will shame me into getting off my large procrastinating derriere and actually do some of the stuff that I have been meaning to do for the past season.

The list:

Sort out the two months worth of recycling that has made it’s home in a large corner of our kitchen. [No, there is really no valid excuse for the mass of stuff that has accumulated. Just an inability to get said lazy procrastinating butt in gear, and actually make the trip downstairs to the recycling bin]

Sort through pile of papers that has accumulated in the corners of our office, in the front hall and dresser. Empty out and sort through the boxes left from our move. Throw out/donate stuff that will never be used, and store the stuff the rest in locker.

Vacuum, dust, mop, clean and air out every nook and cranny in our flat.

Re-caulk bathtub and sink.

Take the large bag of clothing that we have not worn in a decade down to good will.

Finally put shelves and some artwork on walls. [We’ve been here for over a year and we still haven’t hung up artwork. Minus one piece that was put up in a “we need colour and culture on the wall sulk”]

Fill out income tax forms and mail to Gov’t.

Install Gallery and sort through pictures.

Finish the designs that were promised months ago to two very patient individuals. Yes this means you and you.

So who wants to bet that none of this will actually get done in the next month?

Water in my ear

Hugin, the imp, poured water I my ear while I was in the shower. I now I have this slightly off balance, slushy feeling in my right ear. It is as if an ocean resides in the cavities of my inner ear which is not a feeling I particularly enjoy. [shakes fist teasingly at Hugin]

In other news I have this urge to bake breakfast bread products. Anyone have any good recipes? Banana bread, lemon bread or any other yummy breakfast bread recipes will do.

Happy Friday!

Woke up this morning in bouncy anticipation of being able to sleep in tomorrow morning. This weekend will be my first full weekend in a while, there are just so many things that I want to do. Though first and foremost will be sleeping in. Tonight Hugin and I are going to see a movie [we haven’t done that in a long while, it has either been too cold to venture out or I have had to get up at the crack of dawn the following day]. Tomorrow, well I guess will see what happens, though I’m opting for much morning snuggliness amidst blankets, curled up in front of the TV watching Saturday morning cartoon, coffee and breakfast at hand. It’s all about the little things. Hope you all have a wonderful Friday!

Settlers

Played Settlers of Catan at lunch today with a few of a good friend’s coworkers. Though forty-five minutes is just not enough for a really good game, it was lots of fun. It has been ages since I have last played, the group that we use to play with has sadly dissolved over the years, with some of it’s members moving on to places far away. My brief re-acquaintance with the game as sparked a yen and now I am searching for a box of my own. If anyone knows where we can procure one in Canada, or if anyone is willing to donate one please drop us a line!

They seem to have an online version too. [drool]

Ottawa Bounty

Must thank the most gracious sir from Ottawa who upon his last visitation left us with our current viewing material, seasons 1-4 of Babylon 5 and Seasons 1 & 2 of 24.

So far we are averaging 3 episodes a night... at this rate we will be a while.

But it is a lot of fun watching the older episodes and linking material together with stuff that comes later. Damn fine story arc.

Needless to say, next time a certain Ottawa individual is in town, we shall pretend to be out...

Vision Thing

Aside from being the title to a Sister's of Mercy song it is also an appropriate title for my post.

As I was getting ready to leave for work this morning it came to me in the form of a movie quote, "I am a man in search of a vision." Cheesy movie, but fun.

Anyways, it occurs to me that I am just such a man. In search of a personal vision. Trying to find the external to match my internal.

It's curious, but I feel no lack of self, yet I also have no sense of what it is I wish to do with my self. I've always found it difficult to answer the questions of what I see myself doing in 5 years, etc. Never had an answer for those kinds of questions.

Perhaps because I generally take what comes instead of forcing things. The branch floating down the river can't tell you what it sees itself doing 5 minutes from now, it doesn't know.

So I would say that is a personality thing that accounts for a certain amount of this lack of foresight.

I'll have to think about it. Because really life is too short to be totally subservient to the river. Sometimes paddling might be a good idea and you have to strike out for land, even though you can't be sure there aren't cannibals there.

Hope.

There are days when the world feels as if it is going to implode, break into a thousand tiny pieces till all that is left are minute specs of what once was. On these days that I wonder if the fanaticism, the hate, the fear and the insanity are going to get a lot worst before the world gets any better. A part of me hopes that we have hit the plateau and that things can only get better from here…

Your thoughts?

More Stuff

Well, my country isn't going quite according to plan, but that's ok. It's difficult deciding how to deal with issues when they are so black and white. For example, my country had an issue in which it was said 8 year olds were gambling at casinos. My only options were to allow it or outlaw gambling. Not quite your ordinary choice, but there it was. So no gambling.

I started playing a bit of Unreal Tournament 2004. 5.4GB worth of HDD space is amazing for a game, crazy amazing. I remember Planescape Torment being big and Baldur's Gate, but this is huge! It's also both fun and distressing. Fun to play casually when you just jump around and have fun. Distressing when you are playing through the tournament for `money.' I haven't played too much of that except to draft a team and play one 2-on-2 match. I must say I was amused by the drafting system. It consisted of playing a 2 person deathmatch, then 3, then 4 then 5. Then you take the money you won out of those and draft 5 team members; who you then have to beat in a 6 person deathmatch to show you have what it takes to be their captain :D I guess if they can't beat you they join you kind of thing.

Laws

It seems only right that I post a link to some more interesting laws when I have been trying to decide on what laws of my own to enact in the perviously mentioned country simulation. So here we are.

spam of comment

Enough with the comment spam. Enough I say! I’m not interested in what you have to sell, nor am I inclined to follow any link that you deem necessary to leave in our space, especially those advertising the shadier aspects of certain vices and I’m sure as hell not going to leave your links in our comments. As soon as I can get to it, MT-Blacklist will be installed and that‘s where it ends.

So if you are hell bent on using: Free-Sex for a Small Fee; Whips, Crops and Chains, The Intimate Party Emporium; French Maids To Order; Strapping Naked Young Lads; At Your Beck and Call; Viagra, the Drug that Keeps You Horny Whether You Want To or Not; Hot Sexy Lovers; Pooh and the Tantra; Mines Bigger than Yours*, as your tag URL, I’m sorry to say that you’re gonna have to find another one buddy boy. And if you feel that you just can’t live without it and have an undying yen to type it into the comment, well drop us a line and we’ll see what we can do, otherwise to bad, bob’s your uncle and all that schmaltz.

Party in the fishbowl

It's Kymberlie's 29th Birthday today. Go and give her lots of bithday loving.
Wishing you all the wonderful things, Babe. Hoping that your day was spent in the company of loved one, filled with much laughter, giggles, love and happiness. Wishing you all your hearts desires and may happy returns!
smooches.
us.

Quietly Posting

...Shhh...

So a few things going on.

Going to the gym continues, seems to be going well speaking personally. I am having a hard time making gains in lifting more weight with my back. Oh well, on I go.

An interesting little online `sim' has come to our attention called Nation States. I am curious to see how it plays out based on the answers given to the issues presented to my little country. Had a tough question on whether or not to support cloned embryo stem cell research. Tough tough tough issue. Perhaps some people will think that it is clear cut and that I had a tough time with it says things about my moral/religious/etc character; c'est la vie.

Hmm, it seems Jennifer Garner is no longer seeing her co-star. (sigh) Well. Hmm. Anyways, moving on...

On other media related stuff, I am looking forward to seeing Jersey Girl, might go this Friday when it opens. Now there seems to be a lot going for it. Kevin Smith is great IMO, I like Ben Affleck in Smith's stuff, he did a great job in Chasing Amy. Liv Tyler looks to be very good in the role. Basically seems charming. And for those more cynical types you even get to have J. Lo die. Personally I'm going because of the first few reasons. Really!

Saw something at Penny Arcade a little while ago about a family that plays deathmatch unreal tournament. I found the quote funny, "Clint, I think your mother deserves better than to be killed by the translocator." If you don't play, let's just say that it is an ignomious death. Admittedly deathmatch LAN can be fun. I always tend towards team oriented stuff though. But have played deathmatch type stuff with friends and coworkers. I'm trying to see if I can get Munin playing a little UT2004 with the beta, no luck yet though. :)

On that topic, I still like the pace of the original UT best, it was a little slower but good pacing still. I find the newer ones are a bit faster but still enjoyable. I have been playing Onslaught mode and it is interesting nice style of game. And the tank is just fun!!! Played a little Capture the Flag, also enjoyable. I look forward to trying a couple of the others. But I am concerned about the full game, 6 CDs, 5.5GB drive space! That's a whopper!

EOL for now.

Kiss me I'm Irish*

Happy St-Paddy's Day to all!

Walls for the wind,
And a roof for the rain,
And drinks beside the fire -
Laughter to cheer you
And those you love near you,
And all that your heart may desire!
-Irish Blessing.

:o(

There were a string of layoffs at “the company” this week. Though we are not directly affected, it has left me feeling quiet and sad. People I have come to call friends, colleagues who were kind enough to accommodate us, people who smiled happily at us in the halls, will not be here tomorrow.

My multicoloured bubble of hope that things were finally picking up has burst. Popped by the final stroke of a pen, dismissing some who have worked here for decades. It has to get better soon. Doesn’t it?

Hooky and snuffles

Hugin and I both took the day off to sleep in, relax, watch movies and tend to each other snuffley schnozzles [I got them this morning and gave them to him this afternoon]. So far we have watched two movies, a slew of really cheesy TV, played a couple hours of Heroes and have emptied at least a box and a half of Kleenexes. Bed soon, after some tea and work tomorrow. Fnarg.
At least we got to snuggle today!.

"maybe i'm amazed "

This song has been in my head for the past couple of days. In the morning when I wake up. Standing under the shower as the water sluices down my body. Sitting at my desk. Staring at the computer screen. Bustling about work. Nibbling pensively on the end of pens. Nodding half coherently at coworkers as they explain something for the umpteenth time. Standing in the afternoon coffee line up. On the long bus ride home. Or just kicking about at home. But mostly when I think of you.

Maybe I'm amazed at the way you love me all the time
Maybe I'm afraid of the way I love you
Maybe I'm amazed at the way you pull me out of time
hung me on the line
Maybe I'm amazed at the way I really need you

Maybe I'm a man*,
Maybe I'm a lonely man who's in the middle of something
that he doesn't really understand

Maybe I'm a man
Maybe you're the only woman* who can ever help me
baby, won't you help me to understand

Maybe I'm a man
Maybe I'm a lonely man who's in the middle of something
that he doesn't really understand

Maybe I'm a man
and maybe you're the only woman who can ever help me
baby, won't you help me to understand

Maybe I'm amazed at the way you're with me all the time
Maybe I'm afraid of the way I'll leave you
Maybe I'm amazed at the way you help me sing my song
right me when I'm wrong
Maybe I'm amazed at the way I really need you
-Paul McCartney

pixels

We added some more pictures to the ever elusive photoblog. The month of January 2003 is up and awaiting your viewing pleasure. [Well we hope it's to your liking.]

Aside: Why is it when you can least afford to be sick, your body stages a coup, lowers the drawbridge and invites the sore throat, sniffly nose, achy feeling cold imps in for an all night party?

Brief Encounters

Sat next to a wrinkled aged dame on the way home. Eyes twinkling and ready to talk she began her discourse with a little introduction, I am 74 years old and I have been with my beau for 4 years. Nervously playing with the edges of her nails she went on to speak of her marriage to a man who as she put it controlled her, her sons of which there are five and her realisation after decades of marriage that there was more to life then her husband let her see. So at an age where other women would blanch at the idea of being alone, she divorced him. She then went on to explain that she loves public transportation, or any venue, which allows her to meet new people. However, she states, she is somewhat picky. Placing her bag on the seat next to her, she will only move it when someone of interest catches her knowing eyes. Curiosity and questions, people and their lives, astrology and the characterizations of people, that is what sparks her interest. She commits it all to memory with an eye trained to note the tiniest of details.

She went on to describe a woman who she saw getting of the bus earlier on in the morning. Un vrai mannequin. Elegant. Raffiné. Qui porter un pair de pantalon noir et étroit, comme j’aurai portée dans mon temps. Un veste longue. Coupe exacte et bien tourneé. Noir. D’un matériel fin, satiné. Des gant de cuir, noir et finne. Et si belle!*

A moment of silence as she reminisced about her own days and then she turned to me and the questions began in ernest. What do you do for a living? Engineering. Oh! Merveilleux! Impish glint in eyes. Married? Copain? Boyfriend. Yes Heureuse? Yes, very happy. Ah ça c’est bien! How old are you? 31 Mais c’est vieille! You don’t look over 23. blush Thank you…

The miles were eaten in gulps by the tires and the minutes flew by, lost in the sharing of the tidbits that make up our lives. All too soon, my brief encounter with the wonderful French lady was over. It was time for me to bid her adieu and step off the bus, my life a little more enriched for having met her.

Country Quiz

Oh fine, after taking it any number of times I decided to just try and answer off the cuff.

Assuming I like my standard of living, I am:

You're Australia!

You're easy-going, relaxed, and yet somewhat tough and hardy all at the same time.  You can appreciate culture, scuba diving, and even safaris.  This makes you pretty interesting and intriguing to others, though also really unpredictable and even wild.  Your knowledge of nature is unthinkable to most of those around you, even though your respect for it is sometimes less than perfect.  People really like your
accent.

If I think it could improve, which I sometimes do:

You're Madagascar!

Lots of people don't really know anything about you, making you
buried treasure of the rarest kind.  You love nature, and could get lost in it whenever possible.  You're remote and exotic, and the few people who know you value whatever they share with you a great deal.  For some reason, you really like the word "lemur".

Take the Country Quiz at the Blue Pyramid

via Eventually Clever

morning interlude

A brief moment of escape from the hectic pace of dreary, over packed monday morning. Look. Listen. Kick Back & Enjoy

This morning's interlude has been brought to you by the letter L, the number 3 and the delectable Da Goddess.

Samosas

The English/Indian equivalent to cold pizza.

meteorology

Somehow this doesn't quite indicate what would be the appropriate outdoor wear for venturing out of the house tomorrow morning.

Meteorology, one of the only areas of science that does not require you to be dead on.

Gallery vs Coppermine

Have been looking at Gallery and was about to install it when I noticed this software [Coppermine]. Has anyone used it? If so how does it compare to gallery?

Mind poo

Excerpt from a book loaned to us, for a brief moment in time, by Monsieur Metrosexual.

Have you ever heard that little voice in your head that says, “You’re just not good enough. You’re not good enough for that pretty boy or girl, for your family, you’re not good enough to have the things you want, you’re not good enough for marriage, you’re not good enough for to accomplish your dreams.”
Or maybe you’ve heard that little voice say, “This isn’t it. She’s not it, he’s not it, this town’s not it, this meal’s not it, this new shirt is not it” You can make yourself so angry trying to change things that have already happened.
That little voice is also saying, “Something’s wrong! Something’s with my hair, my face, my clothes, my dog, my spouse” How is it possible to be happy if there is always something wrong?
That little voice, it’s not you! It never was you, it never will be you. Let’s call the little voice “mind poo.”
I saw you come into this planet as a beautiful baby, full of love, awe and wonderment. As you grew older you learned to accept the mind poo as part of yourself. But you have a choice. You don’t have to listen to that voice… you can listen to your heart.
When you listen to your heart you meet the right people at the right time and you follow your hunches. Everything that happens to you is the best that you could have ever imagined. I am sure you have experienced moments like this throughout your life. Great grandma Schredd called this feeling the state of Spirit... Inside every human being is a secret knowledge that can guide you to wherever you want to go. You van deny it, or try it. Ted, if you trust that everything will be OK, people will take care of you.. Or you can listen to the mind poo!
All of our lives we were taught that the mind poo was a part of us, that everything just happens by chance, but inside every human being is a superstar: The secret to life is to control your destiny and let the superstar shine. So avoid the mind poo, trust that everything will be OK, listen to your heart, and EnviroRide will be everything you van imagine and more.

That little voice speaks and we listen with gusto. We relish the jaded view of ourselves and the world, revelling in the fact that we are not good enough, never will be and nothing that we accomplish will ever make a dent in the steel plated Kevlar coated tapestry that makes up the world. It’s not easy wrapping your head about notion that most things in your life are good, let alone believing that you can accomplish almost anything. Harder still to imagine, no matter what you have been brought up to believe, that you, yes you, are a wonderful person and that the people whose lives you have graced are very lucky indeed. Ignoring that little voice is not easy. It’s hard. For me it is darn right impossible at times.

There are days when the mind poo works its magic and I will find myself gazing at the mirror wondering why I am blessed by the people who share my life, contemplating the quirks that draw them to me and me to them. There are days when the mind poo is so thick and murky that the world outside feels like it is about to crack open and all the ugliness will come spewing forth. It’s on these days that I have to consciously wrench the reigns away from the little voice that whispers in the shadows, mocking and cynical and tell it:

“Dah`ling that’s the mind poo talking, pay it no heed. Keep your chin up ‘cause there will be better days then this.”

now that's a cuppa.

A little something for all you coffee aficionados: Coffee Commandments.

Link via Jennifer @ Forty Something.

Wiped.

The six day weeks are slowly taking their toll. Feeling a little drained today, eyes are heavy, and brain is sleepy. I am not sure I want to contemplate what type of shape I’ll be in four weeks from now when they end. Though I am sure that staying up watching the Oscars last night didn’t do much to help matters. Hot cocoa with a splash of Baileys and then early to bed. See y’all tomorrow evening. Nighty night.

Aside: It amuses me to no end that Canadian bookstores are hosting a "geek week"