Saturday, September 24, 2005

A Polite Poker Joke

Submitted by our friends on the island
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The Queen vs Dolly

Queen Elizabeth and Dolly Parton die on the same day and they both go before an Angel to find out if they'll be admitted to Heaven. Unfortunately, there's only one space left that day, so the Angel must decide which of them gets in. The Angel asks Dolly if there's some particular reason why she should go to Heaven.

Dolly takes off her top and says, " Look at these, they're the most perfect breasts God ever created, and I'm sure it will please God to be able to see them every day, for eternity."

The Angel thanks Dolly, and asks Her Majesty the same question. The Queen takes a bottle of Perrier out of her purse, shakes it up, and gargles. Then, she spits into a toilet and pulls the lever. The Angel says, "OK, your Majesty, you may go in."

Dolly is outraged and asks, "What was that all about? I show you two of God's own perfect creations and you turn me down. She spits into a commode and she gets in! Would you explain that to me?"

"Sorry, Dolly," says the Angel, "but even in Heaven, a royal flush beats a pair - no matter how big they are."

Wednesday, September 21, 2005


Always two there are... Posted by Picasa

Monday, September 19, 2005

Cleveland Doc Wants to Try Face Transplant - Yahoo! News

Hmmm. At first thought, the question "Why" pops into my mind. Then I read through the story and I think "it could help someone really in need". Then I think about that mediocre "Face Off" and think that it can be used for nefarious purposes, would make witness relocation easier (unless you pick the face of someone that someone wants to remain dead) or will make for very interesting Hallowe'en pranks.

Anyhow, with progress comes these moral, ethical and logical dilemnas. I hope we choose wisely.

Ciao.


-------
Submitted by DW

Cleveland Doc Wants to Try Face Transplant - Yahoo! News

Friday, September 16, 2005

And I thought that I could watch a lot of TV.

Print Story: Couch potato extraordinaire: Toronto man smashes record for watching TV on Yahoo! News

TC Update

It just keeps coming today. Hee hee.

So TC just arrived home from high school and says she needs to speak to me about something. I braced for the next "adventure" in teenagehood. Instead, I had to hold my extreme laughter as she carried on about how my little "introduction" at the parent meeting on Wednesday has turned into a groundswell of recognition.

Apparently, something on the order of fifteen students, all of which were previously unknown, have come up to ask her if she was the daughter of the parent that embarrassed the principal and her at the meeting the other night. Even when she answers no, they say they know it is her. She has been told many times that she won't be able to get away with anything now. That she will have to endure four years of this and how is she to survive. That they cannot believe I did this to her. And then, something happened to make me smile wider.

The principal spoke to her and told her what a polite father she had and how I surprised the folks at the meeting with what I said. Then the principal pointed out that she had to speak at the assembly and tell everyone her origins and how she came to the school. So, she tells TC that she may be mentioning her time at my old high school where she was a librarian. And, in doing so, she may choose to mention our last name and how a former student's child is now under her care and expects all the heads to snap around to TC when they realize who she is. TC begged that she not do this and the principal simply said she will have to see. She then spoke to the VPs and they said they will remember her as well. Of course, TC is aghast now and pleading with them. The principal points at TC and tells the two VPs, "I think my work here is done." I love this school.

Now, another thing the principal did, which makes my work here done, is to tell TC to ensure that she never finds herself in the office to see her. I reminded TC that due to my "special" relationship with the principal, I'll know everything that is going on and it will be the full facts. She is now known so that should also give her some comfort and protection because it is the ones that are unknown that tend to get picked on. TC said that a grade 12 (which we know almost never talks to minor niners) knew who she was. Excellent.

So, my work here is done. And you know, whomever said that being able to do to your own kids what your parents did to you (well, the fun stuff anyhow) will be satisfying was oh so right. :) I cannot wait until fundraisers and assemblies and sports. I am going to have a ball!!

Ciao.

Four cocks and ...

twenty-four hens.

This was the situation that I found myself in when I decided to stick around for a parent committee meeting after another meeting at TC's school. I figured, if I want certain things from the school, then I need to be active in forming those things. So, off I trundled to this parent meeting, where I suspected would have had mainly female parents participating; I was right. This being an all girls school, it was not to be unexpected. I was just a little disappointed that more fathers did not feel they should be there. Mothers do so much as it is, one would think in these modern times, fathers would want to step up and be counted. Seems only four of approximately 697 of them do. Such is life.

Anyhow, as to the meeting itself, it was a strange mix. There was a bunch of political stuff so I glazed over and worked on my network diagram (reworking the old home network). There was a changing of the guard as a new chair was taking over and elections for the year were held (more like nominations, forcible acceptance and volunteering). I would have tried for a position (the chair because I like power) but I knew I would be over my head so I am going to observe for a year and see what my commitment can realistically be. And then there was a lot of yakking, a LOT of yakking, about this and that. All told, it ran about two and half hours; an hour of which could have been dispelled with if not for all the yakking. Now, ladies, do not tar and feather me as I continue, but this could basically be contributed to the fact that we had mostly women there.

Meeting etiquette was nearly non-existent, besides people talking over each other and cutting off one another's sentences, you had one person (male #4) who HAD to have his phone on. Has he never heard of the vibrate only mode? Male #1 was a fairly boisterous dude that in any other setting may have been seen as pushy or loud. In this setting, the poor man was simply fighting to be heard; literally.

I found it extremely interesting how so many perspectives differ in a group of women. You had the practical folks (just get the damn job done), the artsy group (it has to look just 'so'), and the followers (whatever you think is best). The thing is, all the perspectives tend to lead many times off topic and to beat something to death. It does show the various 'types' of people though. One woman had to show how many connections she has and who she knows. It is one thing to volunteer to get those resources; it is another when the manner comes off as "see who I am?" One woman had to list how many different committees she belonged to and how busy she was. I'm sorry but I had to think to myself, we would be able to do the same if that damn working for a living and feeding the family thing did not get in the way. Yea, yea, I'm a cynical, sarcastic SOB' so sue me.

The strangest discussion of the evening came from the talks about the church (Catholic High School) that the graduation was to be held in. There has been a number of places that the school has held its graduation in over the years. As a tradition, they feel the need to have the mass, the ceremony, and the awards all in one place, along with the reception afterwards. Most school shave figured out that you can hold everything but the reception at the same place. In fact, for grade thirteen, my class invited our more favorite teachers to the party but it was not a school sanctioned event so we paid for it all, held it where we wanted to and had a great time (well, I did for the little time left as I rushed from the airport to the grad having just come back from a geography trip in Barbados). They are so concerned with the tradition that they are missing out on the fact that for a little more fundraising, they can give the grads a truly wonderful party at a proper banquet facility. I don't see the costs being that much different than when I went to school and my family was not rolling in dough but we managed to send me twice. Also, I worked part-time at a gas station so I paid for a bunch of it myself. Ah well, we will see if I can interject any insight into the discussion since I was probably the latest graduate in the room and actually can remember it all (ouch, did I just say that?).

One very interesting discussion was concerning the building of a new school. TC was lucky enough to enjoy her last elementary year in the first year of the new school. She will have graduated, I fear, by the time they figure out when and where to build the new high school. And therein lies the problem. Everyone connected to the school wants the school to be rebuilt on the same site. A lot of schools are having this done, temporarily holding up in portables or vacant schools or sharing low population schools during the new construction. The problem at this site is that there are currently three buildings that are being used to house the high school and I think one is shared with an adjacent school. It is set right in the middle of the neighbourhood but unlike modern schools, it is not on its own plot of land but rather adjacent to old homes surrounding the site. So, it makes construction a challenge as you have noise, environment and traffic issues to work out with the community. I can tell you that they are supportive but supportive people turn unsupportive quickly when they get woken too early, kept up too late, get too dirty or are delayed in the normal course of their day. Personally, I will be working with the group to build on the same site. The place has character and history and that should not be lost on the board.

As a final note, I was both amused and irritated by some of the costume characters that make up this committee. There are Mary Tyler Moore types, Mrs. Kitty Foreman types and the secretary from Ferris Bueller types. The ones that grated on me though where the very smug, snooty Harper Valley PTA types with the fake laughter, over expressive emotional outbursts and cutesy pukesy sayings (oh, that is SO precious... my heart... we could do a scrapbooking clinic). Gawd, gag me with a spoon!

Now, to end this, the highlight of the night was a well orchestrated moment by yours truly. You see, at the start of the meeting, we went around and introduced ourselves one by one. When it got to me, I said who I was, that TC just started grade nine and then I mentioned casually that I had a special relationship with the current principal. Of course, the whole room whipped around to look at me and the "woooooooos" started up. The principal turned red as she said my school name (FL) and I confirmed that it was correct. Now, you ask, why would I do such a thing? Because, the moment I found out that TC was going to this school and who the principal was, I have explained to her, warned her, that I will have access like no one else. It means tighter tabs on her. It means an understanding. It means that fun is dead. Hee hee. Well, she comes home the following day and she is aghast, appalled at what transpired. She walked into a class and a girl she knew that is in her class, but not someone she really knows, comes up to her and asks TC her name. Asks her if my name is her father; she confirms it. Then the girl breaks out into sing song about how she would not want to be TC. When TC asks why, she repeats the words that were spoken that night, says how it means she won't be able to get away with anything, and how her father's brothers (if he had any) must not have gotten away with anything at FL either, or just did not bother to go there. I just laughed my head off. TC was not amused.

Speaking of FL, my LB did not go to the school (he went to the choir boy's school) specifically because I broke it for him. Suffice it to say that I had more than two people's share of adventures and run-ins during my five years of high school. So, when my LB, five years younger, walked into the school (I think it was a parent-teacher night or some other assembly), a few teachers immediately recognized him and a couple even called him by name. When we got home, he stated that there was no way he was going to FL. When I asked him why, he said that because of me, they all knew him and he would not be able to get away with anything. He was toast before he even attempted anything in there and our parents had way too friendly a relationship with the staff. Our father would get off work early and just show up for a "chat" in the middle of the afternoon. I would hear in last period that he was there. Such a nice man they would say. Yeah right. Conniving and sneaky I would say. So, LB went off to choir boy's school so he could wreak havoc on the rich kids with wild abandon.

I love it when a plan comes together.

Peace.

Tarantino is OFF DA HOOK!

OK, so after Dubya got finished yapping last night, I hunkered down for two hours of CSI anticipating that it was the season ender from last season to lead into next week's season premiere. Hmm, what are these two episodes that I have seen before? WTF happened to my episode? DAMN YOU DUBYA!!!!!!!

Thankfully, as TV addicts (Hi, my name is Dtrini. I am a TV addict), we have time-shifting on Rogers Digital Cable. So, after some hunting around, and resisting the urge to sneak a peak at the new Survivor (taped on DW's computer to be watched later), I finally found the episode on CTV Calgary. And it was the right episode! W00T! Msmittens has been raving about this episode, directed by Quentin Tarantino, since she saw it and I refused to hear any details so I was really looking forward to it. Unfortunately, DW fell off to sleep on the futon and missed the whole thing (though, she would have freaked at a few scenes).

Anyhow, I will not divulge details in case you get a chance to see it yourself if you have not yet. I will say that though the man can be a touch off at times, he is a bloody genius at what he does. Just when I thought I had it wrapped up but thought there was way too much time left (so maybe an extended side story or wrap up?), he slaps me awake again to ensure that I knew more was coming. Just when you thought, okay that was enough suffering, you can wrap up now, he adds a little more. I could not endure what this person did, that's for sure. The end would have come different and much swifter for me I think. It really is a testament to the writing and to the direction. The lighting, the colour, the setup, everything. It really could have been made into a separate CSI movie, released in the theatre, if a few more things got fleshed out. Yes, I personally thought it was that good an episode.

So, if you taped it, watch it. If you have not seen it or can get it on tape, hope that they show it again this year. If you like the show, and thought it got a bit plodding in the middle this year, or watered down with the other two, this episode will restore your faith. Oh yeah, Quentin rocks!

Ciao.

Is he &^%$&^% kidding us?

Sorry friends in the US of A, but as much as we have our own problems to worry about up here, we are so very glad we do not have that goofball for our leader.

Last night, pre-empting my CSI show, there was an address by the most powerful man in the world, Dubya (George W. Bush, president, to the rest of you). He was addressing the fact that they supremely dropped the ball and pooched the whole situation down in the Katrina devastated area of Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana. Uhm, we already knew this so tell us something we don't know. Well he did, and this is where I actually started to listen because he really started to piss me off.

Anyone that knows anything about New Orleans knows that it was a great party city but it was a city that was dirty and dangerous; murder and mayhem was everyday life for lots of folks there for as a water city, it had a huge drug running problem. It was one of the murder capitals and poverty capitals of the US. This was well known by everyone in the US. As long as the party kept going, no one cared for these people's plight. No programs were set up, no funds were available, no nothing was going on. Like so many places in the US where the have-nots live, no one cared and no one did anything to change the situation.

When the war on Iraq started, there were satellite images of vehicles leaving the compounds with "something" in them. There were shots of things happening that may be troops mobilizing or gardening or taking a whiz or painting, who knows what. Whatever they were doing though allowed for billions upon billions to be spent and for hundreds of thousands of personnel to be sent to a country to help the citizens there get rid of an ineffective leader that was hurting the citizens more than helping them and to help them rebuild after the devastation. Hmmmm. Why does this sound familiar?

It took the fact that Bush's approval rating dropped to the lowest level ever in order for him to get off his ass and really go see what happened to the city and its people after God tried to make another Ark float in the area. As I remember, when the snowbirds were displaced in old, white, rich areas of Florida, there was a very fast mobilizing of help and troops and disaster relief. Sure, lots of homes were destroyed and families displaced, but let's get a little perspective. Most of those families, traumatized as they were, good hit a Motel 6 and stay a few months. Or they could move. Or they could go on vacation. The fact is, besides the destruction of shittily constructed homes in a hurricane zone (what is with your building codes down there in areas that normally have natural disasters?), most of the area got a very good watering. How does this compare to a poverty filled city, a crime filled city, that is buried in f**king water that reaches most rooflines? How does it compare to an area where flooding forces people onto the highest ramp of a highway to escape the waters? How does it compare to a place where the staff of a senior's home, desperate to save their own lives, leaves all the residents to die in their beds? Yeah, that's right, it does not.

But hey, they really should think about the bright side, as Dubya's mother Barbara says, "Almost everyone IÂ’ve talked to says we're going to move to Houston. What IÂ’m hearing which is sort of scary is they all want to stay in Texas. Everyone is so overwhelmed by the hospitality. And so many of the people in the arena here, you know, were underprivileged anyway, so this--this (she chuckles slightly) is working very well for them." I see. So, getting what little you had (which was probably trash anyhow, right?) washed away by a wave of water, watching one's home flood and sink or drop (which was probably trash anyway, right?) and being displaced to a state that would normally fry you because someone thought they saw your black ass do something wrong (which is probably true, right?) or to a sports arena where others in your situation (who can tell one from the other, right?) is a step up for these folks?

And that folks, in a nutshell, is what is wrong with America today. Oil interests and diamond interests and any interests that MAKE money for America is always looked after before what the American people really want or need. Why does it take a natural disaster and so many deaths before a nation as rich as the US to step up and fork out money for programs to try to help ALL of its people get on an even keel? Where were all of these billions of dollars and manpower when the city was being riddled with bullet holes from drug lords staking out their turf? Where was the money to help the poor (mainly blacks), to help educate them so that they could be productive, have hope and be able to help themselves and grow the community?

See, if you go back to John Singleton's Boyz in the Hood, and listen to Laurence Fishburne's speech, you will understand what some areas (not all of America is racist and stupid) try to do to the unwanted. In essence, he asks why is there a liquor store and gun store on almost every corner in the black neighbourhoods, but you do not see any of that in Beverly Hills or the other predominantly rich white neighbourhoods? That's because they want them to kill themselves off. And stupidly, the blacks in America still do not get that simple truth. Barbara Bush, and that idiot that misspoke on CNN, are simply too stupid to not let out the secret; blacks are still the unwanted in the country. Nothing worse for publicity than the acknowledgement that you don't like the people you are supposed to be helping. And when I thought Dubya could not do anything more last night to piss me off further, he did it.

Bush had the audacity, the pure balls, to mention WMDs during this speech. Weapons of Mass Destruction. Really? Hmm. Well, if you could get a hurricane, a CAT5, to drop on your enemies at will, I would allow you the term. Since you have not found jack shit, I would tell your speech writers to never EVER put those three little letters into a sentence again. Seriously dude, you had to be tripping on something fantastic to think that was going to win you any points. Your only saving grace next election is that you cannot run for a third term. Your ass would so get waxed in a new election that there would be a recount again; this time to confirm how the hell you could have gotten so few votes. Hell, at this point, you behaved so badly, and so did your family and the people who work closely with you, that you may have made it possible for a black president to be elected.

Oooops, sorry, I lost my head. I forgot one important point. It is still America.

Peace.

Depraved SOB

As a result of an accident, a 12-year-old girl was admitted to The Hospital For Sick Children, suffering from a broken back and neck.

It is alleged that:

- in August 2005, family members of the child were at the hospital when a man approached them,

- the man identified himself as a former NHL player who was collecting money on behalf of children,

- he told the family that he could have his photograph taken with the girl for a sum of money,

- he also promised to provide them with mementos from the NHL and arrange to have the girl attend hockey games,

- believing that he was a former NHL player, photographs of the man were taken with the child and a sum of money was given to him.

It has been confirmed that the man has never played in the NHL. It is believed that other people were approached by this man.

Christopher John Richer, 39, of no fixed address, is wanted on allegations of fraud.

The public is asked not to approach him as he has a history of violence.

Saturday, September 10, 2005

Uhm, er, hmmmm.

I saw this as part of one of the feature stories on Kink, a Showcase show on TV. Kink is an interesting show if only to see the varying types of people willing to expose themselves (physically, emotionally and mentally) on a widely seen television program. By the very name, it tells you that it deals with that slightly off kilter side of sexual behaviour (some more off than others). In any case, I thought I would share this site with you as I can attest that the product works. No, not from having tried it myself but from seeing the entire process caught in the making of that segment. Anyhow, try it yourself or have a friend try it should you be, er, lacking the necessary equipment (which you won't be any longer once you complete the process).

Peace.


Make Your Own Dildo

Thursday, September 08, 2005

RIP Little Buddy!

I did not have the words to post this notice before; I will try to do it justice now. A lot of people will say that television is an evil invention and I will concede that it is far too often used as a replacement babysitter (or in my case, replacement late night beer). That said, I was a very active child playing competitive soccer, travelling, riding to my old neighbourhood to visit friends and playing on our street with the neighbourhood kids (Ever play NEIGHBOURHOOD-wide team tag? We even ran through friends houses and hopped all backyard fences to get away). With all of that going on, I still managed to hone a fine viewing skill as I did not sleep much back then either. I watched all the old greats (Gunsmoke, Ponderosa, Outer Limits (B&W), Twlight Zone (B&W, natch), Perry Mason et all). And of course, all the regulars from the 70's and 80's (Happy Days, Mork & Mindy, Three's Company, Good Times, Jeffersons, All In The Family, Dallas, The Saint, Night Stalker, Star Trek, Knight Rider and more).

But, besides the G-Force team, Gilligan's Island was my afternoon, after school standard when I was growing up. It was a silly, contrived, often stupid show but it's simplicity is what endeared it to people all over the world in more languages than I can list. Yes, I think I have seen all the episodes. Yes, I watch the Globe Trotter Special. Yes I saw them get rescued from the island. And, before you ask, Mary Ann over Ginger; farm girls are repressed freaks.

Thanks for all the laughs and the memories Bob. You will be missed. Our condolences to your family and the crew. Truly, rest in peace.

Ciao.




CANOE -- JAM! Television: 'Gilligan's Island' Bob Denver dies: "kid in the Buster Brown haircut and white sailor hat. So did the skipper, who was played by Al"

Wednesday, September 07, 2005

Open Letter

Submitted by my friend, RB. Enjoy.

Open Letter

This just in - A new walking diet.

There's just one catch...

CANOE -- CNEWS - Weird News: Police officer starts long walk to protest job transfer to inactive post

Hurricane Katrina - Races Storm; Killing Blacks Only

One of many items out there. Hard to believe what is the turth anymore as the truth is whatever someone believes to be the truth enough. Reality is a whole other topic.


Hurricane Katrina - Races Storm; Killing Blacks Only

Tuesday, September 06, 2005

Cyborg Name (thanks Cricket)


Digital Transforming Replicant Intended for Nocturnal Infiltration

My 80's Theme Song (I would have picked something in house music myself)





Your 80s Theme Song:

Your 80s Theme Song is Wild Wild West by The Escape Club

Ok, I'm back. And I'm old.

Officially, today, I and DW have become "mature" people. The reason for this is that as of 9AM this morning, we are the parents of a high school teenager; it can only go downhill from here I am told. We now have four anxious years of balancing teen angst, with teen hormones, with school work and sports and thought processes to continuing education. Yep, we now have to look at how we are ever going to afford school fees for her in a few years. I don't know how my friend, Skibum, does it; he has two in, one to join in a couple of years and three more "acquired" ones to think about. Frankly, I'd look into investing in a grow house operation, if I were him.

Anyhow, I took TC to school this morning. I wanted to make sure she actually got there but I also had this Daddy pride thing of seeing her off to her first day of this new chapter in her life. She did not want to get out of the car. At one point I basically told her to get out and she looked on the verge of tears. Normally, this would be met with a nice Trini reaction. Today though, I appealed to her fleeting common sense. I mentioned the fact that we were going to move to Quebec and she agreed but after her four years at ND were completed. So, I said today was the first day in the precious four years she talked about so get over the fear, go in and get settled and meet up with her friends. After today, it will be just like grade eight, except for the schedule and the extra homework and the layout of the school (yeah, I know, I got away with it). She settled down which is when I noticed she had two more studs than the two studs per ear limit so I made her remove them.

Forget the fact that sitting in front of the school, I witnessed so many school violations a hall monitor would have run out of paper. Smoking within school boundaries, dress blouse outside of kilt/pants, wrong colour shoes, massive hoop earrings (the things have their own gravity), makeup (OY! the makeup caked on), multiple jewelry adornments on necks and wrists and ears), coloured or printed shirts under blouses, hair not the colour they were born with, logoed runners, rolled up sleeves and kilts that attract dirty old men (more than four inches above the knee, and it one respect, suspect to be within four inches of the waist). I'm no prude but with all the crap happening in the city, I really think parents should think a bit more before allowing their teenaged daughters to look like street walkers (as two fine examples jumping up and down in the middle of Kingston, allowing us to see what they were thinking, can attest to as examples). The pervs are out there and it is our job as parents to try to keep their attention elsewhere than on our kids.

So, thus begins the new chapter of school life for TC. I hope she enjoys it as much as I did (and not as little as DW did). I have a handful of life long best friends from that experience, and a whole lot of friends that I think fondly of. TC's Godmother, Godfather and Confirmation sponsor are all people I went to high school with. All those people were at my wedding. We vacation and hang out with these people as well. I hope that she is able to find the same kind of people as she progresses. Most of all, I hope she enjoys the journey and she gets as much out of it as she can. The kids today have so much more offered to them that they really take it for granted and do not understand what they have until it is too late. It will be me and DW's job to ensure that she does understand what she has available as opportunities and to steer her to make the most of it.

To that end, we have changed a many thing in our household to help her focus. The biggest change will be that there will be no TV allowed on until her homework is finished. We have several computers set up as PVRs and we have the west coast channels as well to view missed network programming. Not only does this mean no distractions for TC, it means that she has direct and full access to each of us for homework assistance. It also means that DW and I have the time and focus ourselves to do some things we have been putting off. For her, it means prepping for her Lotus Notes Admin upgrade exams as well as upgrading our Lotus Notes server at home. She will also be able to finally start on her Lotus Notes Developer track (a very good thing for her to have in the more restrictive Canadian market). I will be studying with TC and finally starting my Cisco certification training. It is way too long coming and an absolute necessity if I ever want to leave babysitting purgatory at work. There is an amazing opportunity to learn the inner workings of a Data Centre which will allow advancement either at my current place or elsewhere in due time.

We are also changing our eating, sleeping and exercising habits. All of this will have to be gradual, natch, but it is a necessary change as none of us are happy with our current body image and each of us are responsible for that in various degrees. So, the "treats" will no longer be once or twice a week, it will be once or twice a month (besides, we need the coin for gas fillups at these insane prices). We will also have regular meals at regular times. I work a fair bit from home at the moment so the onus is on me to actually leave the IT dungeon and go upstairs to fix dinner up. TC will only change when she sees us leading by example and achieving our individual goals. That will be our biggest task this year as her self esteem has taken a huge hit this year. And let me tell you, mine and DW's are on life support at the moment.

Anyhoo, enough of the self pity. I will end this so I can go off and accomplish a home task while the ticket lines are quiet. We have decent weather so work should allow me to get some personal stuff and pending work work done. Also, the place is a disaster area that we have just had enough of looking at. Which segues me nicely into a little shpeel.

New Orleans is burning. No, not literally, but definitely figuratively. If you can afford to, give as much or more to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina. I need to perform some online research before I can comment on the tragedy there. I have much to say but I want to ensure, unlike others, that I am not talking out of my ass before I make a statement. Our prayers and thoughts go out to the families and friends of anyone affected by the effects of that Category Five force of nature. When will we learn?

Peace.

Thursday, September 01, 2005

I may have to kill it.

I lie here awake, with lots of things to do. Currently, I am watching a stupid cat for its next move,

I'm in Montreal; well, actually, I am outside of Montreal in Vaudreuil-Dorion after having spent a few days in Hudson. All these places are in Quebec, about 20-30 mins from the Ontario border. Anyhow, during the rain blitz, while waiting for our friend (my Goddaughter's mother) to come downstairs from her work, TR's front wipers decided to give up the ghost. Of course it had to do so during a rainstorm; when else would it choose to do it I wonder.

On top of that, the Mac mini I brought with me in the hopes of finishing the video editing on my friend's sister's wedding footage that I shot will not automatically change it's current resolution (1600x1200) as it was set for my monster CRT at home. So, I have to figure out how to get it to change that.

Add to that, a personal matter or two that will require some extreme funds in the neighbourhood of 10+Gs for one and a bunch more for the other weighs heavily on the "wish I had done that" category of my life. Filter in a brewing family crisis as personal belief strongholds continue to be tested and strains otherwise very strong relationships. Sometimes we need to stir the pot and sometimes we just need to let sleeping dogs lie. My family, including myself, has yet to figure out which should be done when.

There is always the work situation. I love my job as it affords me the freedom to work from home very often. My co-workers and bosses trust my judgment and opinion as I have little fear in expressing and exercising either. That said, I am a little bored with what I do because it is no longer hands on in IT and involves a lot of babysitting. Since, as you all know, I hate people, it can be hard at times since I am always engaged with silly little shits who truly believe their self-imposed importance has any sway with me in any realm of reality. I often sit back and let time pass as I watch them finally figure out the problem was the schmuck that reported it in the first place. I love the people I work with, especially in the summer time, but the day I can take the "work" part out of the equation will be a happy day indeed.

TC is going to high school on Tuesday. It is a bittersweet day for us as it means that she is growing up and will start to experience all the things we have warned her about and all the things we have told her to look forward to. Tuesday will be the start of the chapter in her life which will bring her closer to leaving us one day. One day closer to being an independent, adult, intelligent woman. God help the guy who tries to enter this family.

As I mentioned earlier, we spent a few days in Hudson at some friends of ours. They have almost the ideal place. Decent amount of land, not a subdivision, decent house with huge potential for expansion and more, a nice mix of deciduous and evergreen forest surrounding them on their lot. So, what is the problem you ask? I can still see the neighbours and they share the street. I prefer the possibilities afforded our other friends who live on Amherst Island. We could get a lot of land there for under 600Gs and it includes over 800 feet of water frontage and 88+ acres of land. The neighbours are not in voice calling distance and may have to navigate through sheep and deer to bother us. Heaven! The problem on the island is no available broadband service as yet. Over a year has passed and it does not look any closer to happening. We would easily consider moving out of Guntown,ON (the city formerly known as the T-dot) if we could find a suitable school for TC and suitable work for DW and myself. I'd love to become fluent in French, even if by necessity. Nothing better than properly cussing people in their own language.

There will be a Bride Killer reunion gathering held near the end of the month. Details to follow.

My ankles are swollen from multiple bites and my consistent scratching. No strange symptoms so I don't think I got any local West Nile. Little bastards are going to pay.

Damn, I'm fat!

Our prayers go to the families affected by the recent hurricane that devastated New Orleans and the other southern states. That devastation is absolutely unreal and hard to fathom. Nature reminds us that whatever we can build, no matter where we can build it, she can break it down in mere moments.

I'll post some trip pix soon.

Oh, I am officially on vacation now. It was supposed to be on Monday but some necessary work required my personal handling so I will officially begin it today. Technology allowed me to still be way out here but able to do things as if i was sitting in the dungeon in Markham. Suhweet.

It's been a while. I miss you guys. i will read and comment on your blogs shortly. I also have some hot and controversial topics to deal with here. I am even going to attempt my 100 list finally.

Gas. Is. a buck thirty-four. Per litre?!?!? It would now cost me a brown bill plus a green one to fill the tank on TR. I would have to work a full day to fill my tank. Not because the oil dried up. Not because a tanker sank. Not because a field blew up. Nope, the gas price jumped twenty cents because it rained heavily in the south.

So, on to what prompted my post title. I was sitting in the sofa bed, DW lost asleep beside me and the house cat was sitting across from me in the next room watching me. This was the end result of me constantly chasing it upstairs so that it stayed away from us, but especially DW who is allergic. Well, the damn thing chose to remind us why we would never get a cat and cannot understand people who insist on bringing the little bastards indoors. It finally makes its way past me, as I gave up, and lodges itself under the sofa bed pullout section, which was pulled out and had DW sleeping on it. So, after I coaxed it from under there (with a large Case Logic CD case), it sits outside the doorway watching me watching it. Eventually, it comes back in as I lay down with the laptop on my lap. It decides to go through the room, sniffing and clawing at every single thing in the room that we brought in. I mean every frickin item it touched almost. When did the ^*&%^&^* Customs people start employing ^&^%(*&^ cats?!?!?

I just sat there with the glow of the laptop on my face watching it make its rounds. I was was watching it carefully, for if it hopped onto the sofabed, or worse for it, onto DW, I may have had to kill it. Lucky for it, all it did was scratch at the blanket covering DW before making its way to the laptop bags and then heading back into the other room to hunt spiders or something and then, finally, finding its ass back upstairs.

Let me just say this. If it comes back downstairs. If it comes back into the room. If it dared to touch either of us while we slept.

I may have to kill it.