My World

In the spirit of trying to update my blog a bit more regularly, with the aim of satisfying those who would avidly read it and be true fans, I’ll now tell you what I’ve been up to since I last wrote, with the hope that it’s not too pedestrian. (Longest sentence ever?!)

As I was walking in to work yesterday, I thought how nice it was outside. The digital clock/thermometer thing on the corner of Hornby and Nelson said it was 15 degrees (although I think it’s habitually a couple of degrees warmer than the one on the corner of Nelson and Howe, so it was probably 13 or 14 degrees maybe?). It was nice, sunny, blue sky, with a slightly balmy wind blowing. And I thought “Hmm, what a nice day - what would I rather be doing, instead of going to sit in my fluorescent lit cubicle and write code all day?”. Then at lunch time I went to Pacific Centre to pick up a bunch of birthday cards. I took a leisurely stroll back down Granville, dippy grinning with my iPod on, and thought how nice it would be to skip out of work and just be out and about in the great weather for the rest of the afternoon..

I went out with Josh last night, after he pulled me the other weekend on not phoning and stuff. Bussed it over the bridge and walked along Broadway to Moxies. $90 each later and we’re both well fed and nicely boozed :-) To be fair it was more like $75 later but we didn’t want to be stingy tippers cos the waitress was pretty decent in terms of both entertainment and service. We came back to mine, hung out for a bit, shot the shit, watched TV, ripped the piss. Then it’s midnight, Josh headed off, I hit the sack, and that was that - my midweek night out! Ever so slightly hung over this morning.. nothing major, just a tiny tiny awareness of my head being there and existing. Not so much a headache, just a slight reminder that I drank last night. It’s all good!

Off to work shortly, but it’s going to be an easy day. Out for lunch, then a meeting straight after, then a quarterly review presentation at the Wall Centre for 2.5 hours this afternoon. Throw in a bit of last minute coding (mad rush cos we’re delivering a build to QA tomorrow) and that’s how my Thursday looks..

Posted in the public announcements folder at work:

I got a pair of tickets for a movie tonight at 7pm. Premier for a movie called “Lucky number slevin” For the paramount downtown. If you want it, let me know. I’m only here until 5pm, so don’t contact me after. Thanks

The problem? It was posted at 4:54pm! Are you kidding me? On the off chance I see this in the next 6 minutes I can get free tickets to see that movie?! BZZZZZT!

In order to satisfy the demands of my demanding blog readers and podcast listeners, here I am, attempting to update my blog a bit more regularly.. which of course means that you can make the effort too and leave feedback a bit more regularly right? (yeah, right - who am I kidding?!)

Busy day at work today.. we’re meant to be delivering a build to QA tomorrow so it’s all hands on deck to get loose ends tied up.. or is it tidied up? Either way, I was fucking busy and felt a bit stressed with it.. Good day for the most part though.. got lots done.. tested some stuff and was glad when it worked as expected.. worked late.. went to the gym and was the only one there.. came home, vegged and chilled a bit, did a bit of work for “my people in the UK”, sorted out some emails and stuff.. and here I am!

I listened to Wankergirl’s latest podcast today and again it caused me to laugh out (which is always amusing when you’re sitting there in a quiet office working away with your iPod on) (although that said, the office and certain co-workers have been rather loud lately - I find it really distracting when I’m trying to concentrate on something). Last podcast she talked about pooing your pants, this episode she talked about masturbating and how no one talks about it when they start doing it. Funny as fuck - check it out at www.blarmcast.com or search for Blarm on iTunes.

I was chatting with a friend on MSN tonight about his ex and how the guy has a few “issues” (or maybe it’s “Issues” with a big I?). They broke up but have still been seeing each other, hanging out etc.. but mostly winding each other up. He told me about some of stuff that had gone on and some more background info about other stuff and I was kinda stunned with it. It was very “real life” kinda stuff. It puts your own stuff in to perspective when you realise that other people have had it way worse than you ever have. That said though, I think old Friedrich Nietzsche had it right when he said “That which does not kill me, makes me stronger”. You know it’s true, makes sense etc, but when you’re in the depths of feeling low, it’s little consolation.. so *hugs* to the friend whose laundry I won’t air in public - you know it’ll get better over time.

And ending on a positive note - YAY TOMORROW! It’s Wednesday, which means it’s midweek, which means it’s downhill towards the weekend - bring it on!

PS: Has anyone seen any of that American Inventor show? It’s got Simon Cowell on it (harsh British judge off American Idol) but beyond that I don’t know too much. I downloaded a couple of episodes the other day but haven’t gotten round to watching it yet. Thoughts/opinions?

URL: http://www.instructables.com/ex/i/E19….506/?ALLSTEPS

Shawn left this in comments the other day (instead of emailing or MSNing it to me - tsk tsk!) and I figured I’d post it cos it’s nice to share.. The whole site is pretty cool - gives you in-depth instructions on how to make or do a whole plethora of things. Check it out!

Back to a manageable length this week, I did it right after work, waffled on with my week in review and a bunch of random thoughts that mostly came to me at various points during the day..

Link: podcast31.mp3 (29:12, 13.3Mb)

In this week’s show:

• Feedback from Gill and Wankergirl (from Blarmcast)
• The week in review
• V for Vendetta
• Inside Man
• Lift troubles (in my building)
• Free lunch + rave about my local lunch spot
• …and other random rambling

New this week: There’s a phone number for audio feedback! It’s experimental, and given out at the end of the show. Feel free to call and leave comments and please say if it’s cool to play in next week’s show or if you’d like me to paraphrase for you. Otherwise, as always, feel free to email or comment here with anything you want to say :-)

Up and down weekend that went something like this:

Friday: Went to the gym after work, came home, scrubbed up, and went to the Loose Moose. Antoine and Bertrand turned up shortly after and everyone had a much needed beer. Food followed, along with more company - Antoine’s current + ex room mates, plus a few of their friends. Dancing was debated then the time ticked on and we decided we were best off just staying there and drinking more. Sauntered home in the wee hours (notice I said sauntered not staggered - I was buzzed but not wasted), and that was that - pretty good night out. Antoine’s ex room mate Janet is a cool chick - dead funny.. we talent spotted together and discussed who was hottest on Grey’s Anatomy (cos she works in a hospital) (clearly George is the hottest!).

Saturday: Woke up early and felt ever so slightly rough.. no major hangover, more tired than anything else.. mooched around for a bit, chatted for a bit, did a ton of laundry. Went to Lonsdale Quay for lunch (”it was very nice”) then came back downtown. Bit more chilling then I went to the movies with Kira to see Inside Man. Pretty good film, I’d give it 8 out of 10. Good performances from Clive Owen and Jodie Foster, Denzel Washington played a character similar to the one he’s played in so many films before.. Good entertainment though, a few clever twists in there, definitely worth a look :-)

Sunday: Woke up early again and wasn’t too impressed by it. Dozed and snoozed for a bit.. got up.. tuned in to Radio 1 expecting to hear the chart show but found Dance Anthems on instead. Apparently the UK put their clocks forward this weekend. I guess ours do it soon then? Hmm.. It was also Mother’s Day in the UK.. oops - clearly I’ve been out of the UK loop for a few weeks.. oh well.. my brother sorted Mum out with a vase, I’ll do something in May when we celebrate it in North America.. she wins! Not every mum has 2 Mother’s Days right? (yeah right Paul, keep telling yourself that!)

Went to Granville Island for lunch.. mostly managed to dodge the rain showers.. came back downtown and went to BC Place to see Shanelle who was working. Wow, that place is huge.. and I just realised I forgot to mention it in my podcast.. or did I? hmm.. not sure now.. DOH! Came home and did my taxes.. result! All done and I’m a few thousand dollars poorer.. that’s the price of being self-employed last year I guess.. still, it’s fine - I had enough saved to cover it. Was going to hang out with Brian and watch Sopranos and Prison Break but he was sick, had skipped work, so we rescheduled for Monday. Tim came round and we watched Big Trouble In Little China. Total 80’s cheesy porn movie but kinda good for entertainment. And that’s that, my weekend in a nutshell!

Wow. Friday? Already?! Where did the week go?! (Wow, I’ve never said that before eh?!)

It’s been a pretty cool week so far.. Best day had to be Wednesday - a totally entertaining day at work followed by “team building” aka going to the pub and getting pissed on the company’s dime :-)

Check out my blog posting on Monday.. See that gorgeous weather? Yeah, that’s gone! It’s been dull and overcast all week, a healthy dose of rain too.. and this now that winter is officially over and we’re now in spring? Yeah right! Sitting here looking out the window all I can see is dull grey low cloud cover as far as the eye can see.. ugh!

I went to the movies with Kevin last night to see V for Vendetta. Wow. Awesome movie, I fucking loved it! Definitely on the DVD shopping list when it comes out. And I’d definitely go and see it again (so shout me if you’re up for it!). I don’t want to write much about what it’s about, plenty of that on the net already, but in a nutshell it’s set in a futuristic London, shows an uprising of people against the government, and opens with the lines “Remember, remember, the 5th of November - Gunpowder, treason and plot..” LOVE IT! Only bit I didn’t love was the mum and dad that thought it was ok to bring a couple of kids to the movie and sit right next to us.. the kids must have been 2 or 3, maybe 4? BZZZZT no - that’s not cool.. fucksake, get a sitter! I’m all for mummy and daddy going out and doing something “nice” but please - leave your kids at home! A movie like V for Vendetta is not really suitable for the under 5’s. Next time you want a night out, I’ll babysit for $15/hour and you can go have a good time without annoying half the theatre with your offspring, mmkay?

Jared commented the other day that I don’t update my blog as much as I used to.. I said sure, he’s right, and I felt that when I did update it it tended to be a bit more pedestrian than maybe it once was. He said it was like the effort went more in to the podcast these days. He’s right, I think.. but at the same time I’d like to do my blog a bit more often and with a bit more interest.. so we’ll see how that goes.. not everyone wants or is able to download a 20 meg audio file filled with pure entertainment delights, right?

Ok.. work time.. off to shower and scrub up then head to work.. have a fabby Friday and I’ll blog RealSoonNow(tm), honest! :-)

15 seconds shorter than my longest podcast so far, this mother weighs in at 46:12 long! And I couldn’t tell you what I waffled on about for half of it.. well, I could, and will below.. but it seems like a blur right now..

Link: podcast30.mp3 (46:12, 21.1Mb)

In this week’s show:

• A frenzy of feedback, featuring:
  • Carl Millar
  • Carl Millar’s mum
  • Adam Carter
  • Wankergirl
  • And comments from Noelene, Michelle, and Jared.
• Birthday shouts: Adam’s girlfriend Rachel, Sean Rabaste, John Cooper, Philippa White, Gillian Conn
• Broken wrists: Shawn and Alyson
• Good deeds and people surprising you
• http://www.lifewithvisa.com/
• …and other random rambling

As always, your feedback is much appreciated.. audio feedback is cool, otherwise feel free to email the address given in the show or post your comments here. Cheers ears! :-)

Writing this on Monday lunchtime, popped home to charge my phone up, and it’s gorgeous outside - Check the picture below (click for the large version). This has got to be the most pedestrian weekend roundup entry ever…

Friday: Wrangled with going to the gym but decided not to. Went over to Craig’s for a couple of beers and watched Mr & Mrs Smith and hung out a bit. Good times but fuck the number 8 bus is full of skanky people with not enough teeth…

Saturday: Woken up by the guy from Shaw coming to check my cable box. No problem here, the problem’s with some modulator in the equipment room somewhere. I could have told you that but whatever. Went out with Tim for a bite to eat and a walk’n'talk, nice to catch up - haven’t seen him in a while. Vegged in the evening, felt a bit rough - feverish, snotty.. Shanelle came over, pizza, TV, chill, good times.

Sunday: Shortest phone call home EVER, catch up on emails, did some clean’n'tidying (bathroom’s looking great again!).. went to Lonsdale Quay for lunch.. back downtown, chill, blah, whatever. Met up with Brian and Josh, who I haven’t seen in ages (Josh, not Brian) and proceeded to pull me on it - fair play, I respect that a lot.. mental note: call Josh and make plans for sometime this week.. He went off to the movies, I ate with Brian then back to mine for The Office, Family Guy and the latest episode of The Sopranos.

Can’t believe I didn’t blog at all last week, since Monday’s podcast entry.. but thinking back, I’m not sure all that much went on either.. Tuesday I was at Gill & Steve’s for dinner and helping them sort out their new PC.. trying to remember what I did on the other nights.. hmm..

New season of Prison Break starts tonight.. quite looking forward to it.. although not sure when I’ll watch it - Brian wants to watch it too but he’s working late shift all this week so it might have to wait for the weekend.. which suits me fine cos I’ve got last night’s Grey’s Anatomy to watch, plus tonight’s 24 and The Apprentice.. need to sort out my taxes.. and my insurance claim for my extra flight expenses.. and some billing.. so.. yeah - well amused!

Tonight’s podcast should be a laugh - I have a ton of audio feedback from various sources.. quite looking forward to it :-)

Mixed thoughts about tonight’s show.. kinda thought it was going alright, then stopped half way through and questioned myself on it.. out loud.. you’ll see!

Link: podcast29.mp3 (37:47, 17.3Mb)

In this week’s show:

• Shawn’s left!
• The week in review
• Birthday shouts: Tom Luxton + Myk Esplen
• Movie: Ultraviolet
• www.secretmessage.com
• …and other random stuff, bits’n'pieces etc

As always, your feedback is much appreciated.. audio feedback is cool, otherwise feel free to email the address given in the show or post your comments here. Cheers ears! :-)