A very long weekend...
So this was a very busy Victoria Day long weekend for me, and it didn't even involve fireworks.
Friday evening some friends and I attempted to see the new Star Trek film again, this time in IMAX!!!--but the show was already sold out. So we opted for X-Men Origins: Wolverine instead. I'd heard bad and mediocre reviews, and wasn't expecting much, but it wasn't horrible. Not particularly great, but not horrible. Hugh Jackman did a great job with what he had to work with. Liev Schreiber also did a good job with even less to work with. Ryan Reynolds shone as Deadpool for the 5 minutes he had onscreen, even if they took a few liberties with the character. I choose to ignore what they did with him in the climax, and instead hope for an entertaining spin-off flick at some point. (I'm a fan of the "Merc with a Mouth", especially when he's in the hands of a good writer, and I think Ryan Reynolds is well-cast as the wise-cracking ass-kicker.) Gambit was okay, but he could have been removed from the story entirely with no effect (all he really does is get in the way).
The plot itself is pretty dumb: an early scene has a group of mutants, including Wolverine, doing black ops for the US military. They dismantle the private army of an African diamond trader within minutes, just to get the hunk of meteorite he's been using as a paperweight. Really, I think one guy with a suitcase full of $100,000 US could have done the job more easily and with less mess. Ah well, they can't all be Iron Man.
Saturday was a day spent in restaurants. I went for lunch with some friends from my undergrad D&D days whom I only see about twice a year (one of them, who lives in Calgary, was in town for the weekend). Then I went out for a friend's girlfriend's birthday at Ivanka's in downtown Burlington. A very classy, and intimate place. Afterward we hit a Tim Horton's, the only coffee place that was open.
Sunday was a day spent in costume. In the morning some friends and I attended a Promenade and Picnic with the Toronto Steampunk Appreciation Society. We browsed St. Lawrence Market in Toronto for antiques, and I found some interesting pins for my military-style jacket. One Russian dealer had a table full of old Soviet Red Army surplus, so I picked up some goggles and a KGB box-style flashlight. I also found an old Kodak folding camera. I'll post photos soon. The evening was the usual LARP thing.
Monday was a day of labour. I spent much of the morning weeding and mowing my lawn, and discovering the army of mosquitoes that have occupied my backyard fence. I've noticed several spiders have weaved webs all around the outside of my house. Although I almost tore them down, I realized that each web trapped several scores of mosquitoes. Whereupon I calculated that every mosquito the spiders get, is one less in my house. Thus I forged a verbal contract with the arachnids: stay outdoors and you are free to feast on as many mosquitoes as you wish.
Unfortunately, the spiders aren't able to deal with so many of them so I might be forced into drastic measures. Perhaps the use of Raid or some other weapon of mass insect destruction.
In the afternoon, some friends and I went hiking in Christie Lake Conservation Area in Dundas. We spent a lot of time exploring the ruins of Crooks Mill and the dam of Christie Reservoir. I'll put up photos of those soon as well.
Showing posts with label friends. Show all posts
Showing posts with label friends. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Deja vu
MadJenny has tagged me in one of those internet memes. I'm pretty sure I've done something like this before. So, rather than rack my brain trying to think up five new items at a time when I'm otherwise up to my eyeballs, I'll just direct people there.
A lot has happened to me in the past couple of months, most of it good, all of it busy. Hopefully in another week or two I will be settled enough to do a grand update here!
MadJenny has tagged me in one of those internet memes. I'm pretty sure I've done something like this before. So, rather than rack my brain trying to think up five new items at a time when I'm otherwise up to my eyeballs, I'll just direct people there.
A lot has happened to me in the past couple of months, most of it good, all of it busy. Hopefully in another week or two I will be settled enough to do a grand update here!
Thursday, May 24, 2007
Read two books and call me in the morning
Last night, Dr. Vincent Lam, winner of the 2006 Giller Prize, did a special author visit at work. This was part of our Asian Heritage Month celebrations (which I mentioned briefly last month).
Last night, Dr. Vincent Lam, winner of the 2006 Giller Prize, did a special author visit at work. This was part of our Asian Heritage Month celebrations (which I mentioned briefly last month).
 |  |
Dr. Vincent Lam, Toronto emergency room physician and Giller Prize-winning author. | The Giller Prize-winning Bloodletting and Miraculous Cures. |
Although running a bit late (thanks to the notorious traffic situation of the Greater Toronto Area), no one seemed to notice or make a fuss about it. Dr. Lam began with a brief introduction about himself, then read sections from "Winston", one of the stories in Bloodletting and Miraculous Cures. To be honest this is one of my least favourite stories from the book, but it is one with several conflicting emotions (concern, paranoia, suspense, humour) and probably best illustrates the various aspects of the working lives of medical professionals that Lam endeavours to communicate throughout the book.
Afterwards, I read some audience-submitted questions to Dr. Lam, which he answered with candor and good humour, after which he signed books, including a couple for me. Deranged Squirrel (who brought her sister K along), MadJenny and The Blogless One also came out on their night off to see Dr. Lam.
 |  |
Dr. Vincent Lam signs my copies of his book. | The signed title page. |
I found Dr. Lam to be an incredibly nice and approachable person, and wish him every success with his next book.
Friday, May 11, 2007
Star gazing
This evening, the Deranged Squirrel, Mad Jenny, and The Blogless One (AKA JL), went to an author visit (at our library) from the Dean of Canadian science fiction, Robert J. Sawyer.
This evening, the Deranged Squirrel, Mad Jenny, and The Blogless One (AKA JL), went to an author visit (at our library) from the Dean of Canadian science fiction, Robert J. Sawyer.
Alas, poor Hominid--I knew him!
Sawyer read from his latest release, Rollback (which is highly recommended), and fielded questions from the audience. He is a talented public speaker and storyteller, and very well-informed and practiced, nimbly parrying and riposting a question of mine concerning the first novel of his I read, Calculating God, and the Anthropic Principle. Afterward, he autographed two books for me:
 |  |
| The Hugo Award-winning Hominids. | Its immediate sequel, Humans. |
Click on the photos to enlarge them. As you can see, Robert J. Sawyer is a keen observer of humanity.
Monday, February 26, 2007
'At thirty, the wit...'
Well, yesterday I reached another milestone: my 30th birthday. I celebrated with some friends from work including Librariana and her family, MadJenny, and the Deranged Squirrel (who's posted photos at her blog). The Hedda Dabbler clan have posted a video of me slaughtering a pinata. Here I am confronting my nemesis:
Here on the stage of history, we witness the duel between two great warriors. The False Prophet versus the Pinata.
Since birthdays are supposed to be a time when you ponder your current life situation, I wonder if I've done as much with myself as I could have by now. I've always felt pulled in multiple directions, and as a result, that I haven't gone anywhere. Right now, I'm in a position of incredible financial comfort and secure employment, but I feel like I'm waiting for things to start. I want to settle but I don't want to settle where I am. It's like I have what I want but not where I want it.
Ah well, I hate Februarys. Most depressing of months. Thankfully, this year Daylight Savings Time starts in March.
At twenty years of age, the will reigns; at thirty the wit; at forty the judgment.
- Benjamin Franklin
Well, yesterday I reached another milestone: my 30th birthday. I celebrated with some friends from work including Librariana and her family, MadJenny, and the Deranged Squirrel (who's posted photos at her blog). The Hedda Dabbler clan have posted a video of me slaughtering a pinata. Here I am confronting my nemesis:
Here on the stage of history, we witness the duel between two great warriors. The False Prophet versus the Pinata.
Thanks to Deranged Squirrel for hosting and JL for helping prepare (and if you got your own blog, you'd get a link too!). And thanks to everyone who came and all well-wishers.
"Do you think," said [Caesar], "I have not just cause to weep, when I consider that Alexander at my age had conquered so many nations, and I have all this time done nothing that is memorable?"
-Plutarch, Parallel Lives of Greece and Rome
Since birthdays are supposed to be a time when you ponder your current life situation, I wonder if I've done as much with myself as I could have by now. I've always felt pulled in multiple directions, and as a result, that I haven't gone anywhere. Right now, I'm in a position of incredible financial comfort and secure employment, but I feel like I'm waiting for things to start. I want to settle but I don't want to settle where I am. It's like I have what I want but not where I want it.
Ah well, I hate Februarys. Most depressing of months. Thankfully, this year Daylight Savings Time starts in March.
Monday, February 05, 2007
Blog post #62: In which the False Prophet participates in his first internet meme...
OK, so Hedda Dabbler, who has been playing hooky from work to help welcome her new son into the world and thus has time for these things, has tagged me for one of those blogger memes that circulate the blogosphere.
So without further ado, here are six weird or unknown things about me:
1) I have a PlayStation 2, but instead of using it to play the latest releases, I use my late-generation console to play games that were cutting edge between 20 and 30 years ago.
2) From Grade 11 until second-year university, I used to have shoulder-length hair. If I can dig up a picture I'll scan and post it.
3) The first Canadian federal election in which I was eligible to vote, in 1997, I voted for the Natural Law Party. It was more a protest vote than anything else: I thought Chrétien was an imbecile and utterly useless (and it's still sad it took most of the country seven more years to realize that), couldn't vote for the Conservatives after Mulroney, and couldn't vote for the NDP. In the next federal election, I actually voted for Stockwell Day and the Canadian Alliance Party. Solely because they promised to increase military spending and because he wasn't Chrétien. I could castigate myself for these and other votes I've cast in the past, but I have yet to enter a voting booth and not feel the need to take a shower afterwards.
4) Although I am a die-hard heavy-metal fan, and over half my CD collection is heavy metal or hard rock bands, Tori Amos, Sarah McLachlan, Heather Nova and Bjork all feature prominently in my collection as well.
5) I was almost a music major, but I didn't have the discipline to pass the performance audition (despite easily aceing the ear test and the theory test). Apparently being a half-assed hack on four instruments is not as valued as being really accomplished on one.
6) I used to carry a small notebook with me everywhere and write down little things I'd learned, or my ideas for stories or songs, or pithy quotations I'd heard or read. I filled three of the them, which I called "The Gospel of False Prophecy" and I promised myself that after I'd filled four, I'd buy a PDA to replace them. Then I lost the fourth volume (hereafter known as "The Apocrypha") when it was about 1/3 full and replaced it. I managed to fill the replacement halfway before giving up on the enterprise.
UPDATE: It occurs to me that #4 is the reason I love female-fronted metal and hard rock bands (Evanescence, Nightwish, Lacuna Coil).
OK, so Hedda Dabbler, who has been playing hooky from work to help welcome her new son into the world and thus has time for these things, has tagged me for one of those blogger memes that circulate the blogosphere.
So without further ado, here are six weird or unknown things about me:
1) I have a PlayStation 2, but instead of using it to play the latest releases, I use my late-generation console to play games that were cutting edge between 20 and 30 years ago.
2) From Grade 11 until second-year university, I used to have shoulder-length hair. If I can dig up a picture I'll scan and post it.
3) The first Canadian federal election in which I was eligible to vote, in 1997, I voted for the Natural Law Party. It was more a protest vote than anything else: I thought Chrétien was an imbecile and utterly useless (and it's still sad it took most of the country seven more years to realize that), couldn't vote for the Conservatives after Mulroney, and couldn't vote for the NDP. In the next federal election, I actually voted for Stockwell Day and the Canadian Alliance Party. Solely because they promised to increase military spending and because he wasn't Chrétien. I could castigate myself for these and other votes I've cast in the past, but I have yet to enter a voting booth and not feel the need to take a shower afterwards.
4) Although I am a die-hard heavy-metal fan, and over half my CD collection is heavy metal or hard rock bands, Tori Amos, Sarah McLachlan, Heather Nova and Bjork all feature prominently in my collection as well.
5) I was almost a music major, but I didn't have the discipline to pass the performance audition (despite easily aceing the ear test and the theory test). Apparently being a half-assed hack on four instruments is not as valued as being really accomplished on one.
6) I used to carry a small notebook with me everywhere and write down little things I'd learned, or my ideas for stories or songs, or pithy quotations I'd heard or read. I filled three of the them, which I called "The Gospel of False Prophecy" and I promised myself that after I'd filled four, I'd buy a PDA to replace them. Then I lost the fourth volume (hereafter known as "The Apocrypha") when it was about 1/3 full and replaced it. I managed to fill the replacement halfway before giving up on the enterprise.
UPDATE: It occurs to me that #4 is the reason I love female-fronted metal and hard rock bands (Evanescence, Nightwish, Lacuna Coil).
Thursday, December 07, 2006
Thursday, November 16, 2006
Tuesday, October 03, 2006
Tuesday, July 18, 2006
My friend Dave T has come up with a fun party game. Rather than try and explain it, I'll just post our chat last night here:
9:49 PM
me: hey tig
Dave: Hey Joe. What's up?
me: not much, etes-vous?
Dave: I created a game which is quite funny
9:50 PM
me: what is it?
9:51 PM
Dave: Basically, you take famous quotes/song titles, and change every word in the quote or title to a synonym of the word. An example: Your Father has an entirely unused sac
(Papa's got a brand new bag)
me: lemme try:
9:52 PM
mentally disturbed locomotive
(Crazy Train)
Dave: Exactly. Except the other people have to guess what it is
Emmanuel Show-stopper
9:53 PM
me: this is just song titles?
Dave: Well, it can be song titles, famous sayings, etc
Book titles
9:54 PM
me: I want to say, God-something
God curtain?
Dave: Jesus Christ, Superstar
me: good one
9:55 PM
Dave: 8.12403840463596
9:56 PM
me: Square root of love?
Dave: Route (root) 66
Ben and I were laughing ourselves silly
9:57 PM
me: LOL
Dave: Adam was coming up with some really good ones yesterday
9:58 PM
I had one that went something like "My Olfactory sense detects heightened adolenscent glandular activity"
me: smells like teen spirit
Dave: Yes!
So, that's what I've been doing in between shifts of Census work
9:59 PM me:
heh
lemme try one
I'll start easy
Homo Ferrum
Dave:
Man on the run?
Iron Man
Good one
Did I get it?
me: iron man it is
10:01 PM
Dave: What was the old term for Mississippi river?
Or maybe just mississippi
me: the Mississippi sea?
Dave: It was Novus something
me: Lepidoptera and cyclones
10:02 PM
Dave: Butterflies and Hurricanes
me: bingo
Dave: Someone's got Muse on the brain
Ghenna Gap
me: Hellhole!
10:03 PM
Dave: Yup
me: Inferno's Peal
Dave: Ring of Fire?
(actually, his might be a better answer than mine)
me: nope
10:04 PM
Dave: Blazing Thunder
Dunno...
me: hell's bells
Dave: Ah... VERY good
10:05 PM
A great older male has perished
10:06 PM
me: hmm...
10:07 PM
I give up
Dave: Superman is Dead
Try this one: Baron of the Boulevard
me: King of the Road
Dave: Yup
10:08 PM AKA Dictator of the Drive
Or Emporer of the Close
oops, Emperor
10:09 PM
"It is impossible for me to attain negative fulfilment"
10:10 PM
me: I can't get no satisfaction
Dave: lol
yes
It's a good thing they didn't name songs like that in the 50's
10:11 PM
me: Guilty of assassinating the head of the local constabulary
Dave: I Shot the Sherrif
lol
me: yup
:)
Dave: Oh man, we should publish this game
Even if it's not very good, at least it'll sell a thousand copies to bars
10:12
PM me: "Remain here or move on. Decisions, decisions."
Dave: Should I stay or should I go
me: yes
10:13 PM
Dave: Underwear, Underwear, Positive positive positive
10:14 PM
Gitchy Gitchy Yeah yeah yeah
me: ha ha
Dave: (it's probably not the name of the song, but oh well)
me: it's not, but oh well
me: A certain individual of the fairer sex has disabled my ocular faculties via experimental methodologies
Dave: Hmm...
Blind to her love...
no...
I got nothing
What is it?
me: She blinded me...with Science!
9:49 PM
me: hey tig
Dave: Hey Joe. What's up?
me: not much, etes-vous?
Dave: I created a game which is quite funny
9:50 PM
me: what is it?
9:51 PM
Dave: Basically, you take famous quotes/song titles, and change every word in the quote or title to a synonym of the word. An example: Your Father has an entirely unused sac
(Papa's got a brand new bag)
me: lemme try:
9:52 PM
mentally disturbed locomotive
(Crazy Train)
Dave: Exactly. Except the other people have to guess what it is
Emmanuel Show-stopper
9:53 PM
me: this is just song titles?
Dave: Well, it can be song titles, famous sayings, etc
Book titles
9:54 PM
me: I want to say, God-something
God curtain?
Dave: Jesus Christ, Superstar
me: good one
9:55 PM
Dave: 8.12403840463596
9:56 PM
me: Square root of love?
Dave: Route (root) 66
Ben and I were laughing ourselves silly
9:57 PM
me: LOL
Dave: Adam was coming up with some really good ones yesterday
9:58 PM
I had one that went something like "My Olfactory sense detects heightened adolenscent glandular activity"
me: smells like teen spirit
Dave: Yes!
So, that's what I've been doing in between shifts of Census work
9:59 PM me:
heh
lemme try one
I'll start easy
Homo Ferrum
Dave:
Man on the run?
Iron Man
Good one
Did I get it?
me: iron man it is
10:01 PM
Dave: What was the old term for Mississippi river?
Or maybe just mississippi
me: the Mississippi sea?
Dave: It was Novus something
me: Lepidoptera and cyclones
10:02 PM
Dave: Butterflies and Hurricanes
me: bingo
Dave: Someone's got Muse on the brain
Ghenna Gap
me: Hellhole!
10:03 PM
Dave: Yup
me: Inferno's Peal
Dave: Ring of Fire?
(actually, his might be a better answer than mine)
me: nope
10:04 PM
Dave: Blazing Thunder
Dunno...
me: hell's bells
Dave: Ah... VERY good
10:05 PM
A great older male has perished
10:06 PM
me: hmm...
10:07 PM
I give up
Dave: Superman is Dead
Try this one: Baron of the Boulevard
me: King of the Road
Dave: Yup
10:08 PM AKA Dictator of the Drive
Or Emporer of the Close
oops, Emperor
10:09 PM
"It is impossible for me to attain negative fulfilment"
10:10 PM
me: I can't get no satisfaction
Dave: lol
yes
It's a good thing they didn't name songs like that in the 50's
10:11 PM
me: Guilty of assassinating the head of the local constabulary
Dave: I Shot the Sherrif
lol
me: yup
:)
Dave: Oh man, we should publish this game
Even if it's not very good, at least it'll sell a thousand copies to bars
10:12
PM me: "Remain here or move on. Decisions, decisions."
Dave: Should I stay or should I go
me: yes
10:13 PM
Dave: Underwear, Underwear, Positive positive positive
10:14 PM
Gitchy Gitchy Yeah yeah yeah
me: ha ha
Dave: (it's probably not the name of the song, but oh well)
me: it's not, but oh well
me: A certain individual of the fairer sex has disabled my ocular faculties via experimental methodologies
Dave: Hmm...
Blind to her love...
no...
I got nothing
What is it?
me: She blinded me...with Science!
Wednesday, December 22, 2004
Not your great-great-great-grandfather's Inferno
Dave and I discussing a modern Dante over MSN:
-Do you know who is on the lowest circle of Hell?
-Judas Iscariot
-The three great traitors who are being ever devoured by Satan? Right...
-I forget the other 2...Brutus
-Brutus, and another betrayer of Ceasar. Caius I think
-Cassius
-That's it
-Satan's crying in Hell? I didn't know that
-I would
-If I was surrounded by allusions to 13th century Italian politics for eternity, I guess I would too
-Heh. "And here is Iolo! We all know why *he's* here!"...Wha...?
-"No, I don't"
-"And who else do we find in the garden of liars? Why, it's old Rigato Belinni! Remember him?"
-"who the fuck are these people?"
-Hah! Priceless
-Maybe someone should write a modern Inferno..."And look around the Food Court of Liars--look, it's Jean Chretien, having a big bowl of 'I will eliminate the GST' poutine!"
-Maybe someone *should*
-"George W. Bush is still looking for WMDs and Al-Qaeda operatives in that Iraq souffle"
-Hah! You're killing me!
-"Stephen Harper serving us Conservative Cake. What beautiful frosting. Oh, but scrape those empty calories off and there's a whole load of homophobic, racist Alliance fruitcake underneath!"
-Dude. You should write this down.
-I'll put it in my blog
Dave and I discussing a modern Dante over MSN:
-Do you know who is on the lowest circle of Hell?
-Judas Iscariot
-The three great traitors who are being ever devoured by Satan? Right...
-I forget the other 2...Brutus
-Brutus, and another betrayer of Ceasar. Caius I think
-Cassius
-That's it
-Satan's crying in Hell? I didn't know that
-I would
-If I was surrounded by allusions to 13th century Italian politics for eternity, I guess I would too
-Heh. "And here is Iolo! We all know why *he's* here!"...Wha...?
-"No, I don't"
-"And who else do we find in the garden of liars? Why, it's old Rigato Belinni! Remember him?"
-"who the fuck are these people?"
-Hah! Priceless
-Maybe someone should write a modern Inferno..."And look around the Food Court of Liars--look, it's Jean Chretien, having a big bowl of 'I will eliminate the GST' poutine!"
-Maybe someone *should*
-"George W. Bush is still looking for WMDs and Al-Qaeda operatives in that Iraq souffle"
-Hah! You're killing me!
-"Stephen Harper serving us Conservative Cake. What beautiful frosting. Oh, but scrape those empty calories off and there's a whole load of homophobic, racist Alliance fruitcake underneath!"
-Dude. You should write this down.
-I'll put it in my blog
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