And I am so glad. Have Rhonda's brother staying with us over the holidays and attach his late Sunday arrival with a switch from nights to days and I am ready to fall asleep where I sit... but I need to watch the baby..... maybe the dogs will look after her. And maybe child-protection is on their way....don't worry I'm watching the baby, a far more awake mom is on her way home now.
Gonna see the whole family this week. Excited about that, hopefully drink a damn truck of wine this year. I bought two bottles and I'm sure there must be 10+ more available.
\
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Women and Clothing
Ah the fairer sex! I, like all men throughout history, will never understand women.
In particular concern to me right now is my wife's ability to buy clothes. In the 2+ years we've been together, I've seen my lovely lady change her feathers so many times and so many ways, it makes my head spin. Sometimes I'm reminded of Veronica in the Archie comics, never wearing the same thing twice and having a closet full of clothes.
It's not that I feel she literally has too many clothes, but where I'll go and buy clothes say... 2 times a year, she's got that schedule every month. More boggling is the fact that in these weeks leading up to Christmas she's coming home with new clothes. To me this would be a massive no-no... and not because of the obvious problem of "what if someone is getting you that for Christmas?" but simply because I'd rather eat a box of salt than go shopping during Christmas season without a good reason. Clothes aren't a good reason.
But perhaps I'm to blame. My wardrobe is not exactly one with a lot of variety. T-Shirts, cargo pant and socks make up 95% of my wardrobe. It's not that I don't want to expand on it sometimes. I would like a good pair of jeans or two, and some cool sweaters and button up shirts would be nice to expand into, I just never have the drive or frankly the money to go shopping willy-nilly. Besides, I COULD be spending that money on important things... like beer or male enhancement pills (go ENZYTE!). It doesn't help that despite my amateur wardrobe building skills, I've actually got a pretty picky sense of what I like to wear, so it's not like I can just send Rhonda to do my shopping for me.
So I guess we leave it at that, just another mystery between the sexes right up there with "Why do women go to the bathroom together?" and "How is it that the volume of the contents of a womans purse exceed the volume of the purse and yet the purse never looks full?" Or the ultimate mystery, "How can women suffer childbirth and be raring to have another 3 months later?" Totally weird!
In particular concern to me right now is my wife's ability to buy clothes. In the 2+ years we've been together, I've seen my lovely lady change her feathers so many times and so many ways, it makes my head spin. Sometimes I'm reminded of Veronica in the Archie comics, never wearing the same thing twice and having a closet full of clothes.
It's not that I feel she literally has too many clothes, but where I'll go and buy clothes say... 2 times a year, she's got that schedule every month. More boggling is the fact that in these weeks leading up to Christmas she's coming home with new clothes. To me this would be a massive no-no... and not because of the obvious problem of "what if someone is getting you that for Christmas?" but simply because I'd rather eat a box of salt than go shopping during Christmas season without a good reason. Clothes aren't a good reason.
But perhaps I'm to blame. My wardrobe is not exactly one with a lot of variety. T-Shirts, cargo pant and socks make up 95% of my wardrobe. It's not that I don't want to expand on it sometimes. I would like a good pair of jeans or two, and some cool sweaters and button up shirts would be nice to expand into, I just never have the drive or frankly the money to go shopping willy-nilly. Besides, I COULD be spending that money on important things... like beer or male enhancement pills (go ENZYTE!). It doesn't help that despite my amateur wardrobe building skills, I've actually got a pretty picky sense of what I like to wear, so it's not like I can just send Rhonda to do my shopping for me.
So I guess we leave it at that, just another mystery between the sexes right up there with "Why do women go to the bathroom together?" and "How is it that the volume of the contents of a womans purse exceed the volume of the purse and yet the purse never looks full?" Or the ultimate mystery, "How can women suffer childbirth and be raring to have another 3 months later?" Totally weird!
Friday, December 12, 2008
Off to Winterpeg
Gonna go visit Markus Domestikus and Hollywood.
The open mic was a total flop and I will never be able to watch the video.
We're gonna try again in the new year.
Catch y'all later
The open mic was a total flop and I will never be able to watch the video.
We're gonna try again in the new year.
Catch y'all later
Monday, December 08, 2008
Playin' an Open Mic
Hey all. I'm gonna be strummin' out some tunes with my lovely wife Rhonda backing me up on the o'l hand drum on Wednesday night (Dec 10) at the Exchange. I'm guaranteed one song, but if people like me I can play longer. So come out and like me! Doors open at 6:30, show is at 7 and I play when they put me on. I think the cover is a donation of your choice to Amnesty, but I can't be sure. For more info, please visit http://www.amnestysaskatchewan.ca/provincial/ .
This is one of hopefully about a half-dozen open mics I'm hoping to do over the next few months as a warm-up and development stage of a solo project. Trying not to jump the gun too much on the poject, but I hope to get a few decent gigs this summer, then work on a recording next winter to start pushing summer 2010.
Keep up to date on the project at my MySpace page and please support my work if you're interested, I have children to feed. I'll keep you up to speed on major developments here at Pilot's World too.
This is one of hopefully about a half-dozen open mics I'm hoping to do over the next few months as a warm-up and development stage of a solo project. Trying not to jump the gun too much on the poject, but I hope to get a few decent gigs this summer, then work on a recording next winter to start pushing summer 2010.
Keep up to date on the project at my MySpace page and please support my work if you're interested, I have children to feed. I'll keep you up to speed on major developments here at Pilot's World too.
Sunday, December 07, 2008
Mark My Words
Harper is up to something.
While everyone has been expounding how dumb the Conservatives were to make the fiscal update they were going to, particularly the part about cutting election funding. Now I've been watching how Harper works over the past 3 years, and I'm positive he's up to something.
He promises something the electorate will like - cutting funding to politicians, creating an accountability committee, but doing it in such a way that it will ultimately fail, but at the hands of the opposition (load committees with Liberals or make funding cuts that will bankrupt the opposition parties), +1 for Harper, -1 for Opposition. Basically from day one, Harper has been putting forward stuff in such a way that if they succeed he gets one more notch in his agenda, but if they fail, the Opposition is squarely in the cross-hairs. He's a very clever politician, so I know the bastard is up to something, I just don't know what yet.
But on that note, Canada is in the middle of what I think could be a long-term political crisis. The presence of 4 relatively strong parties in the House is causing a world of trouble, especially since up until about a week ago all four parties wanted to run the House like they had a majority... and frankly if word of the weakness of the coalition is true, they still do. The electorate is pretty divided, we're in the 50-50 election crisis the US was in up until the most recent election. The conservatives seem to come out on top in these matches, perhaps they're just more clever, maybe they're more deceitful... either way they seem to win when its close.
All I do know is that we're facing political crisis, environmental crisis, we're at war, we've got a failing economy and the man leading our country is playing politics and our Parliament is at a standstill. I realize it's his right, I realize it's legal and I realize that Harper isn't the only one to blame, but I know he was the catalyst and I know our country needs better than the shitheads we have running our country right now.
So my solutions?
First idea would be to abolish the party system. Each member is elected independently then must decide based on the wishes of their constituents and work together in the House. This would of course mean a total overhaul of our system of government and would eliminate a head representative of the country (Prime Minister). Corruption could also spring up in such a system as you wouldn't have party oversight and accountability to keep an eye on it. So there would be some issues to be resolved.
Second - Abolition of all but two parties. Not very democratic. And has complete potential to not solve this problem at all.
Third - Shrink the size of parties and encourage an increase in issue specific parties like the Green Party, Unity Party, Rainbow Coalition or the First Peoples National Party. This could be done through legislation, funding changes and taxation changes. By doing this we could have bills being presented by experts instead of quilt pattern agendas that cover all topics in an incomplete way. Problems here of course include the fact that all non-expert parties will have difficulty understanding bills, so corruption could be bred, and members will only be able to handle the most prominent issue in their consituency.
Fourth - Overhaul of our democratic system. The world has come a long way since 1867. We could be using the advances in technology to directly vote on bills as citizens, instead of sending representatives to Ottawa and spending millions a year on wages and elections. Fill the HoC with servers and allow bills to introduced by the public, reviewed by certain "regular" users then allow the population to vote online. Bills could be introduced, have one week for discussion, one week to vote, then would be passed if a vote of over say 25% of the population supported the bill.
Now I'm positive none of these changes would come to fruition. They are certainly frought with issues, I'm no expert. In addition, the people who would need to make the changes have too much to lose. MP's make a pretty good wage and most, I would argue, like the power or the responsibility or whatever. They have too much vested interest to change things. And of course, about 40 people read this blog on any regular basis, and maybe 3 of them will have read it up to this point. 4 people are gonna have a real hell of a time overturning an entire political system.
So for now we're going to be stuck in a political quagmire. I can see this thing extending upward of 12 years, until someone makes a major misstep or people forget about the Liberal Sponsorship Scandal. So until then , here's to ineffective governance!
While everyone has been expounding how dumb the Conservatives were to make the fiscal update they were going to, particularly the part about cutting election funding. Now I've been watching how Harper works over the past 3 years, and I'm positive he's up to something.
He promises something the electorate will like - cutting funding to politicians, creating an accountability committee, but doing it in such a way that it will ultimately fail, but at the hands of the opposition (load committees with Liberals or make funding cuts that will bankrupt the opposition parties), +1 for Harper, -1 for Opposition. Basically from day one, Harper has been putting forward stuff in such a way that if they succeed he gets one more notch in his agenda, but if they fail, the Opposition is squarely in the cross-hairs. He's a very clever politician, so I know the bastard is up to something, I just don't know what yet.
But on that note, Canada is in the middle of what I think could be a long-term political crisis. The presence of 4 relatively strong parties in the House is causing a world of trouble, especially since up until about a week ago all four parties wanted to run the House like they had a majority... and frankly if word of the weakness of the coalition is true, they still do. The electorate is pretty divided, we're in the 50-50 election crisis the US was in up until the most recent election. The conservatives seem to come out on top in these matches, perhaps they're just more clever, maybe they're more deceitful... either way they seem to win when its close.
All I do know is that we're facing political crisis, environmental crisis, we're at war, we've got a failing economy and the man leading our country is playing politics and our Parliament is at a standstill. I realize it's his right, I realize it's legal and I realize that Harper isn't the only one to blame, but I know he was the catalyst and I know our country needs better than the shitheads we have running our country right now.
So my solutions?
First idea would be to abolish the party system. Each member is elected independently then must decide based on the wishes of their constituents and work together in the House. This would of course mean a total overhaul of our system of government and would eliminate a head representative of the country (Prime Minister). Corruption could also spring up in such a system as you wouldn't have party oversight and accountability to keep an eye on it. So there would be some issues to be resolved.
Second - Abolition of all but two parties. Not very democratic. And has complete potential to not solve this problem at all.
Third - Shrink the size of parties and encourage an increase in issue specific parties like the Green Party, Unity Party, Rainbow Coalition or the First Peoples National Party. This could be done through legislation, funding changes and taxation changes. By doing this we could have bills being presented by experts instead of quilt pattern agendas that cover all topics in an incomplete way. Problems here of course include the fact that all non-expert parties will have difficulty understanding bills, so corruption could be bred, and members will only be able to handle the most prominent issue in their consituency.
Fourth - Overhaul of our democratic system. The world has come a long way since 1867. We could be using the advances in technology to directly vote on bills as citizens, instead of sending representatives to Ottawa and spending millions a year on wages and elections. Fill the HoC with servers and allow bills to introduced by the public, reviewed by certain "regular" users then allow the population to vote online. Bills could be introduced, have one week for discussion, one week to vote, then would be passed if a vote of over say 25% of the population supported the bill.
Now I'm positive none of these changes would come to fruition. They are certainly frought with issues, I'm no expert. In addition, the people who would need to make the changes have too much to lose. MP's make a pretty good wage and most, I would argue, like the power or the responsibility or whatever. They have too much vested interest to change things. And of course, about 40 people read this blog on any regular basis, and maybe 3 of them will have read it up to this point. 4 people are gonna have a real hell of a time overturning an entire political system.
So for now we're going to be stuck in a political quagmire. I can see this thing extending upward of 12 years, until someone makes a major misstep or people forget about the Liberal Sponsorship Scandal. So until then , here's to ineffective governance!
Saturday, December 06, 2008
Shoppo!
Ug. Shopping. Actually I've brought Tai along with me to do my Christmas shopping and she provides endless entertainment. Rhonda is gonna love her ##@@$$$@@ for Christmas and I got her the most wonderful 03984555444433 for her birthday. Got some nice treats for my mom and dad today as well, so I now just need to get some little things for the girls and I'll be off to the races.
Tracked down a MIDI keyboard today for $50 from Doug (Linger guitarist). Looking forward to having access to a keyboard as it's gonna help me work with my fancy-pants software, Buzz. I've been using a forum on the software to learn how to use it, so I signed up just as a matter of respect for the community, but I have trouble posting anything. I'm no expert yet on the stuff, and most of the questions I have about the software are answered by a simple search. So I mostly just pop into the "Off-Topic" section of the message board and chat. Forums are very strange communities, but they're also a veritable motherlode of information.
Tai has a synchronized swimming show tonight, and SGI is putting on their kids carnival tommorrow afternoon. So it's Dad weekend for me!
Tracked down a MIDI keyboard today for $50 from Doug (Linger guitarist). Looking forward to having access to a keyboard as it's gonna help me work with my fancy-pants software, Buzz. I've been using a forum on the software to learn how to use it, so I signed up just as a matter of respect for the community, but I have trouble posting anything. I'm no expert yet on the stuff, and most of the questions I have about the software are answered by a simple search. So I mostly just pop into the "Off-Topic" section of the message board and chat. Forums are very strange communities, but they're also a veritable motherlode of information.
Tai has a synchronized swimming show tonight, and SGI is putting on their kids carnival tommorrow afternoon. So it's Dad weekend for me!
Monday, December 01, 2008
Attention!!!!
TO THOSE OF YOU WHO DOUBT MY ABILITY TO FATHER NAKED HIPPIE BABIES,
BEHOLD!!!!
Sorry Kayah, I know you'll have years of therapy for this, but it's SO DAMN CUTE!
BEHOLD!!!!
Sorry Kayah, I know you'll have years of therapy for this, but it's SO DAMN CUTE!
So looks like we're gonna have a coalition
This seems to me a pretty good deal. The pundits are spouting a lot of hostorical facts about it, but considering the fact that the last time there was a federal coalition in Canada, my great-great-grandfather was my age... well I'd say all bets are off.
One moment, my wife made me an excellent cup of coffee and I need to sit staring in the distance, holding the cup in both hands and smile with a satisfied look in my eye.
Damn good coffee.
So as I was saying. I think its a pretty good deal for democracy. "WHAT?" You say? "How can a group of people seizing power from an elected leader be democratic?" Each member of the coalition will have been elected by their ridings to represent them so by agreeing to run the House, they're more effectively serving their constituents. Also, by having 2-3 parties involved in negotiating any new laws or changes, the changes that happen will be more moderate and theoretically more acceptable to a greater portion of the nation's population. Add to this that the parties that aren't Conservatives in the house are center-left parties, and the center-left actually took more seats.... well you see where my thinking is.
I'm cheering on the coalition, it worked in Afghanistan right?
One moment, my wife made me an excellent cup of coffee and I need to sit staring in the distance, holding the cup in both hands and smile with a satisfied look in my eye.
Damn good coffee.
So as I was saying. I think its a pretty good deal for democracy. "WHAT?" You say? "How can a group of people seizing power from an elected leader be democratic?" Each member of the coalition will have been elected by their ridings to represent them so by agreeing to run the House, they're more effectively serving their constituents. Also, by having 2-3 parties involved in negotiating any new laws or changes, the changes that happen will be more moderate and theoretically more acceptable to a greater portion of the nation's population. Add to this that the parties that aren't Conservatives in the house are center-left parties, and the center-left actually took more seats.... well you see where my thinking is.
I'm cheering on the coalition, it worked in Afghanistan right?
Sunday, November 30, 2008
December!!!!
Crap. Shopping, driving, snowy December. Would it kill us to move the holiday season to the summer.... but then I guess what would we do in the winter eh?
Been a busy few weeks past. Gonna play a few original songs with Rhonda at an Amnesty International Open Mic Night on Dec 10 at the Exchange. Gonna play my "old" standard "Stargazing" at the show and if they want me to play longer, one of my new ones "First Time" and maybe the instrumentals "Daizy" or " "Munchie". But we'll take it as it comes.
Develoment in the Johnny Rockstar project is entering the polish stage before we hit some shows. We've all basically got the songs learnt, now we're tightening stuff up. I've got the most ground to cover yet since I'm the newest member by about 5 years or so. We're all starting to get excited about the work and we're developing a good band feel.
The new project with the former Linger members is progressing nicely too. We've got material enough for like 2-1/2 albums, but we'll almost certainly scrap a portion of it, combine many and there will be much more new writing before we're done. Of the dozen or so jams, we've not once left without a recording of some new ideas. We're starting to get backd on posting the ideas to our server space. One of the major difficulties has been getting everyone in the same room. Every member of the band has been at a jam and has written and participated, we're all working. But we have not all been in the same room since Craik in September, and as a result we haven't agreed on the name (we all want to do the final discussion in person).
One of my major frustrations at the moment is more creativity than time. It can be exasperated by the fact that I have alot of outlets at my disposal, they can just be hard to access. Not that I can realistically blame this on family or home ownership. I don't know that I'd be much further ahead if I were single, maybe but likely only 10% further along than I am. The presence of an encouraging family can do wonders to a persons motivation and workload. Some of the projects that I'm in beginning phases of working on and will all come in time include - Learning and using synthesisers (limited by my access to a good sound card), doing more video content for Maent Records and some of the other projects I'm involved in (limited to some extent by hard-disk space and time), at least 2 more ideas for bands (limited by the fact that that's ridiculous, they'll come when some current projects run their course), working on a project with Mark and Rob (likely 15 years in the future the way we coordinate), Developing and constructing a new/custom performance setup - guitar, amp, effects and all the details (limited by time and money). It's good to have goals and ideas - infact I should go and post them in a list on my MySpace page so I can work e'm out.
Other than that, just plugging away at life. Have some hip/back pain right now that I'm hoping is a result of improper exercise and bad posture and not a sign of something worse, gonna tough it out for a bit and maybe go see a doctor in the new year if I don't see some progress. Tylenol + Advil = Good Times.
Been a busy few weeks past. Gonna play a few original songs with Rhonda at an Amnesty International Open Mic Night on Dec 10 at the Exchange. Gonna play my "old" standard "Stargazing" at the show and if they want me to play longer, one of my new ones "First Time" and maybe the instrumentals "Daizy" or " "Munchie". But we'll take it as it comes.
Develoment in the Johnny Rockstar project is entering the polish stage before we hit some shows. We've all basically got the songs learnt, now we're tightening stuff up. I've got the most ground to cover yet since I'm the newest member by about 5 years or so. We're all starting to get excited about the work and we're developing a good band feel.
The new project with the former Linger members is progressing nicely too. We've got material enough for like 2-1/2 albums, but we'll almost certainly scrap a portion of it, combine many and there will be much more new writing before we're done. Of the dozen or so jams, we've not once left without a recording of some new ideas. We're starting to get backd on posting the ideas to our server space. One of the major difficulties has been getting everyone in the same room. Every member of the band has been at a jam and has written and participated, we're all working. But we have not all been in the same room since Craik in September, and as a result we haven't agreed on the name (we all want to do the final discussion in person).
One of my major frustrations at the moment is more creativity than time. It can be exasperated by the fact that I have alot of outlets at my disposal, they can just be hard to access. Not that I can realistically blame this on family or home ownership. I don't know that I'd be much further ahead if I were single, maybe but likely only 10% further along than I am. The presence of an encouraging family can do wonders to a persons motivation and workload. Some of the projects that I'm in beginning phases of working on and will all come in time include - Learning and using synthesisers (limited by my access to a good sound card), doing more video content for Maent Records and some of the other projects I'm involved in (limited to some extent by hard-disk space and time), at least 2 more ideas for bands (limited by the fact that that's ridiculous, they'll come when some current projects run their course), working on a project with Mark and Rob (likely 15 years in the future the way we coordinate), Developing and constructing a new/custom performance setup - guitar, amp, effects and all the details (limited by time and money). It's good to have goals and ideas - infact I should go and post them in a list on my MySpace page so I can work e'm out.
Other than that, just plugging away at life. Have some hip/back pain right now that I'm hoping is a result of improper exercise and bad posture and not a sign of something worse, gonna tough it out for a bit and maybe go see a doctor in the new year if I don't see some progress. Tylenol + Advil = Good Times.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Marrying Medical
One of the benefits of marrying someone in the medical profession is that when she's mistreating you (say tickling you or something) you can quote the classic Homer Simpson line -
"No! Please, remember your hippopotamus oath!"
It never works, thus she should have her license revoked.
"No! Please, remember your hippopotamus oath!"
It never works, thus she should have her license revoked.
Sunday, November 09, 2008
Jack Grey
Jack Black and Jack White should do an album together called Jack Grey. It would be so full of ego and rock that they would likely need to invent a new kind of audio media to hold it.
Clever, I know.
Clever, I know.
Thursday, November 06, 2008
An Experiment in Cooking
I've been a great lover of cooking since I was a young child. I've experimented with all sorts of recipes, but one area of the culinary world that I've left un-explored was Indian cooking.
So when my wife suggested we start meal planning, I decided to spice it up and try something new. So I found a curry sauce recipe, got some lamb, made some rice and whipped up my pathetic Canadian version of Indian food. But it turned out fairly well. I realized I need to eat more lamb.
Next up.... English food (barf!).
So when my wife suggested we start meal planning, I decided to spice it up and try something new. So I found a curry sauce recipe, got some lamb, made some rice and whipped up my pathetic Canadian version of Indian food. But it turned out fairly well. I realized I need to eat more lamb.
Next up.... English food (barf!).
Tuesday, November 04, 2008
US Election
Well it's so historic, so I'd better blog.
The real history here isn't colour or race or age. It's the end of the Nixon era finally coming to fruition. Today will be seen as the day the United States decided to change how it runs itself and how the world sees it.
Make no mistake, the world begins to change tommorrow.
The real history here isn't colour or race or age. It's the end of the Nixon era finally coming to fruition. Today will be seen as the day the United States decided to change how it runs itself and how the world sees it.
Make no mistake, the world begins to change tommorrow.
Sunday, November 02, 2008
All Hallows and more
Happy belated Halloween y'all!
Had a party here on Friday night. Had a pretty good crew out, only problems we had involved smoke detectors. Played the party psychology pretty well and actually had a reasonably early night. We decorated the house up like the scene of a serial killer murder. Not the best job done, but we had some cool stuff in the basement and alot of bloody hand and footprints around. All I can say it was the best meeting of Fidel Castro, a pimp, a witch, AWESOME-O and various underwear superheroes chaperoned by a faerie I've seen. Oh and some other guys wh
Not too much else happened this weekend, groceries, tuna casserole and a purchaseless rip around Chapters were the fun we had. Such is having kids. The wife and I even tried to park for a bit, but the baby would have none of that. So we had to eat cold Wendy's at home and watch SNL. It's like being in Junior High again, can't go anywhere fun, never have any money and have to be home by 9:00.
Had a party here on Friday night. Had a pretty good crew out, only problems we had involved smoke detectors. Played the party psychology pretty well and actually had a reasonably early night. We decorated the house up like the scene of a serial killer murder. Not the best job done, but we had some cool stuff in the basement and alot of bloody hand and footprints around. All I can say it was the best meeting of Fidel Castro, a pimp, a witch, AWESOME-O and various underwear superheroes chaperoned by a faerie I've seen. Oh and some other guys wh
Not too much else happened this weekend, groceries, tuna casserole and a purchaseless rip around Chapters were the fun we had. Such is having kids. The wife and I even tried to park for a bit, but the baby would have none of that. So we had to eat cold Wendy's at home and watch SNL. It's like being in Junior High again, can't go anywhere fun, never have any money and have to be home by 9:00.
Monday, October 27, 2008
Rhonda's Meme
Ok, had actually said to myself that I need to do less of these, but this was actually a pretty good one, so I decided to go for it.
1. Have you ever had stitches? -I had 5 stitches after being hit in the head by a baseball bat in Grade 5. The poor girl who did it I think was forever guilty about it, and I feel bad about that because I've never felt she was responsible. I've long placed blame on the supervising teacher who kept telling me to get closer and closer to the plate when I was playing catcher. After the doctor put the stitches in, he wrapped my head with gauze straight around so it made my hair stick up. My dad kept calling me Bart Simpson and offered to cut little ridges in the top so I'd be cool at school. My dad is a loser.
2. Favorite non-musical sound? -Soda in a cup, pee on a toilet bowl, baby giggles, baby breathing, baby cooing, Rhonda bobbing her finger up and down on Kayah's lips while she's crying (it makes a bad thing hilarious), the sound of a guitar string breaking, particularily on an acoustic guitar, the sound of my mom's old vegetable peeler peeing veggies, it had this loose handle and made a weird sound, meat cooking on a grill, woodlands... birds in particular.
3. Future career? - I want to get the label going. I'd like to tend a large piece of land someday, but I'm not sure if I'm in for the whole full fledged "farming" thing. Still working on that one.
4. Guiltiest pleasure? - My goodness if I told you it wouldn't be that guilty. Be assured they exist, they are indeed guilty and someday, I might write a book about them.
5. Favorite child hood memory? - Quite a few, I was a pretty lucky kid. Visiting my aunts and uncles in Slave Lake AB, getting my first guitar, Andrew being born (a BROTHER!), meeting the REAL santa, going to Gopherville, Going camping in Manitoba with the Lopinskis, summer camp in Kenosee, basically every single jam with Dulcet, building and award-winning sand-castle with Courtney and Michelle, fishing with Dad, building models with Dad, getting my room in the basement. Lots of good stuff.
6. Favorite thing from my child hood I want my kids to experience? - Gopherville, but I hear its gone. Going to camp, Coming home from camp. Having a paperroute. Being a big brother (sorry kids, guess I'll keep that one)...
7. A "must-do" on the "to-do" list? - Get to work on the house. Our limited incomes at the moment is precluding anything but the most basic home re-pairs and changes, but I'd really like to get a few coats of paint on the walls and cupboards, some new floors in the kitchen, entrancesn and bathroom and get the counter-tops re-done. The outside of the house needs a coat of paint too and the back awning is gonna cave in the next couple years if I don't repair it soon.
8. What are you giving up right now due to the failing economy? - Not much. What limits I have are imposed because of Rhonda being off work, not the economy. In fact with gas prices down I think about driving around more... but I don't do it because that would be wrong and kill baby seals. The only thing the failing economy has done is make me more worried for no real reason.
1. Have you ever had stitches? -I had 5 stitches after being hit in the head by a baseball bat in Grade 5. The poor girl who did it I think was forever guilty about it, and I feel bad about that because I've never felt she was responsible. I've long placed blame on the supervising teacher who kept telling me to get closer and closer to the plate when I was playing catcher. After the doctor put the stitches in, he wrapped my head with gauze straight around so it made my hair stick up. My dad kept calling me Bart Simpson and offered to cut little ridges in the top so I'd be cool at school. My dad is a loser.
2. Favorite non-musical sound? -Soda in a cup, pee on a toilet bowl, baby giggles, baby breathing, baby cooing, Rhonda bobbing her finger up and down on Kayah's lips while she's crying (it makes a bad thing hilarious), the sound of a guitar string breaking, particularily on an acoustic guitar, the sound of my mom's old vegetable peeler peeing veggies, it had this loose handle and made a weird sound, meat cooking on a grill, woodlands... birds in particular.
3. Future career? - I want to get the label going. I'd like to tend a large piece of land someday, but I'm not sure if I'm in for the whole full fledged "farming" thing. Still working on that one.
4. Guiltiest pleasure? - My goodness if I told you it wouldn't be that guilty. Be assured they exist, they are indeed guilty and someday, I might write a book about them.
5. Favorite child hood memory? - Quite a few, I was a pretty lucky kid. Visiting my aunts and uncles in Slave Lake AB, getting my first guitar, Andrew being born (a BROTHER!), meeting the REAL santa, going to Gopherville, Going camping in Manitoba with the Lopinskis, summer camp in Kenosee, basically every single jam with Dulcet, building and award-winning sand-castle with Courtney and Michelle, fishing with Dad, building models with Dad, getting my room in the basement. Lots of good stuff.
6. Favorite thing from my child hood I want my kids to experience? - Gopherville, but I hear its gone. Going to camp, Coming home from camp. Having a paperroute. Being a big brother (sorry kids, guess I'll keep that one)...
7. A "must-do" on the "to-do" list? - Get to work on the house. Our limited incomes at the moment is precluding anything but the most basic home re-pairs and changes, but I'd really like to get a few coats of paint on the walls and cupboards, some new floors in the kitchen, entrancesn and bathroom and get the counter-tops re-done. The outside of the house needs a coat of paint too and the back awning is gonna cave in the next couple years if I don't repair it soon.
8. What are you giving up right now due to the failing economy? - Not much. What limits I have are imposed because of Rhonda being off work, not the economy. In fact with gas prices down I think about driving around more... but I don't do it because that would be wrong and kill baby seals. The only thing the failing economy has done is make me more worried for no real reason.
I'd like to introduce you to someone.
This blog has made many a mention of my loveable beagle Bootsy, but little mention has been made of our other loveable family member, Shadow!
Now Shadow and I didn't start off well together. Rhonda had gotten him shortly after we started going out, and he and I have been fighting for Rhonda's love ever since. In fact when we first found out Rhonda was pregnant, I refused to take credit for the child until I had seen the ultrasound and saw that the baby didn't have a fluffy tail or one white paw.
But we've grown to be fast friends. And how could we not. Shadow first and foremost is incredibly smart. He can always figure out any new game instantly, always knows when something is amiss and has been like a second father to the baby... gentle, patient and firm. I'm gald to have him in the house in this neighborhood. He's small but he'll sound the alarm if something is happening and if we did have an intruder, I know he'd give his life to save the family. It wouldn't surely stop him, but I know his vigilance would give us a fighting chance.
Top Ten things to know about Shadow -
10 - He's a pimp - always kind to the ladies, always a gentleman
9 - He's a genuine horn dog - I blame Rhonda for never getting him fixed.
8 - The leash is a formality - He'll rarely wander out of earshot.
7 - He's great with kids - even when the baby pulls his hair, he rarely has more than a growl or a gentle grab to move her hand.
6 - He's smart as hell - learned to play frisbee on the first toss, my family still talks about it
5 - I'm still not sure he isn't Kayah's biological father - only the paternity test will tell for sure!
4 - He has one white paw - but rarely do I make reference to the similarity to Michael Jackson - he's not a freak!
3 - Nickname - Mr. Shadowski
2 - He's the real Nightwatchman Mr Morello
1 - He's probably one of the best dogs I've come across.
So do yourself a favour, get to know Shadow!
Now Shadow and I didn't start off well together. Rhonda had gotten him shortly after we started going out, and he and I have been fighting for Rhonda's love ever since. In fact when we first found out Rhonda was pregnant, I refused to take credit for the child until I had seen the ultrasound and saw that the baby didn't have a fluffy tail or one white paw.
But we've grown to be fast friends. And how could we not. Shadow first and foremost is incredibly smart. He can always figure out any new game instantly, always knows when something is amiss and has been like a second father to the baby... gentle, patient and firm. I'm gald to have him in the house in this neighborhood. He's small but he'll sound the alarm if something is happening and if we did have an intruder, I know he'd give his life to save the family. It wouldn't surely stop him, but I know his vigilance would give us a fighting chance.
Top Ten things to know about Shadow -
10 - He's a pimp - always kind to the ladies, always a gentleman
9 - He's a genuine horn dog - I blame Rhonda for never getting him fixed.
8 - The leash is a formality - He'll rarely wander out of earshot.
7 - He's great with kids - even when the baby pulls his hair, he rarely has more than a growl or a gentle grab to move her hand.
6 - He's smart as hell - learned to play frisbee on the first toss, my family still talks about it
5 - I'm still not sure he isn't Kayah's biological father - only the paternity test will tell for sure!
4 - He has one white paw - but rarely do I make reference to the similarity to Michael Jackson - he's not a freak!
3 - Nickname - Mr. Shadowski
2 - He's the real Nightwatchman Mr Morello
1 - He's probably one of the best dogs I've come across.
So do yourself a favour, get to know Shadow!
Friday, October 24, 2008
Canadian Car Chase
Yep, we've all seen it... probably getting tired of it, but hey I'd like to look back on this blog in 10 years and remember this commercial.
Classic.
Monday, October 20, 2008
Tetanus
So I got a tetanus shot this weekend. Was helping my dad put in some new windows in Swift Current this weekend and while throwing out the old ones at the land-fill, put a shingle nail in my foot. Hurt like a damn bastard. Decided to head to the hospital and get a shot just in case.
Gotta say, 2 days later, the shot is worse than the wound. But now I'm covered for a decade, so next time I need a shot the baby will be in Grade 5 and Tai will be off to college... so I'll have bigger things to worry about.
Had a good time in Swift Current. It was the first time I've had a girl over night at my parents house... and this time I brought 3! Grandma and Grandpa had some fun with their recently accquired granddaughters and Tai is learning the fine art of subtly coercing her Grandparents (replaceing "Can I have Dairy Queen" with "Boy an ice cream would be good on a day like this")
Back to work today. I need to get my record label making money, I don't know how to keep myself sane working on buildings for the next 29 years to retirement.
Gotta say, 2 days later, the shot is worse than the wound. But now I'm covered for a decade, so next time I need a shot the baby will be in Grade 5 and Tai will be off to college... so I'll have bigger things to worry about.
Had a good time in Swift Current. It was the first time I've had a girl over night at my parents house... and this time I brought 3! Grandma and Grandpa had some fun with their recently accquired granddaughters and Tai is learning the fine art of subtly coercing her Grandparents (replaceing "Can I have Dairy Queen" with "Boy an ice cream would be good on a day like this")
Back to work today. I need to get my record label making money, I don't know how to keep myself sane working on buildings for the next 29 years to retirement.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Blog Quebecquois
Figure if I'm gonna run for the Bloc next election, I better start recognizing that "La Belle Province" exists. Bonjour!
Been a fine week off. Decided to move a dozen large sidewalk blocks by myself today. My body is pissed about that one. But we shall survive.\
Election party was fun. Superstore chips, CBC-TV, MSN Chat and root beer. It numbed the pain of another Tory government. Looks like I'd better hurry on getting government funding for my label. Yikes.
I got a free copy of Bram Stokers "Dracula" sitting here for the first person who can line me up $15,000 in a legal manner. My label needs some funding.
Been a fine week off. Decided to move a dozen large sidewalk blocks by myself today. My body is pissed about that one. But we shall survive.\
Election party was fun. Superstore chips, CBC-TV, MSN Chat and root beer. It numbed the pain of another Tory government. Looks like I'd better hurry on getting government funding for my label. Yikes.
I got a free copy of Bram Stokers "Dracula" sitting here for the first person who can line me up $15,000 in a legal manner. My label needs some funding.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Election Day MSN Party
Well folks, once again, my sister, wife and I will be hosting an election night MSN party. We've got people in PEI and Saskatchewan so far, and everyone is invited to put in their 2 cents and join the party. If you're not on my MSN yet, my address is fluffnews at hotmail.
We just get together and get a good view of the whole country, with people watching (hopefully) all the major networks and giving updates as we go.
Remember to bring your ID and get out there and vote so we have something to follow tonight!!!!
We just get together and get a good view of the whole country, with people watching (hopefully) all the major networks and giving updates as we go.
Remember to bring your ID and get out there and vote so we have something to follow tonight!!!!
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Voting Strategically 2
Well apparently Elizabeth May is encouraging strategic voting in close races. Wish I knew if my riding was one of the about 60 that she feels we need to vote this way in. Maybe such information will float up in the next couple days.
But then, this is in contrast to her advice only days ago. Now I'm not saying I'm gonna follow her lead explicitly, frankly I still question her skills as a politician.
So the debate rages on.
Think I'll run for the BQ next election. Present! pour la Quebec!
But then, this is in contrast to her advice only days ago. Now I'm not saying I'm gonna follow her lead explicitly, frankly I still question her skills as a politician.
So the debate rages on.
Think I'll run for the BQ next election. Present! pour la Quebec!
Friday, October 10, 2008
Pondering Strategic Voting
Well only a few days to the election. And all of a sudden I'm in a dilemma.
It's no secret that I would very literally take an axe to the head than cast a vote for this Conservative party. Even if I did consider myself a small "C" conservative, the party that we've had running the country has been deceitful, dishonest and just plain bad. From ignoring obvious issues to making a big deal and doing nothing, they've just fucked the dog for the past 2 years. Blame the Liberals if you want, but they've stayed home for the past 2 years, so find another whipping boy there guys.
Coming up to the election its becoming very clear that the election is going to be a very close one, with an almost certain minority. One of the seats that the Tories could potentially lose is the riding I'll be voting in. Word is that NDP Janice Bernier could potentially un-seat incumbent Andrew Scheer... but it could be close.
Now I've already made it pretty clear that I want to vote Green in this election, but a vote for the NDP could go a long way to shifting the balance of power. I'm not saying that my vote is going to make the difference between Prime Minister Harper or Prime Minister Dion, but the fact is, it could help. I have zero problem voting NDP, I've voted NDP provincially several times and I think once maybe twice federally. They're my third pick after the Greens and the Bloc Quebecquois.
At least I've got another handfull of days to decide, keep my eyes on the headlines and if I make my decision in the voting booth, well that's my choice to make.
God bless democracy.
It's no secret that I would very literally take an axe to the head than cast a vote for this Conservative party. Even if I did consider myself a small "C" conservative, the party that we've had running the country has been deceitful, dishonest and just plain bad. From ignoring obvious issues to making a big deal and doing nothing, they've just fucked the dog for the past 2 years. Blame the Liberals if you want, but they've stayed home for the past 2 years, so find another whipping boy there guys.
Coming up to the election its becoming very clear that the election is going to be a very close one, with an almost certain minority. One of the seats that the Tories could potentially lose is the riding I'll be voting in. Word is that NDP Janice Bernier could potentially un-seat incumbent Andrew Scheer... but it could be close.
Now I've already made it pretty clear that I want to vote Green in this election, but a vote for the NDP could go a long way to shifting the balance of power. I'm not saying that my vote is going to make the difference between Prime Minister Harper or Prime Minister Dion, but the fact is, it could help. I have zero problem voting NDP, I've voted NDP provincially several times and I think once maybe twice federally. They're my third pick after the Greens and the Bloc Quebecquois.
At least I've got another handfull of days to decide, keep my eyes on the headlines and if I make my decision in the voting booth, well that's my choice to make.
God bless democracy.
Thursday, October 09, 2008
Chant Down Babylon
We had an unusual visitor here this week. Rhonda has a little home business creating and maintaining dreadlocks. It puts a few extra bucks in the coffers every few months and we get to meet some new people. She had a new client come by, a self-proclaimed Rastaman. Not a terribly unusual thing considering Rasta and dreadlocks are pretty much synonymous, but the first person we've had by that I could say was a real Rasta.
We discussed the basis of rasta on the Bible, Hallie Selassie I and many other aspects of the religion. One of the aspects I wish I had spoken to him more about was the concept of rejecting Babylon. In Rasta it is beleived that by rejecting modern society (Babylon) and the temptations that come with it, one can reach Zion, their promised land. While to some this likely seems pretty extreme, this gentleman lived in what I understood to be very modest lodgings, working a farm and following the teachings of Jah.
The concept of rejecting many of the things that we have in our world has been a tempting concept for me of late. Call it what you want, the concept resides in many religions - leaving worldly posessions in order to become closer to a higher power. Considering the difficulties and stresses that modern society has, the idea isn't such a bad one.
It is a dream of mine to eventually have a place where I have some seclusion and a simplicity to my life. I'm sure I won't reach this goal until retirement, but I'm preparing now, saving, planning, dreaming. I'm thinking maybe a tree farm or an orchard somewhere, reading, walking, enjoying the world.
Hey a guy can dream can't he?
We discussed the basis of rasta on the Bible, Hallie Selassie I and many other aspects of the religion. One of the aspects I wish I had spoken to him more about was the concept of rejecting Babylon. In Rasta it is beleived that by rejecting modern society (Babylon) and the temptations that come with it, one can reach Zion, their promised land. While to some this likely seems pretty extreme, this gentleman lived in what I understood to be very modest lodgings, working a farm and following the teachings of Jah.
The concept of rejecting many of the things that we have in our world has been a tempting concept for me of late. Call it what you want, the concept resides in many religions - leaving worldly posessions in order to become closer to a higher power. Considering the difficulties and stresses that modern society has, the idea isn't such a bad one.
It is a dream of mine to eventually have a place where I have some seclusion and a simplicity to my life. I'm sure I won't reach this goal until retirement, but I'm preparing now, saving, planning, dreaming. I'm thinking maybe a tree farm or an orchard somewhere, reading, walking, enjoying the world.
Hey a guy can dream can't he?
Wednesday, October 08, 2008
Google Chromium
Been using the brand-spankin' new Google Chromium this week. Read an article online then one in Wired and decided it couldn't hurt to try it out.
First impression is how damn CLEAN it is. Then once you start using it more, it gets smaller. It's really a new way of surfing, familliar, yet different. Once you do a little research on how to use it, it becomes very interesting indeed.
The software is really new, so there are a few features that have yet to be seen, no extensions yet, but if I understand some of the new structures they've put into the software, I think that extensions are going to be a bit different, so a new standard for extensions and perhaps even plugins will be created.
The most intriguing part of all this is the fact that it's Open Source. There is a relatively easy to read comic about the software availiable online. It gets kinda technical at the end and to be sure I understood about 13% of it, but if I got my head around this right, they've created and built some pretty impressive new ideas into the realm of the browser and left it all open and free for all to use. They simply want to advance the path of browsers in order to advance the internet. Pretty profound, but then when your business is dependent on the size and use of the internet, the best thing you can do is give people the tools to do it for you for free.
Of course this leaves us in a world potentially saturated with Google. Seriously, I see it in my life already. It's totally integrated. I can query Google from my cell phone, I get my schedule from Google Calendars in my e-mail and as a text message on my phone. This blog is linked to my Google account, as is my YouTube account. Even before Chrome, my browser had several Google-based plugins, and Firefox is synonimous with Google. My homepage is my iGoogle page, I use the search engine for 60% of my searches, I plan trips on Google Maps, have photos on Picassa, and 80% of my office application work is done in Google Documents. I also use at least a half dozen more Google Apps on a daily basis, it's even connected to several peices of software that I use.
We're on the fringe of the cloud folks, and it's name is Google.
Monday, September 29, 2008
Bleh. Work.
Ok so back to work today after beating the SARS to some sort of meaningful submission. Had noticed this weekend that a few minor persistent health complaints that had been bothering me had subsided. And back they came today. Bullshit.
Not sure if its the work or the workplace or what, but these issues only seem to affect me at work. Not gonna get into details, they're personal, but I know one thing. I need to consider this in my career path.
I'm coming back into my desire to devote more time to the label, and have been slowly ramping back up. I'm running into and will run into more resistance from my wife and understandably so, but I want to get a whole heap of issues dealt with before I hit my stride again so that this time when the label consumes me, it will hopefully be easier to manage the rest of my life so she's gonna have less to complain about... ;)
Five more days and Pilotsworld.ca is gone ... update those bookmarks to http://pilotsworld.blogspot.com now!!!!
Not sure if its the work or the workplace or what, but these issues only seem to affect me at work. Not gonna get into details, they're personal, but I know one thing. I need to consider this in my career path.
I'm coming back into my desire to devote more time to the label, and have been slowly ramping back up. I'm running into and will run into more resistance from my wife and understandably so, but I want to get a whole heap of issues dealt with before I hit my stride again so that this time when the label consumes me, it will hopefully be easier to manage the rest of my life so she's gonna have less to complain about... ;)
Five more days and Pilotsworld.ca is gone ... update those bookmarks to http://pilotsworld.blogspot.com now!!!!
My wife wants me to weigh in on the election...
Really.
Well if you drive by my house, there's a Green Party sign on the lawn. I just added the button to my blog.
So why Green? Well I like, support and understand their platform and they seem to be running the most mature, and honestly most business like campaign. I look at an election like a job interview/performance review. The other parties in the race (with the possible exception on the BQ - I unapologetically admit I don't follow them closely - their half a nation away from me) spend a great deal of time lambasting their opponents and promising obscure and often complex programs. Either that or I just summarily disapprove of what they do/have done.
While the Green Party is a "single issue" party, they've managed to create a platform that covers a wide range of social, economic and national issues under one umbrella. They have a commitment to social justice, sustainability, diversity, healthcare reform and a new look at the way our government does business.
But I'm not in the business of telling people how to vote. That at it's root is an abuse of democracy. The parties all have their own webpages, or you can phone any one of their offices and talk to their representative in your riding. Narrow down your choices, make some informed decisions and if you listen to one thing I say, PLEASE VOTE ON OCTOBER 14. This, more than who you vote for is important to me. I see our political parties starting to take alot of liberties with the power they've been given, from the Liberals to to Conservatives. I think at the root of this is a lack of engagement from the voting public. The world is a busy place and we can't always be running off to protests, but an hour or two every 3-5 years is not enough to ask for you to maintain your freedoms and send a message to our leaders that we ARE watching them and we DO care what they do.
But vote Green, 'cause I'd love to see the look on Stephen Harpers stupid face when he's the minorty leader under Elizabeth May. I would giggle my goddamn ass off.
Well if you drive by my house, there's a Green Party sign on the lawn. I just added the button to my blog.
So why Green? Well I like, support and understand their platform and they seem to be running the most mature, and honestly most business like campaign. I look at an election like a job interview/performance review. The other parties in the race (with the possible exception on the BQ - I unapologetically admit I don't follow them closely - their half a nation away from me) spend a great deal of time lambasting their opponents and promising obscure and often complex programs. Either that or I just summarily disapprove of what they do/have done.
While the Green Party is a "single issue" party, they've managed to create a platform that covers a wide range of social, economic and national issues under one umbrella. They have a commitment to social justice, sustainability, diversity, healthcare reform and a new look at the way our government does business.
But I'm not in the business of telling people how to vote. That at it's root is an abuse of democracy. The parties all have their own webpages, or you can phone any one of their offices and talk to their representative in your riding. Narrow down your choices, make some informed decisions and if you listen to one thing I say, PLEASE VOTE ON OCTOBER 14. This, more than who you vote for is important to me. I see our political parties starting to take alot of liberties with the power they've been given, from the Liberals to to Conservatives. I think at the root of this is a lack of engagement from the voting public. The world is a busy place and we can't always be running off to protests, but an hour or two every 3-5 years is not enough to ask for you to maintain your freedoms and send a message to our leaders that we ARE watching them and we DO care what they do.
But vote Green, 'cause I'd love to see the look on Stephen Harpers stupid face when he's the minorty leader under Elizabeth May. I would giggle my goddamn ass off.
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Update your bookmarks and more stuff
Before I forget, update your bookmarks to Pilots World to the old address http://pilotsworld.blogspot.com/ . pilotsworld.ca is gonna expire in the next month or so and I'm not planning on renewing it. Just not that important to me anymore.
This just in - Paul Newman has passed away. So eat a salad today and pour a 40 of salad dressing on the curb.
This just in - Paul Newman has passed away. So eat a salad today and pour a 40 of salad dressing on the curb.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Ok I give up
I've had so much trouble finishing my Beijing saga that I just give up. Everyday I don't finish it is a day I'm not blogging about something else. So let's just say I got arrested, again, got SARS and ended up eating meecrob until my ass fell out and they sent me home.
That'll do.
So been a flurry of stuff the past month or so. Played Field Fest with Linger a few weeks ago. Pretty good deal. The band has broken up and re-formed as a new group featuring the Roman Bros. - Dave and Vic, the Pilon Bros. - Me and Andrew and the one and only Scotty T. We're finalizing our name and will start work on our new material next weekend. I think everyone is very excited, we've got a new - more stable guitarist and we're going to be playing music that we've all evenly contributed and written. Linger was getting very stale for everyone in the band and it was creating tension. The past couple months have been a rocky transition, but by probably spring next year we'll be rippin' and raring for our first gig and should hopefully melt some face and brains with the new material. I don't think anyone has any idea yet what it's gonna sound like, but I'm sure it will be rockin' and progressive... and overly technical if I'm jusdging everyone correctly.
Maent Records has been stuttering and stalling. I'm home on a sick day today (the SARS) so I'm gonna do a quick update on the home page and get some info out for people. We've completed our first release a short-run CD-EP by the one and only Johnny Rockstar. We had our first sale a few weeks ago, so we're making that red number a bit smaller now. We're trying to organise and re-tool the company right now as things got WAY out of hand in the beginning there and we were spending more time trying to meet expectations of others without making our own footprint in the industry which was our goal in the first place. But things are getting better and expect to see more from the crew in late October/early November.
Getting the house together the past few weeks and I'd be well on my way if I wasn't knocked on my ass by this fucking SARS shit. Got the garage totally cleaned out (thank you Used Regina!) and am half way though getting the practice/writing studio/tv room/chill area/general purpose room cleaned out and storage back to where it needs to be. I need to find a couple quality folding tables and get some more plugs installed in the room, but that shouldn't be too much of a challenge. Finally having the freedom to get the house together and make it liveable is a massive load off my mind and I actually look forward to more cleaning and organizing. I've never been mister neat, and add to that some of the shall we say "self-created retardedness" of the past 10 years or so haven't made it any better, so finally finding myself in a place in life where I can fix my problems instead of making them is very zen.
Baby is rolling all over the place and likes to "talk" all the time. She's very cute, but can also be very fussy and grumpy at times. But she's getting better.
Anyhoo, election coming up. Please don't vote Conservative in the coming Canadian election people. You'd only be shooting yourselfs in the foot. Unless you own a big Corporation. Then maybe you'd be ok. I'm throwing my clout behind the Green Party again. I'm tired of sacrificing my values in an attempt to knock off another party. I know the Green Party is an awfully constrained way to run a party, but I think if democracy was run properly, there would be a multitude of parties like them and we'd have more expertise on issues instead of the general approach attached to an idiom that we currently have.
That'll do.
So been a flurry of stuff the past month or so. Played Field Fest with Linger a few weeks ago. Pretty good deal. The band has broken up and re-formed as a new group featuring the Roman Bros. - Dave and Vic, the Pilon Bros. - Me and Andrew and the one and only Scotty T. We're finalizing our name and will start work on our new material next weekend. I think everyone is very excited, we've got a new - more stable guitarist and we're going to be playing music that we've all evenly contributed and written. Linger was getting very stale for everyone in the band and it was creating tension. The past couple months have been a rocky transition, but by probably spring next year we'll be rippin' and raring for our first gig and should hopefully melt some face and brains with the new material. I don't think anyone has any idea yet what it's gonna sound like, but I'm sure it will be rockin' and progressive... and overly technical if I'm jusdging everyone correctly.
Maent Records has been stuttering and stalling. I'm home on a sick day today (the SARS) so I'm gonna do a quick update on the home page and get some info out for people. We've completed our first release a short-run CD-EP by the one and only Johnny Rockstar. We had our first sale a few weeks ago, so we're making that red number a bit smaller now. We're trying to organise and re-tool the company right now as things got WAY out of hand in the beginning there and we were spending more time trying to meet expectations of others without making our own footprint in the industry which was our goal in the first place. But things are getting better and expect to see more from the crew in late October/early November.
Getting the house together the past few weeks and I'd be well on my way if I wasn't knocked on my ass by this fucking SARS shit. Got the garage totally cleaned out (thank you Used Regina!) and am half way though getting the practice/writing studio/tv room/chill area/general purpose room cleaned out and storage back to where it needs to be. I need to find a couple quality folding tables and get some more plugs installed in the room, but that shouldn't be too much of a challenge. Finally having the freedom to get the house together and make it liveable is a massive load off my mind and I actually look forward to more cleaning and organizing. I've never been mister neat, and add to that some of the shall we say "self-created retardedness" of the past 10 years or so haven't made it any better, so finally finding myself in a place in life where I can fix my problems instead of making them is very zen.
Baby is rolling all over the place and likes to "talk" all the time. She's very cute, but can also be very fussy and grumpy at times. But she's getting better.
Anyhoo, election coming up. Please don't vote Conservative in the coming Canadian election people. You'd only be shooting yourselfs in the foot. Unless you own a big Corporation. Then maybe you'd be ok. I'm throwing my clout behind the Green Party again. I'm tired of sacrificing my values in an attempt to knock off another party. I know the Green Party is an awfully constrained way to run a party, but I think if democracy was run properly, there would be a multitude of parties like them and we'd have more expertise on issues instead of the general approach attached to an idiom that we currently have.
Sunday, August 17, 2008
After Jail
Sorry to cut you guys off there, but I'm back. I'm safe, I'm ok, I just gotta figure out how to get home now.
So I got out of jail, and made my way into the street, destitute, no way home, no language.
Sounds like bad writing to me.
A kindly old woman approached me as I lie crying in the rain on a bench. I'm not sure what she said, but she was very calming and soon was ushering me onto a bus. The bus drove for I don't know how long until we got off at the foot of a large group of dense public apartment buildings. I was ushered up three fights of stairs (wondering what those on the top 30 or 40 floors did) and was soon seated on the floor wrapped in a warm blanket.
I fell asleep at some point and awoke very ill. I was shivering and nauseous. Seems the lack of proper nutrition, stress and lack of sleep had affected me quite negatively. I was fortunate as the woman, Ma Xiuxiu was a great comfort and kept me fed and nursed me constantly. We watched the Olympics, I was able to tell her where I was from by watching the diving and pointing when Alexandre Despatie and Arturo Miranda dove. She soon rushed me an atlas and I was able to show her where I lived.
I've been there ever since. As my strength returns, I go for walks, a little more everyday. She gives me a few yuan everyday to go to the local market to pick up some rice and vegetables. Rhonda will be glad to hear that Xiuxiu has been allowing me very little meat. She pats my belly and laughs when I try to ask. Any extra money she lets me keep, I've been using it to get internet time to contact home. She really has been a wonder to be around, I do hope someday I can repay her for her kindness.
But I should head home, supper will be nearly ready, and Xiuxiu has some sort of suprise for me, she had a red envelope for me before I left, but she wouldn't let me open it until I get back.
I'll let you know how it goes!
So I got out of jail, and made my way into the street, destitute, no way home, no language.
Sounds like bad writing to me.
A kindly old woman approached me as I lie crying in the rain on a bench. I'm not sure what she said, but she was very calming and soon was ushering me onto a bus. The bus drove for I don't know how long until we got off at the foot of a large group of dense public apartment buildings. I was ushered up three fights of stairs (wondering what those on the top 30 or 40 floors did) and was soon seated on the floor wrapped in a warm blanket.
I fell asleep at some point and awoke very ill. I was shivering and nauseous. Seems the lack of proper nutrition, stress and lack of sleep had affected me quite negatively. I was fortunate as the woman, Ma Xiuxiu was a great comfort and kept me fed and nursed me constantly. We watched the Olympics, I was able to tell her where I was from by watching the diving and pointing when Alexandre Despatie and Arturo Miranda dove. She soon rushed me an atlas and I was able to show her where I lived.
I've been there ever since. As my strength returns, I go for walks, a little more everyday. She gives me a few yuan everyday to go to the local market to pick up some rice and vegetables. Rhonda will be glad to hear that Xiuxiu has been allowing me very little meat. She pats my belly and laughs when I try to ask. Any extra money she lets me keep, I've been using it to get internet time to contact home. She really has been a wonder to be around, I do hope someday I can repay her for her kindness.
But I should head home, supper will be nearly ready, and Xiuxiu has some sort of suprise for me, she had a red envelope for me before I left, but she wouldn't let me open it until I get back.
I'll let you know how it goes!
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Ok; Still in Bejing.
F___
After my last post, I headed to the airport, got my money and headed to get a ticket home. As luck would have it, if I stayed the night and left in the morning, I could get my ticket for half price, and accommodations would be a small concern, according to the kind woman at the ticket counter.
I left the airport for the downtown where I was told I would find a hotel with ease. I arrived in the crowded downtown, and soon came along a small stand in an alley. A nice gentleman sold me five DVD's - Charlie Bartlett, Dark Knight, Pineapple Express, Step-Brothers and The Office Season 3 for $5US - A deal to me.. and I had heard about some of these Asian countries selling cheap bootleg movies.
Just as the money was changing hands, a police officer rounded the corner and there I was, in the back of a truck with about 8 street vendors, sans passport or wallet.
I spent the night in a frighteningly sterile cell, isolated from the remainder of the group. I didn't sleep a wink, no clue of the language, no money, passport, phone. They even took my car keys. Just my clothes and belly button lint (I would soon resort to amusing myself playing catch with myself using the latter).
The next morning a soldier came in returned my wallet, phone, keys and passport. The wallet had been conveniently lightened. I still had my ticket, but had already missed my plane by the time I made it to the airport.
Oh my time at the internet cafe is nearly up. I've got to e-mail my parents and wife before time runs out. i'll Talk to you all later.
After my last post, I headed to the airport, got my money and headed to get a ticket home. As luck would have it, if I stayed the night and left in the morning, I could get my ticket for half price, and accommodations would be a small concern, according to the kind woman at the ticket counter.
I left the airport for the downtown where I was told I would find a hotel with ease. I arrived in the crowded downtown, and soon came along a small stand in an alley. A nice gentleman sold me five DVD's - Charlie Bartlett, Dark Knight, Pineapple Express, Step-Brothers and The Office Season 3 for $5US - A deal to me.. and I had heard about some of these Asian countries selling cheap bootleg movies.
Just as the money was changing hands, a police officer rounded the corner and there I was, in the back of a truck with about 8 street vendors, sans passport or wallet.
I spent the night in a frighteningly sterile cell, isolated from the remainder of the group. I didn't sleep a wink, no clue of the language, no money, passport, phone. They even took my car keys. Just my clothes and belly button lint (I would soon resort to amusing myself playing catch with myself using the latter).
The next morning a soldier came in returned my wallet, phone, keys and passport. The wallet had been conveniently lightened. I still had my ticket, but had already missed my plane by the time I made it to the airport.
Oh my time at the internet cafe is nearly up. I've got to e-mail my parents and wife before time runs out. i'll Talk to you all later.
Saturday, August 09, 2008
Back at the Internet Cafe
Ok, so I'm back at the internet cafe that I was at last time. Been very strange, but I had to try and stay in familiar territory.
I called Rhonda just after the last blog, I thought that she might be excited that I was going to go check out the swimming. She asked if I had even thought of getting a round-trip ticket. I hadn't. So about twenty minutes later, once she had reached through the international phone cable and pulled my testicles out my throat, we arranged for her to borrow some cash and Western Union it to me at the airport here. I can get on a plane and get home.
Sorry babe.
I ended up heading to the swimming pavilion not too long later. I would learn at the front door that no event started that day until 2. So I went for a walk around the arena to pass some time and consider my next move. Suddenly I was hit with a very sudden need to find a bathroom. I suppose it's not necessarily wise to drink fountain water in a city whose air is thick enough to pour on pancakes. I ran to a side door of the arena and threw the first door I saw open and ran down a hall. Thankfully, the little man on the door means the same thing in China as in Canada, and I soon found relief.
Emerging from the stall I realized I had entered a changing room and had direct access to the pool deck. Following my keen pool-health knowledge, I removed my shoes and proceeded to check out the pool. Any ex-pool boy is gonna be curious what China built for a pool for the OLYMPICS. Got a good p
ssic -
I headed back out and sat down on a seat to put my shoes on to leave. I must have leaned back to collect my strength to leave and I just passed out.
The next thing I knew, I was being shaken and a young Chinese man with poor English was above me imploring, "Please Meestar. I will be punished if you are found here. Jail for you. Leave now quickly!" As I ran out of the building I could see a lineup developing at the doors.. it was nearly noon.... I had entered the building at 5 or 6 in the morning.
So I decided to make my way back here and update the world on what's happening. Rhonda will be excited to see my pool photo. Hopefully my next post will be from the airport, waiting for the plane to take me home. I might go check out a store or something on my way to the airport and see what's up. Gonna check my e-mail here too.
I called Rhonda just after the last blog, I thought that she might be excited that I was going to go check out the swimming. She asked if I had even thought of getting a round-trip ticket. I hadn't. So about twenty minutes later, once she had reached through the international phone cable and pulled my testicles out my throat, we arranged for her to borrow some cash and Western Union it to me at the airport here. I can get on a plane and get home.
Sorry babe.
I ended up heading to the swimming pavilion not too long later. I would learn at the front door that no event started that day until 2. So I went for a walk around the arena to pass some time and consider my next move. Suddenly I was hit with a very sudden need to find a bathroom. I suppose it's not necessarily wise to drink fountain water in a city whose air is thick enough to pour on pancakes. I ran to a side door of the arena and threw the first door I saw open and ran down a hall. Thankfully, the little man on the door means the same thing in China as in Canada, and I soon found relief.
Emerging from the stall I realized I had entered a changing room and had direct access to the pool deck. Following my keen pool-health knowledge, I removed my shoes and proceeded to check out the pool. Any ex-pool boy is gonna be curious what China built for a pool for the OLYMPICS. Got a good p
ssic -I headed back out and sat down on a seat to put my shoes on to leave. I must have leaned back to collect my strength to leave and I just passed out.
The next thing I knew, I was being shaken and a young Chinese man with poor English was above me imploring, "Please Meestar. I will be punished if you are found here. Jail for you. Leave now quickly!" As I ran out of the building I could see a lineup developing at the doors.. it was nearly noon.... I had entered the building at 5 or 6 in the morning.
So I decided to make my way back here and update the world on what's happening. Rhonda will be excited to see my pool photo. Hopefully my next post will be from the airport, waiting for the plane to take me home. I might go check out a store or something on my way to the airport and see what's up. Gonna check my e-mail here too.
IN BEJING!!!!
Ok so something weird happened yesterday after that last blog. I just kinda snapped. So I cashed in a bunch of my savings, bought a plane ticket to Bejing, and here I am. At the Olympics.
Pretty cool pictures from the opening ceremonies for you here...
I haven't really got anywhere to sleep yet, and I stayed up pretty much all night... and morning is coming soon. I stepped into this internet cafe to get a coffee and collect my thoughts. Here I am in a foreign country where I don't understand the language, and all I have is my cell phone, my wallet, with a work credit card and my debit card in it, and my passport.
Rhonda said her favourite Olympic event to watch was swimming, so I think I might go check that out, once I find somewhere to get some sleep.
I'm so tired and this keyboard is really weird.
I'll talk to you guys soon.
Pretty cool pictures from the opening ceremonies for you here...
I haven't really got anywhere to sleep yet, and I stayed up pretty much all night... and morning is coming soon. I stepped into this internet cafe to get a coffee and collect my thoughts. Here I am in a foreign country where I don't understand the language, and all I have is my cell phone, my wallet, with a work credit card and my debit card in it, and my passport.
Rhonda said her favourite Olympic event to watch was swimming, so I think I might go check that out, once I find somewhere to get some sleep.
I'm so tired and this keyboard is really weird.
I'll talk to you guys soon.
Friday, August 08, 2008
Ok a Demand and a solution.... to a couple problems....but I might need help.
Ok folks, I've been busy with life - baby and allsuch. But I've got some complaints and some possible solutions...
Problem 1 - The death of the Sask Blogs Aggregator. This was a great resource and not a week would go by that I wouldn't pop in to see how the province was doing. My favourite thing to do was to visit in the hours following a Rider game and see how people were reacting. Carm and crew at CKRM do a great job reviewing the game, but it's fun to hear it from the people. I offered a possible solution to SaskBoy recently then was broadsided with/by life. So I offer this out there to anyone with the time and enthusiasm to pursue it.
- Start a feedtwister account. Begin plugging in RSS feeds from sites submitted and farmed from the original Saskblogs Aggregator - the Blogroll still works and can be seen on the right side of this blog...use it. Then take the generated code and plug it into free or personal webspace. If I could, I would recommend 110mb.com. They also offer fantastic scripts. I think of interest to a page like this would be a message board and a news page, but there are tonnes of scripts and even a small amount of imagination and drive could expand the concept quite a bit... SaskGallery, SaskSMS.. whatever! I'd do it myself, but hey... I blog like once a month.
If I'm lucky.
Problem 2 - No CFL scores in RSS or SMS form. Argh! I've been using my cell-phones SMS ability to a great extent of late. I have it receiving my daily Google Calendar Schedule, Sending me severe weather warnings, a daily forecast and I'm thinking of a few more. One of the ones I'd like it an update at the end of each CFL game on the score of that game.. who won-who lost. The best I can find out there right now includes league news, team and player news, scores and lengthy descriptions. My initial thought is to subscribe to the scores online and in any other way possible, then post them to a blog whose RSS feed one could subscribe to via My Yahoo and use their SMS feature OR start a broadtexter account and let people subscribe to the feed.
Again - time time time.
So until the time someone gets more time than me - help yourself, these ideas are licenced in the public domain.
Problem 1 - The death of the Sask Blogs Aggregator. This was a great resource and not a week would go by that I wouldn't pop in to see how the province was doing. My favourite thing to do was to visit in the hours following a Rider game and see how people were reacting. Carm and crew at CKRM do a great job reviewing the game, but it's fun to hear it from the people. I offered a possible solution to SaskBoy recently then was broadsided with/by life. So I offer this out there to anyone with the time and enthusiasm to pursue it.
- Start a feedtwister account. Begin plugging in RSS feeds from sites submitted and farmed from the original Saskblogs Aggregator - the Blogroll still works and can be seen on the right side of this blog...use it. Then take the generated code and plug it into free or personal webspace. If I could, I would recommend 110mb.com. They also offer fantastic scripts. I think of interest to a page like this would be a message board and a news page, but there are tonnes of scripts and even a small amount of imagination and drive could expand the concept quite a bit... SaskGallery, SaskSMS.. whatever! I'd do it myself, but hey... I blog like once a month.
If I'm lucky.
Problem 2 - No CFL scores in RSS or SMS form. Argh! I've been using my cell-phones SMS ability to a great extent of late. I have it receiving my daily Google Calendar Schedule, Sending me severe weather warnings, a daily forecast and I'm thinking of a few more. One of the ones I'd like it an update at the end of each CFL game on the score of that game.. who won-who lost. The best I can find out there right now includes league news, team and player news, scores and lengthy descriptions. My initial thought is to subscribe to the scores online and in any other way possible, then post them to a blog whose RSS feed one could subscribe to via My Yahoo and use their SMS feature OR start a broadtexter account and let people subscribe to the feed.
Again - time time time.
So until the time someone gets more time than me - help yourself, these ideas are licenced in the public domain.
Thursday, August 07, 2008
6-1
I'm disappointed, but I can understand. Good rally in the 4th quarter, that kind of umph would have been nice in the three quarters preceding it.
Now to crying babies...
Now to crying babies...
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Linger, Home Repairs, GO RIDERS!! and Why MIDI is hard.
Well Linger had another good show last night at the Exchange. I thought we did well, and we put in 3 extra songs at the last minute out of nowhere. I think we did well on all points. A really new experience for me and ironically first tried onstage during soundcheck was to use Victors Mac to play a string arrangement in GarageBand using the computers keyboard.
Spent the entire 3 day weekend working on the house and doing laundry. Things are slow to progress around here, there's alot to be done and alot more comes everyday. But we got nearly all the fallen tree cleaned up today, just a couple more hours - maybe 3 to get the yard back to some semblance of normalcy. Eavestroughs went up really easily, but as was shown during the rain delay of the football game, they don't hold water! But that will be an easy fix. It was a good test, albeit a failed one. Bought 3 big barrels off of Used Regina for a great price to make into rain barrels. I'll have enough water to irrigate the Sahara.
5-0. I lived to see it. I said it before the season started. Let's have faith in Eric Tillman. He knows how to build a team. Even on a continuing rotation of quarterbacks and injuries that would make even the greats' knees buckle, the Riders set a record for season starting tonight. As in, it hasn't been done since they've been playing modern football. Keep up the good work boys... Calgary is going to be a major challenge on Saturday, and Henry is still mad at us.
Been spending what down time I have with my nose in my computer trying to get everything set up to use MY laptop on stage and in performance with my bass playing. I'm looking to hook in my footswitch pedal to my computer. I'll then use it to control sample software and digital synthesizers, while also using my computer keyboard to play more targeted lines. I hope to use this to add a super-low-end layer to Linger's stuff. It will need to be really rappy and deep to cut through the already pretty full Linger sound, but I think it could be cool. I already have plans for foot-controlled lines in Root of Truth, This Narrow Path and of course Melody for the Hanging. I've got some sample ideas for Brian and the Bomb and Swaying Image and steal sample cuing from Dave for Narrow Path and Precious.
This does create some difficulties. I'm considering picking up a professional package like Reason, Cubase or Cakewalk. I've been trying to make it happen with Open Source stuff and while it's highly, highly customizable, it's hard to install, hard to connect devices and Windows Vista is un-forgiving when it comes to some software installations and permissions. If anyone out there has had some good easy MIDI software that might meet my needs, let me know, I'd be anxious to hear it.
Well all, that's that for today I guess. Kinda want to do a funny post like I used to do back in year 1 and 2 of the blog. Life is too short to be so serious.
Spent the entire 3 day weekend working on the house and doing laundry. Things are slow to progress around here, there's alot to be done and alot more comes everyday. But we got nearly all the fallen tree cleaned up today, just a couple more hours - maybe 3 to get the yard back to some semblance of normalcy. Eavestroughs went up really easily, but as was shown during the rain delay of the football game, they don't hold water! But that will be an easy fix. It was a good test, albeit a failed one. Bought 3 big barrels off of Used Regina for a great price to make into rain barrels. I'll have enough water to irrigate the Sahara.
5-0. I lived to see it. I said it before the season started. Let's have faith in Eric Tillman. He knows how to build a team. Even on a continuing rotation of quarterbacks and injuries that would make even the greats' knees buckle, the Riders set a record for season starting tonight. As in, it hasn't been done since they've been playing modern football. Keep up the good work boys... Calgary is going to be a major challenge on Saturday, and Henry is still mad at us.
Been spending what down time I have with my nose in my computer trying to get everything set up to use MY laptop on stage and in performance with my bass playing. I'm looking to hook in my footswitch pedal to my computer. I'll then use it to control sample software and digital synthesizers, while also using my computer keyboard to play more targeted lines. I hope to use this to add a super-low-end layer to Linger's stuff. It will need to be really rappy and deep to cut through the already pretty full Linger sound, but I think it could be cool. I already have plans for foot-controlled lines in Root of Truth, This Narrow Path and of course Melody for the Hanging. I've got some sample ideas for Brian and the Bomb and Swaying Image and steal sample cuing from Dave for Narrow Path and Precious.
This does create some difficulties. I'm considering picking up a professional package like Reason, Cubase or Cakewalk. I've been trying to make it happen with Open Source stuff and while it's highly, highly customizable, it's hard to install, hard to connect devices and Windows Vista is un-forgiving when it comes to some software installations and permissions. If anyone out there has had some good easy MIDI software that might meet my needs, let me know, I'd be anxious to hear it.
Well all, that's that for today I guess. Kinda want to do a funny post like I used to do back in year 1 and 2 of the blog. Life is too short to be so serious.
Friday, July 25, 2008
Friday is a good day to work
Got one of my wonderful new benefits of a full time position at SGI, a Day of Rest. Every second Friday. Booh - Yah!
Spent most of the day cutting up wood and branches from the windfall this week. Also tore down my ruined eaves-trough, did some laundry and swept up the yard.
asparagus and lots of good salads and sides. Needless to say, no one went home hungry and we had some good times. A couple inpromptu jams with the likes of Johnny Rockstar on Guitar and Vocals, Duck Slick on guitar, Ronda on drum, Andrew Pilon on Guitar, Scotty T on Acoustic bass and yours truly on baby holding and playing harmonica with the other hand. Had a distinct western feel tonight, I place the ownice on it being Scotts dad's bass.So now we're just relaxing, continuing our "Bourne Movie" film festival this weekend, can't wait until the next one.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Ok then. Here it is.
Sorry it took so long.
So we did get home the next day. Baby has been a joy for the most part I suppose. She cries, she poops, she sleeps. Occasionally she looks up at you with big blue eyes and laughs. That's why I did it.
She's been feeding well and is overall a healthy happy baby.
Mom is well, now looking to heal the hardships of childbearing and return to living it up like a rockstar.
Went to Ness Creek this weekend. Among the kickass things that happened to me.
1 - Laughing So Damn much.
2 - Five Alarm Funk
3 - Strange wood pixies.
4 - Baby connecting time.
Needless to say, I will be returning to this festival as long as I have energy to walk. And I have a list of people who I need to bring with me.
Had a big storm here tonight and we lost half of our big tree out front. I'm pretty upset about this, not because of t
he work involved and the potential cost, but because I REALLY LIKED THAT TREE. The first place I took Kayah outside to was under that tree and now it's sitting in two piles on my lawn. We also had half our eavestrough come down and maybe some damage to an old crooked pine in the back, but they're pretty minor jobs I think/hope.Mom and Dad moved out of town. Kinda weird, they were this sort of anchor in a familliar place. Michelle is still in town, but hey for how long. Just odd. Weyburn has been my home for mor
e of my life than anyplace, sad to lose touch.Tai is well, attitude of Paris Hilton and coherence of salad dressing, but she's a good kid at heart and really helps out with the baby around.
Dogs=kickass
Bought myself a laptop at long last. Been walking around with a boner for two weeks because of it. No, it's not a Mac, I have mouths to feed.
Got permanent-full time at SGI. Things are interesting there ... what can I say - it pays well.
Label is growing slowly as I need it to. Have to make some tough decisions this week, but that's business and if I can't do it now, it isn't going to get any easier.
Well, I think that's all. Last month was the first I didn't post on since the start of the blog. I'll try to keep that from happening again folks!
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Kayah Lily Pilon
Well all, Rhonda had our little baby girl this afternoon. She weighed 6lbs 4oz. I'll put up more info and some pictures in the coming days, but dad is understandably exhausted and needs a bath and coma.
Mom and baby are in perfect health, and I think will be home as soon as tomorrow.
Mom and baby are in perfect health, and I think will be home as soon as tomorrow.
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Friday, May 02, 2008
LINGER CD RELEASE TONIGHT
Hey everyone, TONIGHT, May 2nd at the U of R, my band Linger will be throwing their CD Release party. Three bands, Johnny Rockstar, The League of One and Linger will rock the mother-fucking house down in what promises to be one of the finest evenings of rock experienced in the city of Regina in over 30 years.
Show starts at 8, doors will be open at 7:30. If you want to get some pre-sale tickets, e-mail me at maentrecords att gmail.com. They;re $5... but I won't be anywhere near a computer after 11:00AM Friday... sorry for the late notice. Just want it to be fresh.
LINGER CD RELEASE TONIGHT! BE THERE!
Show starts at 8, doors will be open at 7:30. If you want to get some pre-sale tickets, e-mail me at maentrecords att gmail.com. They;re $5... but I won't be anywhere near a computer after 11:00AM Friday... sorry for the late notice. Just want it to be fresh.
LINGER CD RELEASE TONIGHT! BE THERE!
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Tuesday, April 01, 2008
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Earth Hour a Success Here
We had the lights out for about 75 minutes for Earth Hour. While Tai didn't seem to quite get the idea that lights were not at all allowed, we did have a good time playing cards by candlelight and drinking lemonade.
I think we should do it once a month!
I think we should do it once a month!
Self Sufficiency
Or - "Why it pays not to get your hopes up"
Busy busy busy... as usual. I've been waiting all week to sit down a write a blog post on religion and spirituality. Maybe I'll get to it tommorrow, it will be Sunday afterall.
Parents came up this weekend to help Andrew move up to Regina. So welcome to the RGC Roo. I see you blogged again, maybe I need to re-add you to my blog-roll.
Mom and Dad made it sound like they might come up and give us a little hand around the house, then not, so I just ended up doing work myself. "Why it pays not to get your hopes up".
Linger got together today (minus Duck). CD RELEASE IS BOOKED AND SET FOR MAY 2ND!!! We're playing the Multipurpose room at the U of R. So be there or be square! We're doing a big set-list and it might be the last show that Duck can play with us due to some other responsibilities, so come check it out. It could be the last time Linger performs as Linger.
Had a family crisis TWICE yesterday, starting with Bootsy going AWOL, and ending with Rhonda in the hospital again with contractions/cramps. All ended up ok, Bootsy is back home and Rhonda/Baby are fine so no worries.
But on that subject, I'm off to do... whatever.
Busy busy busy... as usual. I've been waiting all week to sit down a write a blog post on religion and spirituality. Maybe I'll get to it tommorrow, it will be Sunday afterall.
Parents came up this weekend to help Andrew move up to Regina. So welcome to the RGC Roo. I see you blogged again, maybe I need to re-add you to my blog-roll.
Mom and Dad made it sound like they might come up and give us a little hand around the house, then not, so I just ended up doing work myself. "Why it pays not to get your hopes up".
Linger got together today (minus Duck). CD RELEASE IS BOOKED AND SET FOR MAY 2ND!!! We're playing the Multipurpose room at the U of R. So be there or be square! We're doing a big set-list and it might be the last show that Duck can play with us due to some other responsibilities, so come check it out. It could be the last time Linger performs as Linger.
Had a family crisis TWICE yesterday, starting with Bootsy going AWOL, and ending with Rhonda in the hospital again with contractions/cramps. All ended up ok, Bootsy is back home and Rhonda/Baby are fine so no worries.
But on that subject, I'm off to do... whatever.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Wow two blog posts in one day...
... that hasn't happened since I bet aught-six (dag nabit).
Tonight's topic : Women (dag nabit)
Fuck you
Ok you ladies think you got it so hard? You got it EASY ladies. I mean PURSES? How can you NOT be leaders of the world? If men weren't socially shunned for carrying purses we would have conquered Mars by now.
Oh sure metrosexuals have them. Ever see a metrosexual with a bad job? Exactly.
In this day and age of cellphones and iPods and large plastic car keys and wallets and digital cameras and GPS's and perscription eyewear and lighters and bill sizes as coins and.... so on... one is struggling to survive under this weight straining pockets made smaller and smaller by tightwad box stores who prey on your class because they know your style and your budget. Even with the introduction of the Cargo pant, typically the least used items end up in your knee level pocket and those are usually heavy things like digital cameras and that's a pain in the ass itself. Winter offers some solstace, large winter parkas offer endless pockets inside and out to hide treasures in. But here comes summer. Here comes my backpack.
Yeah you don't win them all ladies. I know. I know. But look I tell you what, I'll give you some advice (and compliment you too). You ladies should be running this world. You really should. You're organized enough, you're kind enough and you're just enough to make this world work right. People would not suffer as they do, and we would stop hurting and killing each other and our planet. I'm sure. So waddya say ladies? Ready to take the leap?
Tonight's topic : Women (dag nabit)
Fuck you
Ok you ladies think you got it so hard? You got it EASY ladies. I mean PURSES? How can you NOT be leaders of the world? If men weren't socially shunned for carrying purses we would have conquered Mars by now.
Oh sure metrosexuals have them. Ever see a metrosexual with a bad job? Exactly.
In this day and age of cellphones and iPods and large plastic car keys and wallets and digital cameras and GPS's and perscription eyewear and lighters and bill sizes as coins and.... so on... one is struggling to survive under this weight straining pockets made smaller and smaller by tightwad box stores who prey on your class because they know your style and your budget. Even with the introduction of the Cargo pant, typically the least used items end up in your knee level pocket and those are usually heavy things like digital cameras and that's a pain in the ass itself. Winter offers some solstace, large winter parkas offer endless pockets inside and out to hide treasures in. But here comes summer. Here comes my backpack.
Yeah you don't win them all ladies. I know. I know. But look I tell you what, I'll give you some advice (and compliment you too). You ladies should be running this world. You really should. You're organized enough, you're kind enough and you're just enough to make this world work right. People would not suffer as they do, and we would stop hurting and killing each other and our planet. I'm sure. So waddya say ladies? Ready to take the leap?
Friends, Romans, Countrymen ... Lend me your beer...
... and I'll return it. As urine.
Today's blog brought to you by : PROCRASTINATION! Try it today! Or tommorrow... or whatever.
I'm supposed to be working on the Maent Records entry in the second round of the Progress 2 Capital competition sponsored by the Regina Regional Economic Development Association. It's not like its a terribly hard job, but it IS hard and I DON'T like doing it. We have a potential artist signing that I should be concentrating on, but I gotta get this thing going because the grand prize is like 10G's in cash. CHA CHING!
Anyhoo... I guess that's enough of that. If I don't get to work now, I won't get it done in time, then I'll be up shit creek with my partners... and one of them controls how much poonanny I get or don't get.... so high ho- high ho- it's off to work I go.
Today's blog brought to you by : PROCRASTINATION! Try it today! Or tommorrow... or whatever.
I'm supposed to be working on the Maent Records entry in the second round of the Progress 2 Capital competition sponsored by the Regina Regional Economic Development Association. It's not like its a terribly hard job, but it IS hard and I DON'T like doing it. We have a potential artist signing that I should be concentrating on, but I gotta get this thing going because the grand prize is like 10G's in cash. CHA CHING!
Anyhoo... I guess that's enough of that. If I don't get to work now, I won't get it done in time, then I'll be up shit creek with my partners... and one of them controls how much poonanny I get or don't get.... so high ho- high ho- it's off to work I go.
Monday, March 24, 2008
Well the morning was nice...
...weather wise that is.
Updated the ol' blogroll on the right there. If I'm missing anyone who wants to be listed, let me know. Had lots of links to dead blogs. Or at least on life support.
Getting a little nervous about this meeting tonight. I've never met Ariel face to face, so I'm hoping she's open to us. I've studied up though, and made my gameplan. Now just to prep Rhonda and Scott and then knock e'm dead! If you're in Regina on Friday night go check her out at the Club (Exchange) or in Weyburn on Saturday night at Pump Jacks. She's got her CD release at the Club on April 26th, please make an effort to check her out that night as she's shooting for a sell-out as a good piece of promotion. http://www.myspace.com/arielmura
Should hopefully be able to announce the Linger CD release party this week. We're planning it for the Multipurpose Room at the U of R, the caveat right now is that it might need to be on a weeknight. As long as it happens before the baby, I'm a-ok. Ideally, we should probably just wait until summer but we've been promising this thing for basically a year, so no further delay should be allowed. I'm hoping to have time to get the webpage together. It's kinda hard to motivate, the page will have basically what the MySpace page has, with just more organized graphics - the content will be nearly identical.
Newest Addiction - Wikimapia
Updated the ol' blogroll on the right there. If I'm missing anyone who wants to be listed, let me know. Had lots of links to dead blogs. Or at least on life support.
Getting a little nervous about this meeting tonight. I've never met Ariel face to face, so I'm hoping she's open to us. I've studied up though, and made my gameplan. Now just to prep Rhonda and Scott and then knock e'm dead! If you're in Regina on Friday night go check her out at the Club (Exchange) or in Weyburn on Saturday night at Pump Jacks. She's got her CD release at the Club on April 26th, please make an effort to check her out that night as she's shooting for a sell-out as a good piece of promotion. http://www.myspace.com/arielmura
Should hopefully be able to announce the Linger CD release party this week. We're planning it for the Multipurpose Room at the U of R, the caveat right now is that it might need to be on a weeknight. As long as it happens before the baby, I'm a-ok. Ideally, we should probably just wait until summer but we've been promising this thing for basically a year, so no further delay should be allowed. I'm hoping to have time to get the webpage together. It's kinda hard to motivate, the page will have basically what the MySpace page has, with just more organized graphics - the content will be nearly identical.
Newest Addiction - Wikimapia
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Oh Blah Di Oh Blah Da Life Goes On... oh!
Did the turkey thing last night at the mother-in-laws. Did something else there last night, but that's Rhonda's news to share, so I'll let y'all check it out on her blog (she hasn't got anything there yet, but I can assure you she will... and yes, she is going mad, but she looks good doing it).
Met with a representative for an artist we're trying to get on the label. I'm very excited, we're booked to meet with her on Monday, and I hope we can all come to an agreement together on what we should do. She's got a great voice, pretty and a hard worker. I think we have a winner, now I hope she thinks she has a winner in us.
Tai mysteriously found a bunch of candy kicking around the house this morning. Very weird how it just shows up like that. If anyone else has heard of such a thinig, let me know, I'm wondering if I should call the police.
Met with a representative for an artist we're trying to get on the label. I'm very excited, we're booked to meet with her on Monday, and I hope we can all come to an agreement together on what we should do. She's got a great voice, pretty and a hard worker. I think we have a winner, now I hope she thinks she has a winner in us.
Tai mysteriously found a bunch of candy kicking around the house this morning. Very weird how it just shows up like that. If anyone else has heard of such a thinig, let me know, I'm wondering if I should call the police.
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Blogging?
You know what I kinda miss? Blogging. I mean it got to be a pain in the ass there because I found myself so restricted in what I could say or show or do. And I suppose I still do, its why I rarely post anymore. I over examine everything that I want to say and if I think that I can't perfectly defend it or that it'll receive too much backlash, I just don't worry about it.
But there are a lot of great things happening around here that I want everyone to know about. Things I want to share because they're MY news. Rhonda and I are having a baby... a baby. We even know it's gender and I want to scream it from the rooftops, but MOM doesn't want to know so SO ONE can know. Frankly, bullshit. We're having a beautiful little girl. And I cannot flipping WAIT to see her. I've been to ultrasounds in the past.. cool but no real connection. Felt it kick a bunch and watched my wife balloon. Nothin. But damn it finding out it's a little girl... NOW THAT'S MY BABY! The passing of the Midwifery Act unfortunately means our home birth has turned to a hospital birth.
The pregnancy has been hard. Rhonda is very sick and really hurt and beyond taking on as much of the housecare as I can handle, there's little I can do about it. Things get tense sometimes, we've gone through a lot of change over the past year, and I think we're still learning how to BE with each other. I know it's worth it and I know it'll be all right, but you know, just hard sometimes.
Also made a poorly timed decision to start a record label. I know, I know, why in the hell would you want to follow up getting married, buying a house, getting pregnant, oh yeah and taking on a kickass stepchild with starting your own COMPANY? In the MUSIC INDUSTRY no less?!?! Because I'm a sucker for punishment. And frankly, its an attainable dream too. I've spent the past 6 years working shitty jobs and having a generally bad time of things trying to figure out what I should make my lifes work. I knew a family was in there, but there was something else there, something entrepreneurial, creative, media related and I always wanted to involve music and the internet. One of the benefits of the kind of work I do in Facilites Management (fancy eh? that's skilled janitor to the rest of y'all) is you have a lot of head time. You can just put on some music and just THINK about stuff. Try it sometime. Through this process I arrived at record label about two years ago while working at the pool. And I kept thinking, formulating, thinking, formulating and just researching this and that and getting it together. Around Christmas time this year it started getting big again, and I started putting things on paper. That was the catalyst. Rhonda, Scott and I incorporated last week, we've got our first major project in preliminary stages and we've begun building a shockingly large and widespread network from places as far as Bristol England (hi Mark), Las Angeles USA, Cleveland OH, Montreal PQ and all over Saskatchewan, not bad! Check it all out so far at maentrecords.ca or swing your cell phone to maentrecords.mobi.
Bought a car... a Honda Fit. It rules. Speedy little blue demon with like 546 Miles to the gallon. Hatchback is cool and this little compact will fit all of Lingers guitars and three amps. And still have room for driver and one passenger.
The dogs are kickin ass as per usual. Bootsy is more neurotic than ever, but she's kind and loving. Shadow like to think he's a prick, but he's a pansy.
Tai is doing pretty damn good in school for a girl that missed half of a semester of French emersion. She has trouble following the rules at school and still needs to be walked through the steps of getting up and going to school by her mom and stepdad everyday, but at least she's cheery about it. We built a family of snowmen together, complete with baby and dreadlocked mom. I've amassed a collection of over 45 paintings from the Tai-Lin collection. They'll buy me a yacht someday... or decorate my office forever.
With baby coming and Rhonda soon off work, we're coming up on some tight times financially. We may have to change how we do things and that transition is becoming hard already, but I know we can make it through this spell, some of our dreams... our vacations and our record labels... might have to go on hold for a couple years. Too bad, so sad.... no one said life would be easy.
Work sucks, but that's ok, it pays me well, and I'm starting to get used to having the extra cash around. I'm actually starting to see surpluses from cheque to cheque, which is reassuring with the coming of the baby. I have a feeling that if I could spend some time concentrating on getting our finances lined up (and a financial advisor that was more interested in our well being than leading us on and fucking us over so he can buy a new car) that we might be able to get through this nicely. I'm starting to see why we had so little sometimes when I was a kid. I cannot imagine affording 4 kids in todays economy, let alone 4... or the 7 kids of my grandparents. But they made it through, I just have to follow their lead. Right?
And finally, the house. While initial response to owning a house is "Oh shit, we fucked up," after the knee jerk reaction, I'm starting to see its benefits and really enjoy living here. Our mortgage payment is a little less than we were paying in the house before and since rent rates have spiked in Regina of late, its not unreasonable to think that rate would have gone up, so we're in a pretty secure payment place right now. That's reassuring. And I'm starting to get used to the fact that I OWN the house so I can DO anything to it I want. Like if I wanted to paint racing striped on it, I could, and the only thing that would happen is my wife would institutionalize me, which would happen if I lived anywhere. I am nervous about something going wrong. I mean we are insured so like all that stuff is cool, but if we blow a water heater or the furnace... well I have savings now, but everyone seems to have bookmarked it... including me, and that could lead to a bad situation (I don't think my parents are in the lending business to me anymore). I am hoping to plan a big work-bee/cleaning-bee and try to enlist some help for a weekend, have a big garage sale, then just lie low for a while... no major renos, no changes, juat ride out the next couple years. Batten down the hatches and ride out the storm. It is gonna be a pain in the arse, and I think I'm gonna piss off some friends, a few family, but in 2010 while Canada is trying to explain why our emissions are like 700% of what we said they would be, I should be ready to look at the rest of the picture.
Here's hoping. Maybe I should start blogging again......
But there are a lot of great things happening around here that I want everyone to know about. Things I want to share because they're MY news. Rhonda and I are having a baby... a baby. We even know it's gender and I want to scream it from the rooftops, but MOM doesn't want to know so SO ONE can know. Frankly, bullshit. We're having a beautiful little girl. And I cannot flipping WAIT to see her. I've been to ultrasounds in the past.. cool but no real connection. Felt it kick a bunch and watched my wife balloon. Nothin. But damn it finding out it's a little girl... NOW THAT'S MY BABY! The passing of the Midwifery Act unfortunately means our home birth has turned to a hospital birth.
The pregnancy has been hard. Rhonda is very sick and really hurt and beyond taking on as much of the housecare as I can handle, there's little I can do about it. Things get tense sometimes, we've gone through a lot of change over the past year, and I think we're still learning how to BE with each other. I know it's worth it and I know it'll be all right, but you know, just hard sometimes.
Also made a poorly timed decision to start a record label. I know, I know, why in the hell would you want to follow up getting married, buying a house, getting pregnant, oh yeah and taking on a kickass stepchild with starting your own COMPANY? In the MUSIC INDUSTRY no less?!?! Because I'm a sucker for punishment. And frankly, its an attainable dream too. I've spent the past 6 years working shitty jobs and having a generally bad time of things trying to figure out what I should make my lifes work. I knew a family was in there, but there was something else there, something entrepreneurial, creative, media related and I always wanted to involve music and the internet. One of the benefits of the kind of work I do in Facilites Management (fancy eh? that's skilled janitor to the rest of y'all) is you have a lot of head time. You can just put on some music and just THINK about stuff. Try it sometime. Through this process I arrived at record label about two years ago while working at the pool. And I kept thinking, formulating, thinking, formulating and just researching this and that and getting it together. Around Christmas time this year it started getting big again, and I started putting things on paper. That was the catalyst. Rhonda, Scott and I incorporated last week, we've got our first major project in preliminary stages and we've begun building a shockingly large and widespread network from places as far as Bristol England (hi Mark), Las Angeles USA, Cleveland OH, Montreal PQ and all over Saskatchewan, not bad! Check it all out so far at maentrecords.ca or swing your cell phone to maentrecords.mobi.
Bought a car... a Honda Fit. It rules. Speedy little blue demon with like 546 Miles to the gallon. Hatchback is cool and this little compact will fit all of Lingers guitars and three amps. And still have room for driver and one passenger.
The dogs are kickin ass as per usual. Bootsy is more neurotic than ever, but she's kind and loving. Shadow like to think he's a prick, but he's a pansy.
Tai is doing pretty damn good in school for a girl that missed half of a semester of French emersion. She has trouble following the rules at school and still needs to be walked through the steps of getting up and going to school by her mom and stepdad everyday, but at least she's cheery about it. We built a family of snowmen together, complete with baby and dreadlocked mom. I've amassed a collection of over 45 paintings from the Tai-Lin collection. They'll buy me a yacht someday... or decorate my office forever.
With baby coming and Rhonda soon off work, we're coming up on some tight times financially. We may have to change how we do things and that transition is becoming hard already, but I know we can make it through this spell, some of our dreams... our vacations and our record labels... might have to go on hold for a couple years. Too bad, so sad.... no one said life would be easy.
Work sucks, but that's ok, it pays me well, and I'm starting to get used to having the extra cash around. I'm actually starting to see surpluses from cheque to cheque, which is reassuring with the coming of the baby. I have a feeling that if I could spend some time concentrating on getting our finances lined up (and a financial advisor that was more interested in our well being than leading us on and fucking us over so he can buy a new car) that we might be able to get through this nicely. I'm starting to see why we had so little sometimes when I was a kid. I cannot imagine affording 4 kids in todays economy, let alone 4... or the 7 kids of my grandparents. But they made it through, I just have to follow their lead. Right?
And finally, the house. While initial response to owning a house is "Oh shit, we fucked up," after the knee jerk reaction, I'm starting to see its benefits and really enjoy living here. Our mortgage payment is a little less than we were paying in the house before and since rent rates have spiked in Regina of late, its not unreasonable to think that rate would have gone up, so we're in a pretty secure payment place right now. That's reassuring. And I'm starting to get used to the fact that I OWN the house so I can DO anything to it I want. Like if I wanted to paint racing striped on it, I could, and the only thing that would happen is my wife would institutionalize me, which would happen if I lived anywhere. I am nervous about something going wrong. I mean we are insured so like all that stuff is cool, but if we blow a water heater or the furnace... well I have savings now, but everyone seems to have bookmarked it... including me, and that could lead to a bad situation (I don't think my parents are in the lending business to me anymore). I am hoping to plan a big work-bee/cleaning-bee and try to enlist some help for a weekend, have a big garage sale, then just lie low for a while... no major renos, no changes, juat ride out the next couple years. Batten down the hatches and ride out the storm. It is gonna be a pain in the arse, and I think I'm gonna piss off some friends, a few family, but in 2010 while Canada is trying to explain why our emissions are like 700% of what we said they would be, I should be ready to look at the rest of the picture.
Here's hoping. Maybe I should start blogging again......
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Tuesday, March 04, 2008
Home Birth
This should alleviate the concerns many people I know have had about Rhonda and I having a home birth...
Tuesday, February 05, 2008
FIGHT DCMA
Hey all, sorry for not too many posts. Been working on about 80 musical projects, including two that I'll be announcing in about 3 weeks. The reason I post today is that the Government of Canada is looking to pass a very restrictive DCMA copyright law. In essence this law will protect the bloated, stubborn major labels while seriously harming almost all aspects of classical and independent music scenes... among others.
From Boing Boing :
If you have 2 or 3 minutes, I ask that you join the Facebook group or write the letter (you just fill in a form and it sends a letter for you.). This fight is very important and will affect the way Canadians use music, and may damage many of the musical projects I'm currently working on.
See you in a couple weeks!
From Boing Boing :
Copyfighting law prof Michael Geist takes apart a Microsoft editorial that claims that the Canada has no copyright law even after it received the largest award for copyright infringement in Canadian history. Meanwhile, the Canadian Recording Industry Association has been caught lobbying the Canada's Ambassador to the United States in an effort to convince the U.S. government to increase the pressure for a Canadian DMCA. If that weren't bad enough, Prentice is about to overrule the Canadian Foreign Minister who wants to have a debate on the WIPO copyright treaties before the Canadian DMCA is introduced just like the Conservative government promised in the last election.
Ready to fight back for your digital rights before it's too late? Check out the list of Copyright MPs who are particularly vulnerable on copyright, join the Facebook group, attend a talk this week in Calgary with Prentice, and write to your Member of Parliament and Industry Minister Prentice.
If you have 2 or 3 minutes, I ask that you join the Facebook group or write the letter (you just fill in a form and it sends a letter for you.). This fight is very important and will affect the way Canadians use music, and may damage many of the musical projects I'm currently working on.
See you in a couple weeks!
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
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