heyyylo,
i'm feeling pretty fine right now with some extra time, so i thought i'd drop into the blog zone ya'll.
had some pretty good holidays. paul came with me to vermilion with me for 5 days and hung out with my parents, grandparents, and caylie. nice to be back though with books to read and hammocks to lay in. i'm reading a ton of books right now, all of them are really good. i have going:
The End of Money & the Future of Civilization by Thomas Greco
The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy
Change your brain by Tim Leary
No Gods No Masters: An Anthology of Anarchism by Daniel Guerin
new years eve, resolutions blah blah. apparently i didn't put any down in the blog last new year, which is disappointing. i'd like to look back and see what my priorities were.
anyway, here are my 2010 resolutions:
1. be more connected with people. my friends who i suck at keeping in touch with. new friends who i will never meet if i keep this shit up. my family even. ways i will do this: more hanging out, letter writing, getting more out of time spent, being a better listener, cultivating hobbies, creating circles of people. ways i will probably not do this: facebooking, phone talking, making plans in advance.
2. learn to knit. for fuckin' realz.
3. keep learning, reading, and getting smarter. improve on communicating ideas. open mindedness and peace. get better with bikes.
4. write more letters to politicians.
December 31, 2009
December 21, 2009
feelin' weird today. bad soup maybe?
so i'm heading home for christmas and i'm actually quite happy about it. i haven't been there for a couple of years already. i used to kind of dread it. seeing everybody and catching up can be exhausting and then i run out of stuff to do and end up sitting in my parents house watching the seinfeld.
this trip should be good though. i hope so. paul is coming, my bro-dur will be home, and we won't be there too long. yea, should be good. it will be nice to see family, and the town. if i run into people from high school it will be ok and i won't be awkward. right?
Note: I found this post as a draft and retroactively published it on 18/11/2010
so i'm heading home for christmas and i'm actually quite happy about it. i haven't been there for a couple of years already. i used to kind of dread it. seeing everybody and catching up can be exhausting and then i run out of stuff to do and end up sitting in my parents house watching the seinfeld.
this trip should be good though. i hope so. paul is coming, my bro-dur will be home, and we won't be there too long. yea, should be good. it will be nice to see family, and the town. if i run into people from high school it will be ok and i won't be awkward. right?
Note: I found this post as a draft and retroactively published it on 18/11/2010
December 20, 2009
hint?
so itunes has this new thing called itunes U, the description of which is "Educator-selected collections from across iTunes U that can help ensure learning continues in the case of a pandemic of natural disaster".
what do you know itunes!?!
what do you know itunes!?!
December 18, 2009
December 06, 2009
keep watching. or we'll FIND YOU.
i was trying to watch some clip of a ctv show (long story sorta) and had to sit through a commercial for desperate housewives. i found myself kind of drawn into it, thinking "dang you can watch it for free online... hmm" (ugh, i know, what's wrong with me?!), and then this screen came up.
ahhh!
it almost sounds like a threat.
needless to say i realized i was being hypnotized and closed the window.
ahhh!
it almost sounds like a threat.
needless to say i realized i was being hypnotized and closed the window.
December 05, 2009
"fucking idiot"?
yesterday was the first "blizzard" of the year, with some crazy winds and a lot of snow everywhere. my ride TO work at 4:30 am was normal, but it snowed ALL day, so the ride home was the challenge. around 5, after paul finished work, we decided to ride to kensington, then go up 10th street, and then hit up the home depot on 16th ave before going home. so how'd i do? RIDICULOUS. the bike pathways on the way to kensington was sketchy and i fell once. couldn't make it up 10th street on the road, so had to walk up the snow drift sidewalk. then we decided to ride right on 16th ave because it's 1000% easier and although it's a highway, traffic was going pretty slow. i still had someone shriek "fucking IDIOT!" at me, and paul got "ride on the sidewalk!!!!". not sure if our friend tom, who was ahead of us (him with gears, us on fixies) got a third insult or not. getting home from this point was the trial of my life. i cried, i threw my bike, i slid out and fell like 30 times. it took us SO LONG to get home. riding on majorish roads was the easiest part, but then you have to deal with cars. sidewalks and alleys were just plain fucked. i know that most people are having the same experiences in this weather (as i type this i can hear a car revving and revving and revving, obviously stuck), but this was my first time doing it on a bike (my fixie with 700c slick tires), and it was pretty hilarious, so i wanted to document it.
oh, the reward of the home depot trek was a hook for our hammock, which paul set up last night in our room. excited for that. i wish i could say i am just going to stay inside all day/weekend and hammock it up, but... not so. things to do, ice to slip on.
November 21, 2009
November 17, 2009
good stuff.
does everyone already know how awesome bill hicks is (besides me?) i've been missing out big time.
The World Is Like a Ride in an Amusement Park - Bill Hicks -
also, i already posted this on facebook and bike calgary, but bear with me, i'm proud!
i got the raleigh up and running and i LOVE it. i could probably take a better picture of it; this was snapped right after the first test ride. it's so streamlined and sexy. paul ordered me some gold pedals for it too.
i still have a lot of "fixie training" to do so i can really rip around downtown and such.
The World Is Like a Ride in an Amusement Park - Bill Hicks -
also, i already posted this on facebook and bike calgary, but bear with me, i'm proud!
i got the raleigh up and running and i LOVE it. i could probably take a better picture of it; this was snapped right after the first test ride. it's so streamlined and sexy. paul ordered me some gold pedals for it too.
i still have a lot of "fixie training" to do so i can really rip around downtown and such.
November 15, 2009
i love you all (or i am trying to!)
i just put my blog link on my facebook profile for the first time. so i just wanted to say, in case there are new readers, please don't be too hard on me (re: writing skill or content choice). ok?! and sorry if i ever talked shit on my blog about you (or your gramma) before. also sorry if i went on and on about how much i like you and that embarrasses you. deal with it!
PEACE & LOVE!!
engineering consent
oh geez. ok.
part 1:
if you have the time, please watch this documentary series on Advertising/PR/Consumerism/brainwashing. - it's called Century of Self, it's split up into 4 sections, all are available on google video. http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8953172273825999151# it's pretty fucked up, even though i already have read a lot of similarly related information, i found this shocking.
for one thing, a single man named edward bernays seriously did a number on us. he is known as the inventor of public relations and is the nephew of freud. if you watch the movie you can really see the full extent of his influence, not just on the above industries, but every aspect of our culture.
just a small sample of his legacy (he lived to be 100+) we have him to thank for the following:
• 1920s, working for the American Tobacco Company, he sent a group of young models to march in the New York City parade. He then told the press that a group of women's rights marchers would light "Torches of Freedom". On his signal, the models lit Lucky Strike cigarettes in front of the eager photographers. The New York Times (1 April 1929) printed: "Group of Girls Puff at Cigarettes as a Gesture of 'Freedom'". This helped to break the taboo against women smoking in public.
• Bernays used his uncle Sigmund Freud's ideas to help convince the public, among other things, that bacon and eggs was the true all-American breakfast.
• Bernays helped the Aluminum Company of America (Alcoa) and other special interest groups to convince the American public that water fluoridation was safe and beneficial to human health. This was achieved by using the American Dental Association in a highly successful media campaign.
• In the 1930s, his Dixie Cup campaign was designed to convince consumers that only disposable cups were sanitary.
BUT GET THIS ONE!!!
You know the term Banana Republic?
During the cold war, Bernays (working for the United Fruit Company) and the US government made everyone believe that the President of Guatamala was an evil communist, so that they could overthrow the democratically elected leader and put in a puppet government who would allow cheap labour, and therefore cheap production of bananas.
part 2:
we're purposely being kept complacent and calm. they don't trust us and our irrational "animal instincts".
i urge you, please please please turn off your TV. stay away from hollywood movies full of product placements. keep the newspapers shut. don't go to the mall and don't use shopping as therapy.
we are already unique and different through our ideas and actions. we don't need products to "express" our unique selves. we can talk, paint, write, dance, create or destroy to express ourselves. don't fall for the planned obsolescence - if it hasn't worn out, you don't need a new one!!
i know i'm not the first person to say these things, but we have to stay on guard. through the use of psychology our minds are bombarded constantly and they understand how to sell us our "desires" very very very well.
again, please watch that documentary, but most importantly, if you haven't yet, get rid of your fucking TV.
part 1:
if you have the time, please watch this documentary series on Advertising/PR/Consumerism/brainwashing. - it's called Century of Self, it's split up into 4 sections, all are available on google video. http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8953172273825999151# it's pretty fucked up, even though i already have read a lot of similarly related information, i found this shocking.
for one thing, a single man named edward bernays seriously did a number on us. he is known as the inventor of public relations and is the nephew of freud. if you watch the movie you can really see the full extent of his influence, not just on the above industries, but every aspect of our culture.
just a small sample of his legacy (he lived to be 100+) we have him to thank for the following:
• 1920s, working for the American Tobacco Company, he sent a group of young models to march in the New York City parade. He then told the press that a group of women's rights marchers would light "Torches of Freedom". On his signal, the models lit Lucky Strike cigarettes in front of the eager photographers. The New York Times (1 April 1929) printed: "Group of Girls Puff at Cigarettes as a Gesture of 'Freedom'". This helped to break the taboo against women smoking in public.
• Bernays used his uncle Sigmund Freud's ideas to help convince the public, among other things, that bacon and eggs was the true all-American breakfast.
• Bernays helped the Aluminum Company of America (Alcoa) and other special interest groups to convince the American public that water fluoridation was safe and beneficial to human health. This was achieved by using the American Dental Association in a highly successful media campaign.
• In the 1930s, his Dixie Cup campaign was designed to convince consumers that only disposable cups were sanitary.
BUT GET THIS ONE!!!
You know the term Banana Republic?
During the cold war, Bernays (working for the United Fruit Company) and the US government made everyone believe that the President of Guatamala was an evil communist, so that they could overthrow the democratically elected leader and put in a puppet government who would allow cheap labour, and therefore cheap production of bananas.
part 2:
we're purposely being kept complacent and calm. they don't trust us and our irrational "animal instincts".
i urge you, please please please turn off your TV. stay away from hollywood movies full of product placements. keep the newspapers shut. don't go to the mall and don't use shopping as therapy.
we are already unique and different through our ideas and actions. we don't need products to "express" our unique selves. we can talk, paint, write, dance, create or destroy to express ourselves. don't fall for the planned obsolescence - if it hasn't worn out, you don't need a new one!!
i know i'm not the first person to say these things, but we have to stay on guard. through the use of psychology our minds are bombarded constantly and they understand how to sell us our "desires" very very very well.
again, please watch that documentary, but most importantly, if you haven't yet, get rid of your fucking TV.
September 30, 2009
brenda klassen, a reaaal class act.
i probably won't get my damage deposit back, but at least my crazy old (as in previous, and also as in OLD) landlord got a giant fine. ha ha. i happened to be googling her yesterday and found this article from last month:
Despite claims she would rather die than see her tenants hurt, a Calgary landlady was convicted yesterday of jeopardizing their safety.
Provincial court Judge Les Grieve fined Brenda Klassen's Sonchris Developments Ltd. $40,000, for four safety code violations involving fire security breaches.
Grieve convicted the company, which is solely owned by Klassen, of not having its fire alarms and extinguishers checked within the required 12-month period.
Klassen was also found to have not posted signage telling people to call 911 if they triggered a building alarm and had inadequate emergency lighting at her property at 312 3 Ave. N.E.
Klassen was ticketed by fire inspector Jim Heynen after he discovered the violations during an April 17, 2006, check of the property.
In testimony, Klassen said she was having trouble maintaining her equipment after the individual who did the work in all four of her Calgary buildings retired, leaving her scrambling to find someone else. She said she would never intentionally put any of her tenants at risk.
"If anybody came to any harm because of me I don't think I'd want to live," said Klassen, who has owned rental properties for five decades.
But Grieve rejected her claim, finding Klassen's only motivation for not getting the work done was to save a buck.
"Mrs. Klassen clearly longs for the days gone by when one person could do this for little cost," the judge said.
September 25, 2009
vancouver
was awesome. here is my trip:
we spent around 16 hours on the greyhound to get there, but it wasn't really that bad. it went pretty fast, despite greyhound being so ghetto. i took a bunch of stuff to keep myself entertained on the bus, like some knitting, some pants i wanted to patch up, and a book (in case i happened to be post-carsick), but they didn't have any lights on at all. not the low lit panel that goes along the side, and there were no overhead personal lights. we had to board in the dark and when we got off the bus i ended up seeing a brownish stain on my seat, eww! there was a lot more examples of the ghetto-ness, but oh well, it got us there and it was cheap.
when we got off the bus, we charged our phone at a coffee shop and for some reason Paul bought a china-man hat... you know the ones, right? then we walked directly though east hastings. fucking crazy and it was only 10 am!
we found our way out to Richmond, where we were staying. paul carried all my stuff, and even pushed me in a shopping cart for the last leg. we were staying at some calgary friend's of his, and they have a great apartment filled with bikes and a hammock.
we stayed out there for a few days, going for awesome bike rides and blazin' and having the usual stoner conversation about how the world is messed up.
all of us went on a mountain side ride that was nice. we got to share the path with a million longboarders in training, it was cute. we got off the path for a bit and watched some dragonfly sex and looked at trees. paul and i road in to granville island, stanley park, and downtown 'couver.
for a few days after that we stayed with my friend in the downtown east side and it was a nice change, and kind of funny, suddenly being so close to everything that we had just struggled to ride our bikes too the previous day. we had brought a "fun" chocolate bar along with us that we were sort of rationing. we finally ate the majority of that and hit up an awesome arcade downtown. i love pinball! it's my new favorite thing. i love the combination of digital and analog that makes up the machine. my favorite was the adam's family one. oh look, here is a picture of it that i googled.
we did some more bike rides and i attempted to find shoes because mine were on the verge, but it's impossible. i ended up getting some at a vintage clothing store in kitsilano pretty randomly on the last day.
we ended the trip with the nudie beach at UBC. it was wonderful - so hot and sunny, and being naked on the beach is GREAT.
we decided to fly back and we got a ride from paul's brother, straight from the beach to the airport with no time to spare.
i tend to not take great photos, but here are 5 sort of:
• a slug on the path. we were all kind of concerned he would get run over so we watched him cross for quite a while.
• paul in the only underwear he brought on the trip, on a beach downtown.
• me walking to wreck beach. i knew the nude portion was coming up, so i was half way there already.
• a night bike ride. i think i was actually from a boys' only ride. i was in the hammock sleeping already.
• bamboo in stanley park. paul climbed it, i watched.
September 16, 2009
soon.
• soon i will have the most organized desk ever. i took everything out, organized it into logical piles and now i'm putting it back in.
• my teeth hurt all the time. well not ALL the time. only when i eat really sugary stuff... which is ALMOST all the time. ow, it hurts. i will go to the dentist soon
• dan leahul is back in calgary for a month. we are hanging out as soon as he gets here.
• i'm taking a long long bus ride to vancouver with paul tomorrow. we just bought the tickets today. we didn't plan very much of anything and now the trip is very soon.
ps - i brought my new bike home today. it's still got a free wheel (single speed) on it, but you can probably guess when i will be changing that.... (SOON!)
• my teeth hurt all the time. well not ALL the time. only when i eat really sugary stuff... which is ALMOST all the time. ow, it hurts. i will go to the dentist soon
• dan leahul is back in calgary for a month. we are hanging out as soon as he gets here.
• i'm taking a long long bus ride to vancouver with paul tomorrow. we just bought the tickets today. we didn't plan very much of anything and now the trip is very soon.
ps - i brought my new bike home today. it's still got a free wheel (single speed) on it, but you can probably guess when i will be changing that.... (SOON!)
September 10, 2009
don't worry, i'll keep brakes on my other bike for big hills
maybe it's NOT officially fall.... YESSSSSS.
i finally paid the huge fine i've had on my library card all summer. it was up to $36. yikes. i'm happy to be back on track, i realized when i was there how much i missed the library. they are actually going to be tearing down my library in not too long as they are building a new, futuristic one a few blocks over. kind of sad...
SO i was doing some volunteering at the Good Life (Bike Shop) a few days ago and long story short, i found a new bike. yayayay. it's a glittery green apollo, just my size, that the greaser was going to turn into a single speed anyway. i jumped in there and so far i took out the extra chain rings, removed all the shifters and gear bullshit, put new VELVET bar tape on it, and put a new chain on it. there is still some work to do... like take off the brakes, because ima gunna fixie it!
the new stopping technique i must learn and perfect so i don't die:
i finally paid the huge fine i've had on my library card all summer. it was up to $36. yikes. i'm happy to be back on track, i realized when i was there how much i missed the library. they are actually going to be tearing down my library in not too long as they are building a new, futuristic one a few blocks over. kind of sad...
SO i was doing some volunteering at the Good Life (Bike Shop) a few days ago and long story short, i found a new bike. yayayay. it's a glittery green apollo, just my size, that the greaser was going to turn into a single speed anyway. i jumped in there and so far i took out the extra chain rings, removed all the shifters and gear bullshit, put new VELVET bar tape on it, and put a new chain on it. there is still some work to do... like take off the brakes, because ima gunna fixie it!
the new stopping technique i must learn and perfect so i don't die:
September 05, 2009
RECAP PACER
alrighty, we saw somebody raking leaves today so i guess that's it... cusp of fall.
time to recap the summer, RIGHT??
well, i kicked it off by fixing up my first bike, planting some tomatoes and sunflowers in pots on my balcony, and volunteering to be in charge of the compost at the Looogie House (they have a garden and compost bins, other than that, not important).
the couple of jonathan and kelsey had really lost it's cohesion and we had been fighting ALL the time and i thought about escaping to B.C. and then Belgium. but he had lost his job and i finally convinced him the best thing would be if he just went back to quebec... so he did. phew. a chapter closed.
sometime in between breaking up with jp and him leaving, i met paullllo. paul. he likes cracking necks and backs and fingers and toes. he likes cold hands on his back. he is resourceful. he has rough hands and he feels like safety. his physical being is a marvel to me!
it's been a few months of coupleness and no complaints here. we've made every every day together a good, full, positive one. with the help/inspiration/guidance/company of him i have done a bunch of stuff from my LIFE TO DO LIST that i made a while back, mostly nature, nurture and fixing bikes. we both got really into the composting project and ended up with a slightly demanding daily route of other cafes providing compost material. basically summer 09 was a summer of compost for me.
in august i moved out of the cracked-out apartment and into a basement suite with a garage and a greenhouse in the back. paul's been hard at work setting up a whole hydroponic growing centre in there. it's so amazing! almost daily i check the plants, including peas, cucumbers and peppers, and the amount of growth is mind blowing to me. in a few weeks most of them have grown the craziest, longest roots ever. i'm not sure what's going to happen to the whole system once it gets colder.
lame giant blog post, i know. but whatever, that's been my summer.
a lot of blogs i've read lately are about clothes and fashion or music. i feel really disconnected from all of that. i don't really get into music the same way. i put on music just to have something playing, but i don't really care to look for new stuff.
i haven't bought new clothes for a long time, because i have no money.. ever. but now i'm even more consciously adamant about wearing out the ones i already have.
i kind of feel like i am really on to something as far as my lifestyle goes. i'm turning into such a bicycle zealot because i think that it's the easiest, most accessible step towards EVERYthing good. physical activity, sustainability, community. there are no draw backs from bikes (except for accidents i guess).
as far as the "lifestyle" thing.. or living life goes, there is still so much to learn and a zillion ways to improve, but i made some giant steps this summer and i'm hyped up for the next season.
here's a photo of us on a break from longboarding with some rum & lemons. i don't believe they get much better than this:
time to recap the summer, RIGHT??
well, i kicked it off by fixing up my first bike, planting some tomatoes and sunflowers in pots on my balcony, and volunteering to be in charge of the compost at the Looogie House (they have a garden and compost bins, other than that, not important).
the couple of jonathan and kelsey had really lost it's cohesion and we had been fighting ALL the time and i thought about escaping to B.C. and then Belgium. but he had lost his job and i finally convinced him the best thing would be if he just went back to quebec... so he did. phew. a chapter closed.
sometime in between breaking up with jp and him leaving, i met paullllo. paul. he likes cracking necks and backs and fingers and toes. he likes cold hands on his back. he is resourceful. he has rough hands and he feels like safety. his physical being is a marvel to me!
it's been a few months of coupleness and no complaints here. we've made every every day together a good, full, positive one. with the help/inspiration/guidance/company of him i have done a bunch of stuff from my LIFE TO DO LIST that i made a while back, mostly nature, nurture and fixing bikes. we both got really into the composting project and ended up with a slightly demanding daily route of other cafes providing compost material. basically summer 09 was a summer of compost for me.
in august i moved out of the cracked-out apartment and into a basement suite with a garage and a greenhouse in the back. paul's been hard at work setting up a whole hydroponic growing centre in there. it's so amazing! almost daily i check the plants, including peas, cucumbers and peppers, and the amount of growth is mind blowing to me. in a few weeks most of them have grown the craziest, longest roots ever. i'm not sure what's going to happen to the whole system once it gets colder.
lame giant blog post, i know. but whatever, that's been my summer.
a lot of blogs i've read lately are about clothes and fashion or music. i feel really disconnected from all of that. i don't really get into music the same way. i put on music just to have something playing, but i don't really care to look for new stuff.
i haven't bought new clothes for a long time, because i have no money.. ever. but now i'm even more consciously adamant about wearing out the ones i already have.
i kind of feel like i am really on to something as far as my lifestyle goes. i'm turning into such a bicycle zealot because i think that it's the easiest, most accessible step towards EVERYthing good. physical activity, sustainability, community. there are no draw backs from bikes (except for accidents i guess).
as far as the "lifestyle" thing.. or living life goes, there is still so much to learn and a zillion ways to improve, but i made some giant steps this summer and i'm hyped up for the next season.
here's a photo of us on a break from longboarding with some rum & lemons. i don't believe they get much better than this:
August 17, 2009
June 27, 2009
MJ RIP KING OF POP CANT BELIEVE IT OMG!
everybody is facebookin' the shit out of michael jackson's death, but i'm better than that; i'll BLOG about it. it's really weird, and surreal and stupid. i hate the facebook reaction to these big "universal" events. we're all so predictable.
jonathan is leaving tomorrow night. i will definitely miss him, but it just has to be over for now.
sled island is happening this weekend, but i'm just trying to keep my head down and ignore it. head down, blinders on, and wallet closed. i really really wanted to see final fantasy, but meh, i'll forget about it soon enough.
June 21, 2009
i just emailed my potential au pair family in belgium and told them i am in.
now i just have to get them to ok me.. and then i have a million other things to do.
i had a really intense week with lots of talks about the future. but i also slept outside, rode a lot of bikes, laid in my hammock a ton, all with a crushy feeling.
for chris, here is a bad photo of my bike. it was the first photo i took with my fish eye camera and it didn't quite work out but bah.
now i just have to get them to ok me.. and then i have a million other things to do.
i had a really intense week with lots of talks about the future. but i also slept outside, rode a lot of bikes, laid in my hammock a ton, all with a crushy feeling.
for chris, here is a bad photo of my bike. it was the first photo i took with my fish eye camera and it didn't quite work out but bah.
May 22, 2009
bike/work/chips/news
my bike is SO PIMPIN.
i wish i knew bike lingo so i could detail all the work i have done on it. on the superficial side, i just put some vibrant blue wrap on the handlebars, it's pretty. i'll take a photo or two. previously i have taken the part where the pedals attach in the middle out, cleaned it, and greased the ball bearings. i think that was called re-packing the hub..? i also tightened and loosened the spokes on both wheels so that they roll straighter - aka "truing the wheels". i put new cables on the brakes and new cable housing on some of the gears.
i started opening up the cafe at 5 IN THE AM. can you believe that?? i used to have the most trouble getting to creb for 9! i started two days ago, and so far so good. it's hard to get up early, but the roads are empty so i can just rip there on my bike and it's nice to finish work at 1.
right now i'm eating some chips that just came in my spud delivery, and i have to give a shoutout because they are seriously amazing. kettle brand! mmm! right now i've got sea salt & vinegar, but i've also tried honey dijon and salt & pepper and they were all delicious. and they have "absolutely nothing artificial" in them.
if you share the same disgusting fascination with bill o'reilly, glenn beck and sean hannity and the rest of the right wing news pundits, you might appreciate this website - news hounds their slogan is "we watch fox news so you don't have to".
i wish i knew bike lingo so i could detail all the work i have done on it. on the superficial side, i just put some vibrant blue wrap on the handlebars, it's pretty. i'll take a photo or two. previously i have taken the part where the pedals attach in the middle out, cleaned it, and greased the ball bearings. i think that was called re-packing the hub..? i also tightened and loosened the spokes on both wheels so that they roll straighter - aka "truing the wheels". i put new cables on the brakes and new cable housing on some of the gears.
i started opening up the cafe at 5 IN THE AM. can you believe that?? i used to have the most trouble getting to creb for 9! i started two days ago, and so far so good. it's hard to get up early, but the roads are empty so i can just rip there on my bike and it's nice to finish work at 1.
right now i'm eating some chips that just came in my spud delivery, and i have to give a shoutout because they are seriously amazing. kettle brand! mmm! right now i've got sea salt & vinegar, but i've also tried honey dijon and salt & pepper and they were all delicious. and they have "absolutely nothing artificial" in them.
if you share the same disgusting fascination with bill o'reilly, glenn beck and sean hannity and the rest of the right wing news pundits, you might appreciate this website - news hounds their slogan is "we watch fox news so you don't have to".
May 15, 2009
AHHHHHH.
oh my goooodness.
i knew my apartment wasn't anything SPECIAL, but i've learned some information that i can't unlearn...
when we moved we were so rushed that we hadn't even viewed the suite we ended up in. i wanted originally to rent a different suite but the landlord told me how nice this other one was and that i should take it instead, so whatever, i thought apartments are all so generic so it didn't matter much. we signed the lease and then i took off to europe.
it was mentioned it had been "a lot of work" to clean this particular place. but last night i learned the full extent of the "work" done. i got to hanging out with the ex-resident manager of my building (he quite working for her and was charged like $3000 in his move out inspection) - the previous crackheaded tenants were here for 7 years and the horrors include: barf on the floors, syringes in the cupboards and potential poop on the walls. apparently the fridge hadn't been working for about 2 years and was full of all kinds of rotten, there was a fish in the oven, ketchup on the ceiling, and they had used the screen doors roller as an ash tray. i was assured everything was pressure washed, gutted, and replaced - we have a new fridge, oven, and sink and the walls are new and the resident manager told me that he himself would live in the suite after the cleaning he gave it. but that's not comforting me quite enough. two glaring exceptions to the "everything was replaced" claim are haunting me - the carpet and the bathtub. dun dun dun.
my skin is just a crawlin'. i need to get out of here now now now now.
in addition to that mind fuck, i've ALSO heard that the $3000 charge upon moving out is to be expected, there are melting extension cords in the furnace room, and she has held tenants' shoes hostage several times! i've also learned the commotion that i have sometimes heard but never witnessed because i don't have a fucking peep hole was most likely crackheads doing cracky things in the hallways. half the "lowlifes" (as she was caught on tape calling the tenants) in the building are filing lawsuits and getting out, and they have files and files on her indiscriminate business practices.
again, i knew it wasn't the suavest building, and i definitely knew the landlord was crazy, but i couldn't have imagined all of this.
i knew my apartment wasn't anything SPECIAL, but i've learned some information that i can't unlearn...
when we moved we were so rushed that we hadn't even viewed the suite we ended up in. i wanted originally to rent a different suite but the landlord told me how nice this other one was and that i should take it instead, so whatever, i thought apartments are all so generic so it didn't matter much. we signed the lease and then i took off to europe.
it was mentioned it had been "a lot of work" to clean this particular place. but last night i learned the full extent of the "work" done. i got to hanging out with the ex-resident manager of my building (he quite working for her and was charged like $3000 in his move out inspection) - the previous crackheaded tenants were here for 7 years and the horrors include: barf on the floors, syringes in the cupboards and potential poop on the walls. apparently the fridge hadn't been working for about 2 years and was full of all kinds of rotten, there was a fish in the oven, ketchup on the ceiling, and they had used the screen doors roller as an ash tray. i was assured everything was pressure washed, gutted, and replaced - we have a new fridge, oven, and sink and the walls are new and the resident manager told me that he himself would live in the suite after the cleaning he gave it. but that's not comforting me quite enough. two glaring exceptions to the "everything was replaced" claim are haunting me - the carpet and the bathtub. dun dun dun.
my skin is just a crawlin'. i need to get out of here now now now now.
in addition to that mind fuck, i've ALSO heard that the $3000 charge upon moving out is to be expected, there are melting extension cords in the furnace room, and she has held tenants' shoes hostage several times! i've also learned the commotion that i have sometimes heard but never witnessed because i don't have a fucking peep hole was most likely crackheads doing cracky things in the hallways. half the "lowlifes" (as she was caught on tape calling the tenants) in the building are filing lawsuits and getting out, and they have files and files on her indiscriminate business practices.
again, i knew it wasn't the suavest building, and i definitely knew the landlord was crazy, but i couldn't have imagined all of this.
May 10, 2009
IMA GUNNA EAT THE SHIT OUTTA THAT!!!
GUESS WHAT THEY ARE GOING TO HAVE AT THE STAMPEDE THIS YEAR?!?!
April 12, 2009
April 05, 2009
it's a blitz.
i went to 4 different music shops today in search of the yeah yeah yeahs new cd, and it was sold out at ALL of them!
what the heck? i normally am never hip enough/motivated enough to buy music anywhere close to the release date, but i really really love the yeah yeah yeahs so i went out to do my duty as a FAN. is this normal? i've been told over and over that "nobody buys cds anymore".
so... i downloaded it on pirate bay. sowwy!
i bought some other junk instead; i got sold on this War Child compilation because it has the Yeah Yeah Yeahs are covering the Ramones and Peaches is covering Iggy Pop.
oh i'm very excited to see this:
what the heck? i normally am never hip enough/motivated enough to buy music anywhere close to the release date, but i really really love the yeah yeah yeahs so i went out to do my duty as a FAN. is this normal? i've been told over and over that "nobody buys cds anymore".
so... i downloaded it on pirate bay. sowwy!
i bought some other junk instead; i got sold on this War Child compilation because it has the Yeah Yeah Yeahs are covering the Ramones and Peaches is covering Iggy Pop.
oh i'm very excited to see this:
March 04, 2009
nice try.
my computer died. it's in limbo, i'm trying to decide if i can afford to fix it or what. i'm at the library, in the worst situated computer with the sun just blaring right into my eyeballs. that's bloggin dedication.
i've been pretty strange lately. kind of distributing my motivation around on too many projects so it just seems like i'm not doing anything.
quebec was pretty great. i don't have any photos because they are allll on the coma-puter.
ahh the sun keeps moving more and more into my eyes, this is terrible. the homeless guys just never stand around where you wish they would stand around.
ok eff it.
i've been pretty strange lately. kind of distributing my motivation around on too many projects so it just seems like i'm not doing anything.
quebec was pretty great. i don't have any photos because they are allll on the coma-puter.
ahh the sun keeps moving more and more into my eyes, this is terrible. the homeless guys just never stand around where you wish they would stand around.
ok eff it.
February 05, 2009
"i still have trouble with some of the drinks"
1.
fuck this guy!
tom hanks, gus van sant? wtf. i should really write a book.
2.
http://nfb.ca/
over 700 canadian movies of all types. streamin' & for free!
3.
in one week i will be in a city that is 400 years old!
4.
my landlady is famous... infamous...? forumous?
Story of a Bad Landlord
fuck this guy!
tom hanks, gus van sant? wtf. i should really write a book.
2.
http://nfb.ca/
over 700 canadian movies of all types. streamin' & for free!
3.
in one week i will be in a city that is 400 years old!
4.
my landlady is famous... infamous...? forumous?
Story of a Bad Landlord
January 29, 2009
marathon of hizzope.
today was a pretty great day.
work was busy, boring and whatever. i left at 1 to go volunteer with my 50+ craft group/esl class of immigrant women. they are so adorable.
at 4:30 i left and decided to check out a couple grocery stores in china town, which is right on my way home. it was fantastic. i ran into this guy who works at safeway (i forget why i know him actually. its the safeway beside my other job... between the two jobs i'm starting to have a lot of random people recognizing me around downtown). we talked about not living up to our potential (he studied hydro engineering in algeria, and now works in a produce department). that was kind of nice.
i didn't buy anything because i was intimidated by the lack of english labels on products. but i will go back; there are TWO grocery stores right beside each other there and a meat shop across the street.
the grocery store thing had me feeling really good for some reason; a brief moment where i feel like i might miss calgary if/when i leave.
after i finish this blog and put on some pants i'm going for supper with erin at the heartland cafe. i'm excited she invited me to go there, i'm kind of obsessed with it lately. they have the most amazing cider there.
last night jonathan and i ended up at Walmart, checking the Toy Department to see what we could get for his 2 year old cousin. nothing at all. toys mostly suck, and walmart... also sucks. BUT jonathan let me buy/bought me Terry, the movie about Terry Fox starring Shawn Ashmore (it was 2/$10, and he bought dracula). when we got home i suggested we watch it and he agreed. i love terry fox. i cried like a million times, at all the same parts that made me cry last time.
ignore the lame song:
work was busy, boring and whatever. i left at 1 to go volunteer with my 50+ craft group/esl class of immigrant women. they are so adorable.
at 4:30 i left and decided to check out a couple grocery stores in china town, which is right on my way home. it was fantastic. i ran into this guy who works at safeway (i forget why i know him actually. its the safeway beside my other job... between the two jobs i'm starting to have a lot of random people recognizing me around downtown). we talked about not living up to our potential (he studied hydro engineering in algeria, and now works in a produce department). that was kind of nice.
i didn't buy anything because i was intimidated by the lack of english labels on products. but i will go back; there are TWO grocery stores right beside each other there and a meat shop across the street.
the grocery store thing had me feeling really good for some reason; a brief moment where i feel like i might miss calgary if/when i leave.
after i finish this blog and put on some pants i'm going for supper with erin at the heartland cafe. i'm excited she invited me to go there, i'm kind of obsessed with it lately. they have the most amazing cider there.
last night jonathan and i ended up at Walmart, checking the Toy Department to see what we could get for his 2 year old cousin. nothing at all. toys mostly suck, and walmart... also sucks. BUT jonathan let me buy/bought me Terry, the movie about Terry Fox starring Shawn Ashmore (it was 2/$10, and he bought dracula). when we got home i suggested we watch it and he agreed. i love terry fox. i cried like a million times, at all the same parts that made me cry last time.
ignore the lame song:
January 27, 2009
January 24, 2009
cancon
i don't usually pay attention to where my music comes from, where the bands are based, what their nationality is... but jonathan AND last.fm do. we have SO much amazing music in canada. we've got the broken social scene thing and the new pornographer crew, sam roberts and the quin twins, but i was surprised by these ones:
the unicorns/islands from montreal. WHAT? i though they were from outerspace or something.
the born ruffians - so good.
black mountain
the organ/ mother mother/ do make say think
sunset rubdown / the handsome furs
DJ Champion, most serene republic, chromeo and the dears - i don't really listen to these but they have a lot of hype.
the besnard lakes / the great lake swimmers - ok i knew about them, but they are good
the hidden cameras
MSTRKRFT / death from above 1979 - no idea.
crystal castles - i find this most surprising of all
bran van 3000 - hah.
our country is so hip. also, last.fm is frighteningly awesome in a big brother way. it reminds me of when i first went on facebook. last fm pulled all my music information from my itunes and in turn it gives me recommendations for new music. like facebook i feel like i'm a big joke (when i say I, i mean ALL of us, everyone on fbook) for giving the "MAN" what they want (more data for chart plot points and demographic info) but so far it seems quite useful.
http://www.last.fm/user/sangsung
i can't stop sneezing. all the time. sneezing.
the unicorns/islands from montreal. WHAT? i though they were from outerspace or something.
the born ruffians - so good.
black mountain
the organ/ mother mother/ do make say think
sunset rubdown / the handsome furs
DJ Champion, most serene republic, chromeo and the dears - i don't really listen to these but they have a lot of hype.
the besnard lakes / the great lake swimmers - ok i knew about them, but they are good
the hidden cameras
MSTRKRFT / death from above 1979 - no idea.
crystal castles - i find this most surprising of all
bran van 3000 - hah.
our country is so hip. also, last.fm is frighteningly awesome in a big brother way. it reminds me of when i first went on facebook. last fm pulled all my music information from my itunes and in turn it gives me recommendations for new music. like facebook i feel like i'm a big joke (when i say I, i mean ALL of us, everyone on fbook) for giving the "MAN" what they want (more data for chart plot points and demographic info) but so far it seems quite useful.
http://www.last.fm/user/sangsung
i can't stop sneezing. all the time. sneezing.
January 11, 2009
title
i've been searching the interweb for a milk steamer. kind of silly, but i really want to make earl grey or chai lattes. i could even make green tea lattes, i already have the matcha. but i can't find an actual milk steamer for sale. it's really frusterating. i want one like the following:
it's really annoying though. all the pages that look like they have them for sale are actually just pages of more links that seem to auto generate whatever i search. i think it's this whole google AdSense program gone wrong. i don't get it. how does endless links that never go to any products actually make money for anyone?
i started taking a look for jobs. we are back from quebec on feb 18th so i would love to have a new and good job set up for when i come back.
songs i like right now (song THEN artist which is annoying, but i CTRL Ced and Ved):
Pot Kettle Black - Tilly & The Wall
You Don't Know Me (feat Regina Spektor) - Ben Folds
Our Drab Ways - Jonathan Richman
Angels Black Mountain
Gardenia - Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks
Confusion - The Zutons
Hospital Beds - Cold War Kids
kids (mgmt cover) - the kooks
5 Years Time - Noah And The Whale
Lake Michigan - Rogue Wave
Lindberg - Robert Charlebois
Up The Cuts - Against Me!
You Will You Won't - The Zutons
the year of the rat (MY YEAR) is almost over). that sucks.
it's really annoying though. all the pages that look like they have them for sale are actually just pages of more links that seem to auto generate whatever i search. i think it's this whole google AdSense program gone wrong. i don't get it. how does endless links that never go to any products actually make money for anyone?
i started taking a look for jobs. we are back from quebec on feb 18th so i would love to have a new and good job set up for when i come back.
songs i like right now (song THEN artist which is annoying, but i CTRL Ced and Ved):
Pot Kettle Black - Tilly & The Wall
You Don't Know Me (feat Regina Spektor) - Ben Folds
Our Drab Ways - Jonathan Richman
Angels Black Mountain
Gardenia - Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks
Confusion - The Zutons
Hospital Beds - Cold War Kids
kids (mgmt cover) - the kooks
5 Years Time - Noah And The Whale
Lake Michigan - Rogue Wave
Lindberg - Robert Charlebois
Up The Cuts - Against Me!
You Will You Won't - The Zutons
the year of the rat (MY YEAR) is almost over). that sucks.
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