The day started out just like any other...except for the fact that I got to work at 6am. True, it's just an hour earlier than I usually make it in to the office, but at that time of day, it's pretty damn hard, let me tell you! I was proud of myself for making it and thought of rewarding myself with some doughnuts from Timmy's for me and the gang, but I was running a few minutes late, and with Katija and Sharri waiting for me to open the doors for them, I decided that my treat could wait.
Walked into my office, turned on the lights, hung up my messenger bag, and kissed my new computer, telling her how much I missed her over the weekend. Moved some cables and such so that I could finish hooking everything up and make it all be ready for the technician to come in and work his magic.
the taping
My visitors arrived promptly to videotape me for the video project that I wrote about previously. Went fairly well, I think, except for my tendency to stare a little to closely at the camera and my all too often utterances of the words "ummm..." "ah..." and "hmmm..." followed by blank stares and hysteric giggles. I have a newfound respect for reality TV contestants who face the cameras day-in and day-out, looking all natural and everything.
here's where the fun starts...
After my taping, I weeded through my e-mail to read the ones that interested me and delete the ones that bored me. Found out that a project that I had been working on was for the Toronto market only, so I decided to farm it back out to those folks to take care of instead. Felt bad for passing the buck, but it only makes sense, right? Then opened one from j, who was sick as a dog, but wrote in to tell us that he wouldn't be able to make it in and to see if I could tackle the ads that he was supposed to be working on. Have I mentioned how much I love organized, thoughtful people like him? Well, I do.
Anyway, so I track down Em, PR girl extraordinaire, to get the creative brief and specs. Turns out the deadline was noon-ish or slightly thereafter. Oy! So, I got my butt in gear to whip together a series of three different ads for the summer sale. I should insert here my distaste for sale-themed ads, especially at the big blue. Essentially, this is the time to get rid of all the crap that nobody really wants and has consequently been really hard to get rid of, which is why most of it is discontinued.
But since we have whackloads of it in the warehouse, it is our job to make people think they need all of this crap, or at least that it's too good a deal to pass up. The result is often something that looks reminiscent of a Rorschach test, only messier and - essentially, a dog's breakfast. And not the breakfast of those frou-frou designer dogs, mind you. The mushy, sloppy breakfast of big dogs that will devour anything set in front of them. Needless to say, it's not really portfolio material. It's soul-sucking work, but someone has to do it!
meanwhile...
As I'm trying to get the ads designed and approved, my Technician comes in to set everything up and get my system networked properly, yadda, yadda. I leave him to it, occasionally fetching disks and supplying passwords for him as he does his work. I leave him be and continue on my merry way...
Ad done and sent off for approval, I entertain thoughts of having lunch to placate my grumbling belly. "It's two in the afternoon and I need sustenance!" it said in a not-so-coherent, but remotely decipherable groan. But then I get panicked calls from Em saying that there are ads from Toronto that we need to emulate because one of the big cheeses likes the mess of having even more products crammed into the ad. That said, the ads featured some products that we couldn't support, either with stock, or with pricing, so we needed to go back to the drawing board with product selection. Great! I shushed my stomach, and madly tried to track down the creative from Toronto, but ended up playing a never-ending game of phone tag, so re-created the new ad on my own to save time and try to beat the submission deadline.
Also got roped into a 'why is Toronto getting their ads paid for by Service Office and getting them produced by the ad agency when we have to book our own ads and do our own creative in Vancouver while the fine folks at Service Office take all the credit?' bitchfest with Em, which was therapeutic for the both of us, but probably didn't solve anything. At least we got it off our chests!
Anyway, back-and-forth, back-and-forth... The ad is still not done or approved, and I still have to steal some files from the external agency. I got Em to contact the paper to see if we could get a later deadline, and working her charms, she was able to. So after twelve hours of ping-ponging in my brain, I decided to pack it up and head home, with just enough time to speed over and cast my vote in the federal election.
the silver lining
Despite the insanity, there were a few things that made me happy today. My internet finally works properly and I finally have a laser printer to send my documents to.
Also, phase two of my 'Office Soup-up' is near completion. Here's a re-cap:
Office Soup-up v.1 (swanking-up)
- reconfigure desks and add new components, including rolling storage
- define work area and studio space with floating storage cabinets
- uninstall section of cabinetry to make more space for plotter
- reconfigure storage by changing uprights and shelves
- patch and paint walls
Office Soup-up v.2 (teching-up)
- purchase G5 and Apple Cinema Display
- purchase bad-ass external hard drive
- purchase laser printer
- purchase Adobe Creative Suite and other snazzy new software
- purchase and install new UV ink system in plotter
The next phase includes:
- learning how to use all my fancy new toys
- hiring an additional lackey to fetch drinks and goodies to satisfy my sweet tooth
- scrapping the hub and acquiring a less archaic one
glass half-empty again
My candidate of choice has been defeated by the wife of an incumbent candidate in another riding. She simply reads prepared statements from the Conservative party and doesn't seem to have a mind of her own. I'm convinced that she only wants to be in politics so that she can travel for free to Ottawa with her husband. The rest of my family voted for her simply because she's a Conservative and they are in love with the Conservative agenda. They don't care what her platform is (she doesn't have one) and what she stands for (who the hell knows?). The fact that she's a Conservative is good enough for them. I'm pouty and have decided to give them the silent treatment for at least another hour.
two degrees of separation (and union)
In other news, Sharri attended a wedding this weekend and met Michael Buble's girlfriend. She didn't actually meet him, because he wasn't there, but still, I'm so jealous. I'll take my celebrity through association, no matter how diluted!
Tuesday, June 29, 2004
Saturday, June 26, 2004
green with envy
At long last, my new computer finally arrived. She's abso-freakin'-lutely breathtaking! I made all my co-workers swing by my office to soak in her beauty. Then I sent j an e-mail to tell him about my baby's arrival (and admittedly, to gloat - just a little). Here's how the exchange went:
my e-mail:
it's here!
i'm so excited.
i think i just peed my pants.
gotta go...
j
j's response:
bastard.
j
innuendo
Next scene - Terry's sitting on my chair, slouching forward on one of my filing cabinets. Sharri's hanging out beside him. I'm standing in front of my new G5 and 23" Apple Cinema display, standing back to admire it after unpacking it.
Me: I'm in love.
Terry: Me too.
Me (jokingly): It's so sexy. I think i'm getting a hard-on just from staring at it.
Terry (from my chair): Me too. (pause) Ummm...I can't stand up right now.
While the two of us keel over giggling like immature little schoolboys, Sharri laughingly exclaims that we're making her feel uncomfortable with our disclosures.
I'm tempted to bring the empty boxes home and placing them on my desk - just so I can pretend that I have a jazz-matazz computer at home too. Or maybe, I'll just relent and shell out the cash for one of her sisters.
the mac guy comes in monday to set it up for me. can't wait. i know it's completely dorky, but i'll probably post photos at a later date.
my e-mail:
it's here!
i'm so excited.
i think i just peed my pants.
gotta go...
j
j's response:
bastard.
j
innuendo
Next scene - Terry's sitting on my chair, slouching forward on one of my filing cabinets. Sharri's hanging out beside him. I'm standing in front of my new G5 and 23" Apple Cinema display, standing back to admire it after unpacking it.
Me: I'm in love.
Terry: Me too.
Me (jokingly): It's so sexy. I think i'm getting a hard-on just from staring at it.
Terry (from my chair): Me too. (pause) Ummm...I can't stand up right now.
While the two of us keel over giggling like immature little schoolboys, Sharri laughingly exclaims that we're making her feel uncomfortable with our disclosures.
I'm tempted to bring the empty boxes home and placing them on my desk - just so I can pretend that I have a jazz-matazz computer at home too. Or maybe, I'll just relent and shell out the cash for one of her sisters.
the mac guy comes in monday to set it up for me. can't wait. i know it's completely dorky, but i'll probably post photos at a later date.
Friday, June 25, 2004
just in case you really wanted to know...
001. i was born on december 13, 1979 on one of the the philippine islands.
002. i'm not filipino, nor do i speak tagalog, though i sometimes wish i did. i do know how to say 'please' and 'thank you' though, which i suppose, is a start.
003. i have a scar at the crown of my head.
004. it was from rocking on the back legs of the chair and falling into a sheet of glass behind me.
005. i still enjoy rocking on the back legs of my chair to this very day - even though i get scolded every time i do so.
007. i love the smell of freshly cut grass, but i hate mowing the lawn.
008. i was told that i was among the top of my class in high school. not until i reached university did i realize that i had been deluded.
009. i was an active student government leader. it was the perfect excuse to cut classes and hang out with my friends in our office.
010. i'm convinced the reason i did so well in high school was that my projects were always beautifully illustrated and designed. bonus points!
011. i was always the 'artistic one.' at my college dorm, i made posters for everything. there was always butcher paper in the lounge for me to draw on. my friends were convinced that i should be an artist or designer. i ignored them.
012. the plan was for me to become a dentist.
013. i graduated with an english lit. major (and a minor in commerce).
014. as a result, i'm pretty kick-ass at writing papers and reports.
015.i now work as a graphic designer.
016. people assume that because i'm a graphic designer and work with computers in my office all day, i know lots about computers. this is wrong.
017. i don't understand HTML or coding - it scares me. i just write words and draw pretty pictures.
018. i like what you can do with technology rather than the technology itself. although there is some pretty sexy technology out there.
019. i refuse to cave in and purchase a cell phone. (we'll see how long that lasts!)
020. i was the assistant editor of one of the college newspapers on campus.
021. it was known as the 'sporty' paper since we did a heckuva lot of sports coverage.
022. i do not consider myself 'sporty' at all.
023. although, i do enjoy swimming, skiing, and in-line skating.
024. i actually enjoy reading shakespeare. it was one of my favourite courses at university.
025. i played troilus in our class production of 'troilus and cressida.'
026. this was when i first kissed a girl. sad, isn't it?
027. other favourite classes included critical theory & popular culture - the hardest class i'd ever taken, but surprisingly, the one in which i got my highest marks; children's literature; and advanced composition.
028. i bitch about my job a lot, but i'm still secretly amazed that i get paid to do what i do on a daily basis because i always have so much fun.
029. after internships where i've had to slum it out in one of the tinest cubicles known to man, a shared office with two others, and a shared cubicle with my supervisor, i finally have my very own office. a wall of windows, double doors, a work space, a studio space, and lots of stuff in between - i can take ten giant leaps across the room...in both directions. i still pinch myself every morning when i open my office door.
030. i'm crap - just crap - at math and science-y things. numbers confuse me and i forget them all.
031. but, i looove budgets and forecasting (or maybe i just like spending money?)
032. i like good clothes.
033. but don't like spending a lot of money on said clothes.
034. silly sayings on t-shirts make me giggle.
035. i love autumn because of the crunchy leaves, the brilliant colours, and the brisk 'sweater-weather.'
036. try saying THAT ten times fast!
037. sometimes i speak so fast that i actually trip over my own words. once this happens, i tend to do the autistic-broken-record thing and continuously repeat the words i tripped over until i get them right. this makes people look at me funny.
038. i am easily enamoured by people with british accents.
039. i think accents make one sound more refined.
040. oscar night makes me nervous and excited.
041. i met wayne gretzky when i was younger.
042. i was in the car with my sister and we squeezed over to the other side of the backseat to shy away from the tall, lanky guy that was saying hello to us through the open window.
043. he laughed and commented on how cute we were. *sigh* yes - cute, but dumb.
044. my other brush with celebrity was an encounter with goldie hawn. she approached me to sell her a sofa. i found her a salesperson.
045. and then stalked her from afar.
046. i have played the piano, recorder, ukulele, trombone and trumpet at various points in my life.
047. none of them stuck for longer than a few years. i wish i had stuck with it longer. my parents were right. hot damn!
048. i love, love, looove design. graphic design, product design, packaging design, interior design, furniture design...love it all!
049. lately, i've also been into designing t-shirts for my own enjoyment.
050. i'm also quite fond of music.
051. and food. both preparing and consuming.
052. when i grow up, i want to be jamie oliver. he is a god.
053. i enjoy indie flicks and relish in 'discovering' little known artists and musicians.
054. at various times in my life, i have co-habited with: my parents and sister and an assortment of pets; a first-year roommate that everyone called 'freak boy' for good reason; my sister alone; me, myself, and i; two guys from school and a japanese exchange student (all of whom i still keep in touch with periodically); and three other guys from school (and one of the guys' twin brother).
055. in my first year at university, i struck up some pretty close friendships with the girls on my sister floor in order to avoid prolonged exposure to freak boy. student housing became increasingly more bearable (and even enjoyable) in subsequent years.
056. sometimes i need to go off to be by myself and be a loner.
057. i got accustomed to solitude when i moved to victoria without knowing anyone in the city.
058. i tend to be a little obsessive compulsive when it comes to cleanliness and organization. my friends call it anal retentiveness. i like to think of it as being orderly. they're probably right.
059. i used to work at a clothing store when i was in high school and to this very day still fold the clothes in my closet like they do in the stores.
060. but i can't iron to save my life. it takes me, like an hour and a half just to do one shirt.
061. i speak english (fluently), mandarin (haphazardly), and a little french (with great difficulty).
062. i would rather freeze than burn to death. for some reason, i think that hypothermia will set in faster, and by the time that happens, i'll be so out of it, i won't even care.
063. i hope not to suffer either fate.
064. eloquence and good grammar turns me on.
065. as does good penmanship. and the ability to spell.
066. my favourite city that i've visited thus far is san fransisco.
067. standing 5'9"-ish, i'm the tallest member of my immediate family.
068. i have twenty-two cousins. that's just on my mom's side. there's more on my dad's side...and most of them have kids of their own that call me their uncle, even though i'm technically their second cousin. scary.
069. i knew all the answers in sunday school class. all the other kids hated me for it.
070. my mom and sister now think of me as irreverent and overly liberal with my faith.
071. if i'm more left wing than right, does this mean i'm just flying around in a counter-clockwise direction?
072. when we were younger, my mom used to make us cover our eyes and sing 'old macdonald had a farm...' whenever there was any on-screen kissing or, god forbid, sex.
073. i finally broke this habit in my mid teens. e-i-e-i-oooh!
074. my sister still does so to this very day.
075. american politics confound me. canadian - likewise.
076. i was a much more informed citizen when i worked for the provincial government and was paid to know and speak intelligently about the issues.
077. i'm not a big club person. i prefer smaller, more intimate gatherings of people i know.
078. i'm quiet in large groups - loud in small.
079. i love taking afternoon naps.
080. i can spend an entire weekend curled up in bed reading a good book.
081. i'm freakishly hard on myself when it comes to work and personal goals. probably more so than my parents are. i never used to be this way...it worries me.
082. i never doodle on the margins - always on a fresh page. i like my notes to be immaculate...or non-existent.
083. i get giddy when it rains while it's sunny and warm.
084. i've only ever gotten one speeding ticket in my life - in toronto, when i was late for an interview.
085. another time, i got pulled over for running a red light (also in toronto), but didn't get a ticket because i told the cop that i was a lost tourist and wasn't paying attention. it was mostly true. my friend, who was in the passenger seat, tells this story to everyone we meet.
086. i love vegetables more than meat, but don't think i could ever be a vegetarian.
087. I'm a periodical junkie. I live for the latest magazines.
088. I have at least three or four books going on my bedside table at any given time. i tend to get distracted by new books i've purchased.
089. i can't sing or dance very well, yet I love to do both in the privacy or my room.
090. an ex-girlfriend brought me to swing and salsa classes once. this is when i realized how bad a dancer i was.
091. great commercials excite me. after five months of living without a television, i returned home only to watch commercials. i would get off the couch and fix myself a snack when the shows would come back on and return to the tv for commercial breaks. my sister rolled her eyes.
092. i can now sit through tv shows in their entirety.
093. green apple-flavoured jolly ranchers are my favourite candy. next to chocolate. especially mint chocolate. oodles and oodles of it.
094. i usually get an iced tea when i order a burger combo - except in the states, where iced tea isn't sweetened. barbarians!
095. my first car was a 1987 dodge colt whom i called xander. my friends called him white lightning. he died one day one the drive home.
096. i now drive an as yet unnamed toyota tercel station wagon which my friends have dubbed red thunder.
097. being in airports makes me happy.
098. being in airplanes makes me so happy, i'm usually giddy with excitement.
099. i'm not nearly interesting enough to have a proper '100 things about me.'
100. so, i'll probably be making changes to this list constantly.
whew! okay, your turn...
002. i'm not filipino, nor do i speak tagalog, though i sometimes wish i did. i do know how to say 'please' and 'thank you' though, which i suppose, is a start.
003. i have a scar at the crown of my head.
004. it was from rocking on the back legs of the chair and falling into a sheet of glass behind me.
005. i still enjoy rocking on the back legs of my chair to this very day - even though i get scolded every time i do so.
007. i love the smell of freshly cut grass, but i hate mowing the lawn.
008. i was told that i was among the top of my class in high school. not until i reached university did i realize that i had been deluded.
009. i was an active student government leader. it was the perfect excuse to cut classes and hang out with my friends in our office.
010. i'm convinced the reason i did so well in high school was that my projects were always beautifully illustrated and designed. bonus points!
011. i was always the 'artistic one.' at my college dorm, i made posters for everything. there was always butcher paper in the lounge for me to draw on. my friends were convinced that i should be an artist or designer. i ignored them.
012. the plan was for me to become a dentist.
013. i graduated with an english lit. major (and a minor in commerce).
014. as a result, i'm pretty kick-ass at writing papers and reports.
015.i now work as a graphic designer.
016. people assume that because i'm a graphic designer and work with computers in my office all day, i know lots about computers. this is wrong.
017. i don't understand HTML or coding - it scares me. i just write words and draw pretty pictures.
018. i like what you can do with technology rather than the technology itself. although there is some pretty sexy technology out there.
019. i refuse to cave in and purchase a cell phone. (we'll see how long that lasts!)
020. i was the assistant editor of one of the college newspapers on campus.
021. it was known as the 'sporty' paper since we did a heckuva lot of sports coverage.
022. i do not consider myself 'sporty' at all.
023. although, i do enjoy swimming, skiing, and in-line skating.
024. i actually enjoy reading shakespeare. it was one of my favourite courses at university.
025. i played troilus in our class production of 'troilus and cressida.'
026. this was when i first kissed a girl. sad, isn't it?
027. other favourite classes included critical theory & popular culture - the hardest class i'd ever taken, but surprisingly, the one in which i got my highest marks; children's literature; and advanced composition.
028. i bitch about my job a lot, but i'm still secretly amazed that i get paid to do what i do on a daily basis because i always have so much fun.
029. after internships where i've had to slum it out in one of the tinest cubicles known to man, a shared office with two others, and a shared cubicle with my supervisor, i finally have my very own office. a wall of windows, double doors, a work space, a studio space, and lots of stuff in between - i can take ten giant leaps across the room...in both directions. i still pinch myself every morning when i open my office door.
030. i'm crap - just crap - at math and science-y things. numbers confuse me and i forget them all.
031. but, i looove budgets and forecasting (or maybe i just like spending money?)
032. i like good clothes.
033. but don't like spending a lot of money on said clothes.
034. silly sayings on t-shirts make me giggle.
035. i love autumn because of the crunchy leaves, the brilliant colours, and the brisk 'sweater-weather.'
036. try saying THAT ten times fast!
037. sometimes i speak so fast that i actually trip over my own words. once this happens, i tend to do the autistic-broken-record thing and continuously repeat the words i tripped over until i get them right. this makes people look at me funny.
038. i am easily enamoured by people with british accents.
039. i think accents make one sound more refined.
040. oscar night makes me nervous and excited.
041. i met wayne gretzky when i was younger.
042. i was in the car with my sister and we squeezed over to the other side of the backseat to shy away from the tall, lanky guy that was saying hello to us through the open window.
043. he laughed and commented on how cute we were. *sigh* yes - cute, but dumb.
044. my other brush with celebrity was an encounter with goldie hawn. she approached me to sell her a sofa. i found her a salesperson.
045. and then stalked her from afar.
046. i have played the piano, recorder, ukulele, trombone and trumpet at various points in my life.
047. none of them stuck for longer than a few years. i wish i had stuck with it longer. my parents were right. hot damn!
048. i love, love, looove design. graphic design, product design, packaging design, interior design, furniture design...love it all!
049. lately, i've also been into designing t-shirts for my own enjoyment.
050. i'm also quite fond of music.
051. and food. both preparing and consuming.
052. when i grow up, i want to be jamie oliver. he is a god.
053. i enjoy indie flicks and relish in 'discovering' little known artists and musicians.
054. at various times in my life, i have co-habited with: my parents and sister and an assortment of pets; a first-year roommate that everyone called 'freak boy' for good reason; my sister alone; me, myself, and i; two guys from school and a japanese exchange student (all of whom i still keep in touch with periodically); and three other guys from school (and one of the guys' twin brother).
055. in my first year at university, i struck up some pretty close friendships with the girls on my sister floor in order to avoid prolonged exposure to freak boy. student housing became increasingly more bearable (and even enjoyable) in subsequent years.
056. sometimes i need to go off to be by myself and be a loner.
057. i got accustomed to solitude when i moved to victoria without knowing anyone in the city.
058. i tend to be a little obsessive compulsive when it comes to cleanliness and organization. my friends call it anal retentiveness. i like to think of it as being orderly. they're probably right.
059. i used to work at a clothing store when i was in high school and to this very day still fold the clothes in my closet like they do in the stores.
060. but i can't iron to save my life. it takes me, like an hour and a half just to do one shirt.
061. i speak english (fluently), mandarin (haphazardly), and a little french (with great difficulty).
062. i would rather freeze than burn to death. for some reason, i think that hypothermia will set in faster, and by the time that happens, i'll be so out of it, i won't even care.
063. i hope not to suffer either fate.
064. eloquence and good grammar turns me on.
065. as does good penmanship. and the ability to spell.
066. my favourite city that i've visited thus far is san fransisco.
067. standing 5'9"-ish, i'm the tallest member of my immediate family.
068. i have twenty-two cousins. that's just on my mom's side. there's more on my dad's side...and most of them have kids of their own that call me their uncle, even though i'm technically their second cousin. scary.
069. i knew all the answers in sunday school class. all the other kids hated me for it.
070. my mom and sister now think of me as irreverent and overly liberal with my faith.
071. if i'm more left wing than right, does this mean i'm just flying around in a counter-clockwise direction?
072. when we were younger, my mom used to make us cover our eyes and sing 'old macdonald had a farm...' whenever there was any on-screen kissing or, god forbid, sex.
073. i finally broke this habit in my mid teens. e-i-e-i-oooh!
074. my sister still does so to this very day.
075. american politics confound me. canadian - likewise.
076. i was a much more informed citizen when i worked for the provincial government and was paid to know and speak intelligently about the issues.
077. i'm not a big club person. i prefer smaller, more intimate gatherings of people i know.
078. i'm quiet in large groups - loud in small.
079. i love taking afternoon naps.
080. i can spend an entire weekend curled up in bed reading a good book.
081. i'm freakishly hard on myself when it comes to work and personal goals. probably more so than my parents are. i never used to be this way...it worries me.
082. i never doodle on the margins - always on a fresh page. i like my notes to be immaculate...or non-existent.
083. i get giddy when it rains while it's sunny and warm.
084. i've only ever gotten one speeding ticket in my life - in toronto, when i was late for an interview.
085. another time, i got pulled over for running a red light (also in toronto), but didn't get a ticket because i told the cop that i was a lost tourist and wasn't paying attention. it was mostly true. my friend, who was in the passenger seat, tells this story to everyone we meet.
086. i love vegetables more than meat, but don't think i could ever be a vegetarian.
087. I'm a periodical junkie. I live for the latest magazines.
088. I have at least three or four books going on my bedside table at any given time. i tend to get distracted by new books i've purchased.
089. i can't sing or dance very well, yet I love to do both in the privacy or my room.
090. an ex-girlfriend brought me to swing and salsa classes once. this is when i realized how bad a dancer i was.
091. great commercials excite me. after five months of living without a television, i returned home only to watch commercials. i would get off the couch and fix myself a snack when the shows would come back on and return to the tv for commercial breaks. my sister rolled her eyes.
092. i can now sit through tv shows in their entirety.
093. green apple-flavoured jolly ranchers are my favourite candy. next to chocolate. especially mint chocolate. oodles and oodles of it.
094. i usually get an iced tea when i order a burger combo - except in the states, where iced tea isn't sweetened. barbarians!
095. my first car was a 1987 dodge colt whom i called xander. my friends called him white lightning. he died one day one the drive home.
096. i now drive an as yet unnamed toyota tercel station wagon which my friends have dubbed red thunder.
097. being in airports makes me happy.
098. being in airplanes makes me so happy, i'm usually giddy with excitement.
099. i'm not nearly interesting enough to have a proper '100 things about me.'
100. so, i'll probably be making changes to this list constantly.
whew! okay, your turn...
Thursday, June 24, 2004
geek love
Jason and I attended a seminar today at the Space Centre. An appropriate venue, I guess, considering were were in for a day of learning about 'space-aged' technology.
Bleh! Bad pun.
As we walked up to the Space Centre, j asked if I had ever been. I don't remember actually going inside, but I do have photos of my sister and I standing in front of the huge metal crab sculpture just outside the entrance when we were younger. j laughed because he has the same pictures from when he was a wee child. I wonder how many others have snaps of by the crab tucked away in albums from their youth.
Back to the seminar, which was basically a sales pitch for Adobe InDesign CS - an attempt to convert current Quark users to InDesign. Usually, I shun such events, but I was quite eager to attend this one in particular. I've already decided to make the switch at work, but not having used the program since I worked at the newspaper, I wanted to get a refresher and see a rundown of the new features offered in the CS version.
It was amusing to hear the ooohs and aaahs from the audience when a fetch new feature was demonstrated. These bursts of excitement were typically followed by collective laughter at how easily impressed we were as a group. I must admit that I uttered a quite a few surprised gasps and thrilled yelps myself. At one point, j leaned over and chuckled saying how everyone back at work would probably be shaking their heads and poking fun at how geeky were were. Oh, but how great it was to be surrounded by a room full of fellow geeks!
We broke for lunch, j and I grabbed some Indian food at Granville Island before heading back for the Photoshop part of the day. It was interesting to see some of the new CS features, but my heart belongs to InDesign. I'm completely enamoured - even more so than I was in the past!
I also got to catch another glimpse of my baby. She's so sexy! I can't wait to make her mine, so that I can have my way with her every day.
On the drive home, j and I lamented about not being able to work with other graphic designers on a more regular basis and constantly engage in geeky banter. At least we have the phone...
Bleh! Bad pun.
As we walked up to the Space Centre, j asked if I had ever been. I don't remember actually going inside, but I do have photos of my sister and I standing in front of the huge metal crab sculpture just outside the entrance when we were younger. j laughed because he has the same pictures from when he was a wee child. I wonder how many others have snaps of by the crab tucked away in albums from their youth.
Back to the seminar, which was basically a sales pitch for Adobe InDesign CS - an attempt to convert current Quark users to InDesign. Usually, I shun such events, but I was quite eager to attend this one in particular. I've already decided to make the switch at work, but not having used the program since I worked at the newspaper, I wanted to get a refresher and see a rundown of the new features offered in the CS version.
It was amusing to hear the ooohs and aaahs from the audience when a fetch new feature was demonstrated. These bursts of excitement were typically followed by collective laughter at how easily impressed we were as a group. I must admit that I uttered a quite a few surprised gasps and thrilled yelps myself. At one point, j leaned over and chuckled saying how everyone back at work would probably be shaking their heads and poking fun at how geeky were were. Oh, but how great it was to be surrounded by a room full of fellow geeks!
We broke for lunch, j and I grabbed some Indian food at Granville Island before heading back for the Photoshop part of the day. It was interesting to see some of the new CS features, but my heart belongs to InDesign. I'm completely enamoured - even more so than I was in the past!
I also got to catch another glimpse of my baby. She's so sexy! I can't wait to make her mine, so that I can have my way with her every day.
On the drive home, j and I lamented about not being able to work with other graphic designers on a more regular basis and constantly engage in geeky banter. At least we have the phone...
Tuesday, June 22, 2004
the shire
Walked to the park today after dinner and passed by a forested area that I used to play in when I was younger. The brush was overgrown, and I'm not quite as small and nimble as I used to be, but I managed to find the trail into my former stomping grounds and weave my way in, past the bramble and brush.
Upon entering the clearing, memories flooded back - the curve of tree limbs, the smoothness of the earth below, the nooks carved out along the trail, the lush greenery of the ferns growing around gnarled trunks. I thought back to summers with friends, dragging stumps and fallen branches to furnish our wooded retreat and carpeting logs with the softest moss, in an attempt to create cushioned seating.
Why yes, in a former life, I must have been a hobbit house-builder.
Upon entering the clearing, memories flooded back - the curve of tree limbs, the smoothness of the earth below, the nooks carved out along the trail, the lush greenery of the ferns growing around gnarled trunks. I thought back to summers with friends, dragging stumps and fallen branches to furnish our wooded retreat and carpeting logs with the softest moss, in an attempt to create cushioned seating.
Why yes, in a former life, I must have been a hobbit house-builder.
Monday, June 21, 2004
fastidious
I have nothing amusing to blog about today, so I'm stealing an anecdote from and e-mail my friend Lisa sent today. She's been in Japan for the past two years teaching English. Here's and exerpt from her adventures today:
keiko and lisa model their newly acquired t-shirts to japanese bar patrons.
A pretty great shirt, don't you think? I swear, those Japanese really do know how to speak English properly...they're just claiming ignorance as an excuse to get away with saying anything!
I'd have asked Lisa to pick one of those t-shirts up for me, i'm not sure i'd have the guts to wear it here either. However, I have no problem posting a picture (albeit slightly doctored to mask the true identities of the wearers) for all blogdom to see and admire.
For some reason, it makes me think of that classic highschool cheerleader's chant: "Be aggressive! Be, be aggressive!"
Keiko and I went shopping and there was a Father's Day t-shirt sale. We were just talking about bad Engrish/Kanji t-shirts and look what we scored! Pretty funny. We had a fun time wearing them out to the bar. I would not wear this shirt in North America, I think I would definitely get the wrong kind of attention!
keiko and lisa model their newly acquired t-shirts to japanese bar patrons.
A pretty great shirt, don't you think? I swear, those Japanese really do know how to speak English properly...they're just claiming ignorance as an excuse to get away with saying anything!
I'd have asked Lisa to pick one of those t-shirts up for me, i'm not sure i'd have the guts to wear it here either. However, I have no problem posting a picture (albeit slightly doctored to mask the true identities of the wearers) for all blogdom to see and admire.
For some reason, it makes me think of that classic highschool cheerleader's chant: "Be aggressive! Be, be aggressive!"
Sunday, June 20, 2004
something wicked this way comes
Went to the theatre to day to catch Cuaron's take on the adventures of our favourite boy wizard. I enjoyed it, but would have done so much more if not for the annoying, squabbling children sitting around me. When they weren't chomping on their popcorn like barnyard animals or throwing it around to annoy their friends sitting in front of them, they were talking about "what's supposed to happen next," or pulling each other's shoes off. Finally I got fed up, leaned over and said scoldingly, "Would you boys please behave?!?"
Man! I'm like, officially old now.
Whatever. It did the trick. Those boys sat up straight and remained quiet for the duration of the movie. Of course they probably blasted me once they left the theatre, but I didn't care. I got to enjoy the rest of the movie in relative peace. If only they had adult-only screenings of movies like they do with the books.
i *heart* ny
after the movie, i grabbed a burger at A&W (I love that they serve their fountain drinks in chilled glass mugs), then went to chapters to pick up a copy of TONY in preparation for my visit in August. They only had the eating and drinking guide from the first week of may in the stands, but I thought, what the heck, it's as good an issue as any to pick up. Then I went to the park, sat on the grass with my barefeet, and leafed through the magazine, while enjoying the last few hours of sunshine. I'm getting more and more excited about visiting the bright lights, big city with each week that passes.
Man! I'm like, officially old now.
Whatever. It did the trick. Those boys sat up straight and remained quiet for the duration of the movie. Of course they probably blasted me once they left the theatre, but I didn't care. I got to enjoy the rest of the movie in relative peace. If only they had adult-only screenings of movies like they do with the books.
i *heart* ny
after the movie, i grabbed a burger at A&W (I love that they serve their fountain drinks in chilled glass mugs), then went to chapters to pick up a copy of TONY in preparation for my visit in August. They only had the eating and drinking guide from the first week of may in the stands, but I thought, what the heck, it's as good an issue as any to pick up. Then I went to the park, sat on the grass with my barefeet, and leafed through the magazine, while enjoying the last few hours of sunshine. I'm getting more and more excited about visiting the bright lights, big city with each week that passes.
Saturday, June 19, 2004
shoe fetish
As if I didn't have a large enough selection of footwear already, I went out today and picked up another pair. In my defense, these were calling my name, and since I didn't have a pair of orange ones yet, I was able to justify the purchase. They're a bit loud, but mighty fly nonetheless. I shall call them my citrus sneaks.
Now that I've checked out other styles of Pumas online, I also want these, and these, and these...oh, and maybe these as well. Oh, what the hell, these too.
super support man
Tyler, my part-time assistant started today. He'll be working one day per week until I go to Philly, after which he'll be working full time to fill in for me. Now comes the task of giving him a crash course in the life of a crazy graphic designer. It feels like a lot of knowledge to impart, but he'll have j & k just a phone call away, so he should be okay...I hope.
He was actually supposed to start on Wednesday, but The Medium Cheese (not The Big Cheese) wasn't very clear when he made the job offer, so Tyler didn't know when we expected him. I was slightly amused (or was it annoyance masked as amusement?), but not really surprised, as The Medium Cheese has done the same thing before to a contractor we have working with us. The sloppiness and lack of clarity is starting to become symptomatic.
Perhaps he's too busy playing superhero. Mo and I were teasing him today about it. In retail, there is usually a support manager function - someone who acts as The Manager (as in "I demand to speak with The Manager!") and fields calls from angry or annoyed customers, etc. The Management team rotates this responsibility so that one person doesn't have to carry the burden of this on a regular basis. The Medium Cheese seems to relish under the weight of this extra responsibility though. It's like a little power trip or something.
Anyway, he gets really theatrical when he has support manager duties...always running from one so-called emergency to the next, while we look on, bemused. When he puts on his safety vest to go through the warehouse and open the store, he has a habit of making a performance of it. It's a dramatic right-over-left motion as he fastens the velcro straps of the vest securely to his chest. This is followed by what I like to call fastwalking, with support phone clenched in his right fist. "Can't talk...I'm Support!" he'll say as he whizzes past us in a hurry to put out the next little fire.
As he did his thing this morning, Mo raised her arms above her head, a la Superman in flight, and shouted in a singsongy voice, "Support Manager to the rescue!" I laughed and froze in Running Man pose as I exclaimed, "Off I go to preserve Justice, Peace, and the Swedish Way!"
I relayed the story to Sharri later in the day, and laughingly, we concocted a scheme to fashion a long flowing red cape for him the next time he's the support manager. The plan is to pin a sheet of red fabric to his vest and hang it on the back of his chair. In order to perfect our scheme, he needed a superhero name, so after a little thinking, Sharri came up with 'Super Support Man.' Once the words left her mouth, we paused, looked as each other, and giggled like immature little school children because it sounded like the name of a bra or jockstrap.
Perfect!
Now that I've checked out other styles of Pumas online, I also want these, and these, and these...oh, and maybe these as well. Oh, what the hell, these too.
super support man
Tyler, my part-time assistant started today. He'll be working one day per week until I go to Philly, after which he'll be working full time to fill in for me. Now comes the task of giving him a crash course in the life of a crazy graphic designer. It feels like a lot of knowledge to impart, but he'll have j & k just a phone call away, so he should be okay...I hope.
He was actually supposed to start on Wednesday, but The Medium Cheese (not The Big Cheese) wasn't very clear when he made the job offer, so Tyler didn't know when we expected him. I was slightly amused (or was it annoyance masked as amusement?), but not really surprised, as The Medium Cheese has done the same thing before to a contractor we have working with us. The sloppiness and lack of clarity is starting to become symptomatic.
Perhaps he's too busy playing superhero. Mo and I were teasing him today about it. In retail, there is usually a support manager function - someone who acts as The Manager (as in "I demand to speak with The Manager!") and fields calls from angry or annoyed customers, etc. The Management team rotates this responsibility so that one person doesn't have to carry the burden of this on a regular basis. The Medium Cheese seems to relish under the weight of this extra responsibility though. It's like a little power trip or something.
Anyway, he gets really theatrical when he has support manager duties...always running from one so-called emergency to the next, while we look on, bemused. When he puts on his safety vest to go through the warehouse and open the store, he has a habit of making a performance of it. It's a dramatic right-over-left motion as he fastens the velcro straps of the vest securely to his chest. This is followed by what I like to call fastwalking, with support phone clenched in his right fist. "Can't talk...I'm Support!" he'll say as he whizzes past us in a hurry to put out the next little fire.
As he did his thing this morning, Mo raised her arms above her head, a la Superman in flight, and shouted in a singsongy voice, "Support Manager to the rescue!" I laughed and froze in Running Man pose as I exclaimed, "Off I go to preserve Justice, Peace, and the Swedish Way!"
I relayed the story to Sharri later in the day, and laughingly, we concocted a scheme to fashion a long flowing red cape for him the next time he's the support manager. The plan is to pin a sheet of red fabric to his vest and hang it on the back of his chair. In order to perfect our scheme, he needed a superhero name, so after a little thinking, Sharri came up with 'Super Support Man.' Once the words left her mouth, we paused, looked as each other, and giggled like immature little school children because it sounded like the name of a bra or jockstrap.
Perfect!
Friday, June 18, 2004
it's getting hot in here!
vancouver weather - current conditions
(as of 20:00 PDT, Jun 17 )
Mainly Sunny | Temp: 22.60°C | Humidity: 53%
it's hot, and muggy, and sticky...unfortunately for those of you expecting a show, there will be no removal of clothing.
philadelphia weather - current conditions
(as of 22:54 EDT, Jun 17)
Cloudy | Temp: 24°C | Humidity: 89%
....and it only get hotter in july and august, or so i've been told by my pal, Auntie Gwen, who calls Philly home - or has for the past few years. As it happens, I'll be there when the weather is muggily armpit-like. Joy! She's also warned me of locust infestations around that time of year. If I didn't know better, I'd swear she was trying to stop me from visiting. Luckily, I hear that her home is outfitted with not one, not two, but yes (count 'em), three air conditioning units. La Casa Gwen will certainly be one of my first stops!
Lisa e-mailed me from the project site to reassure me that air conditioning was one of the first things they installed in the building, just before they moved everybody in from the trailer offices. The graphics area, at least, will cool and breezy when I arrive. Call me self-centred, but that's all I care about. The interior decorators and visual merchandisers can melt to the ground for all I care. (No really, I'm not that cruel. I'd let them seek relief from the air conditioner for a few seconds before i shove them away and resume my rightful place in front of it.)
parade of the expensive sweaters
Yesterday, the company bigwigs descended upon our little hole in the wall as part of their whirlwind cross-country tour. The self-important name that they dubbed this momentus occasion? "The Board Meeting." I called it "Parade of The Expensive Sweaters."
don't hate the player; hate the game
Why, you ask? Well, we have pictures of the country bigwigs adorning the hallways of our offices with little blurbs soliciting feedback from co-workers on how to make the company better, make more money, take over the world, etc. In those pictures, said bigwigs look friendly and approachable in their expensive sweaters. In real life, they're not so friendly and approachable, but they still don those expensive sweaters instead of power suits and ties in an attempt to make themselves seem as such. Hence "The Expensive Sweaters," a nickname which Auntie Gwen bequeathed to them during one of our back-and-forth rant e-mails at work last year.
Whenever they visit, everyone seems to go into panic mode, as if preparing for the Queen's visit or some such festive occasion. This often means my inbox get piled with useless creative briefs 'in preparation' for their arrival. I usually ignore the particularly stupid briefs because I'm a rebellious bad ass with no regard for authority, and I can sense that this makes many of the 'yes-men (and women)' managers nervous. But from my perspective, whenever the bigwigs visit, all they do is tour the store as a pack, point out flaws, and hope that we address them. (Hence the "Parade.")
I've spoken with one of the bigwigs before and he's admitted that they're only there to offer suggestions. Whatever we do with their feedback is our decision, as it directly impacts our own store's bottom-line, and as a result, our jobs and futures. Plus, we know our market better than they and can more accurately determine whether a particular solution would succeed or fail, based on our market conditions. Funny thing is, many of the 'yes-men (and women)' managers forget this and revere the words of the bigwigs as scripture, which in turn, makes them fill out ridiculously stupid creative briefs which just end up in my recycling bin anyway.
Oh the joys of working in retail graphic design!
i say "hip-hip," you say "hooray!"
On a more positive note, the bigwigs took notice of a piece that I've been working on. It's now going to be printed and distributed nationally once I finish making it less market-specific and have it translated into French. My portfolio cheers!
(as of 20:00 PDT, Jun 17 )
Mainly Sunny | Temp: 22.60°C | Humidity: 53%
it's hot, and muggy, and sticky...unfortunately for those of you expecting a show, there will be no removal of clothing.
philadelphia weather - current conditions
(as of 22:54 EDT, Jun 17)
Cloudy | Temp: 24°C | Humidity: 89%
....and it only get hotter in july and august, or so i've been told by my pal, Auntie Gwen, who calls Philly home - or has for the past few years. As it happens, I'll be there when the weather is muggily armpit-like. Joy! She's also warned me of locust infestations around that time of year. If I didn't know better, I'd swear she was trying to stop me from visiting. Luckily, I hear that her home is outfitted with not one, not two, but yes (count 'em), three air conditioning units. La Casa Gwen will certainly be one of my first stops!
Lisa e-mailed me from the project site to reassure me that air conditioning was one of the first things they installed in the building, just before they moved everybody in from the trailer offices. The graphics area, at least, will cool and breezy when I arrive. Call me self-centred, but that's all I care about. The interior decorators and visual merchandisers can melt to the ground for all I care. (No really, I'm not that cruel. I'd let them seek relief from the air conditioner for a few seconds before i shove them away and resume my rightful place in front of it.)
parade of the expensive sweaters
Yesterday, the company bigwigs descended upon our little hole in the wall as part of their whirlwind cross-country tour. The self-important name that they dubbed this momentus occasion? "The Board Meeting." I called it "Parade of The Expensive Sweaters."
don't hate the player; hate the game
Why, you ask? Well, we have pictures of the country bigwigs adorning the hallways of our offices with little blurbs soliciting feedback from co-workers on how to make the company better, make more money, take over the world, etc. In those pictures, said bigwigs look friendly and approachable in their expensive sweaters. In real life, they're not so friendly and approachable, but they still don those expensive sweaters instead of power suits and ties in an attempt to make themselves seem as such. Hence "The Expensive Sweaters," a nickname which Auntie Gwen bequeathed to them during one of our back-and-forth rant e-mails at work last year.
Whenever they visit, everyone seems to go into panic mode, as if preparing for the Queen's visit or some such festive occasion. This often means my inbox get piled with useless creative briefs 'in preparation' for their arrival. I usually ignore the particularly stupid briefs because I'm a rebellious bad ass with no regard for authority, and I can sense that this makes many of the 'yes-men (and women)' managers nervous. But from my perspective, whenever the bigwigs visit, all they do is tour the store as a pack, point out flaws, and hope that we address them. (Hence the "Parade.")
I've spoken with one of the bigwigs before and he's admitted that they're only there to offer suggestions. Whatever we do with their feedback is our decision, as it directly impacts our own store's bottom-line, and as a result, our jobs and futures. Plus, we know our market better than they and can more accurately determine whether a particular solution would succeed or fail, based on our market conditions. Funny thing is, many of the 'yes-men (and women)' managers forget this and revere the words of the bigwigs as scripture, which in turn, makes them fill out ridiculously stupid creative briefs which just end up in my recycling bin anyway.
Oh the joys of working in retail graphic design!
i say "hip-hip," you say "hooray!"
On a more positive note, the bigwigs took notice of a piece that I've been working on. It's now going to be printed and distributed nationally once I finish making it less market-specific and have it translated into French. My portfolio cheers!
Thursday, June 17, 2004
reunion plans dashed
Lisa and I have been talking about meeting up with Sarah and Carolyn while she's in Toronto and I'm in Philly later this summer. I was ready for some rolicking good times and general revelry, but it seems grown-up schedules and budgetary constraints are making it difficult for everything to fall into place. Translation: I'm a cheap ass and don't wanna spend $450-$500 for a plane ticket from Philly to Montreal with silly stopovers in between for just a weekend. Okay, so it's not just the money, the travel time is stupidly long, and stopovers that extend the travel time even further just mean that I'll only get to spend a day with the girls, if I'm lucky. I'd rather spend twice the amount and enjoy more time with them.
In one of her reunion-planning e-mails, Lisa mentioned that she just realized we're all in different cities. How 'bout this? i just realized that I'm the only one still living at home with my parents (in the good old hick-town of Surrey, no less!). Gawd, now I'm depressed... Gah! Hurry up and get your ass back over here so you can save me from my misery!
On a brighter note, my friend Genny is planning a Habitat for Humanity trip to South Africa in October or March.
I'm there! Now I've just got to rustle up some funds. Watch for my lemonade stand and bake sale - coming soon to a corner near you!
In one of her reunion-planning e-mails, Lisa mentioned that she just realized we're all in different cities. How 'bout this? i just realized that I'm the only one still living at home with my parents (in the good old hick-town of Surrey, no less!). Gawd, now I'm depressed... Gah! Hurry up and get your ass back over here so you can save me from my misery!
On a brighter note, my friend Genny is planning a Habitat for Humanity trip to South Africa in October or March.
Explore a lush, pristine forested coastline with deep gorges and rivers, lagoons and lakes. Walk under towering trees amidst beautiful bird and amazing animal life. Go on a kayaking trip, paddling to a colony of over 2,000 African penguins. Swim in the warm waters of the Indian Ocean. Go through winelands and famous estates. Build a house for a family. Meet local folks on the other side of the globe and be exposed to life in their community. Explore parks and game reserves - home to elephants and other wildlife. Visit the Cape of Good Hope, one of the most significant geographic points in the history of explorers and traders....
I'm there! Now I've just got to rustle up some funds. Watch for my lemonade stand and bake sale - coming soon to a corner near you!
Tuesday, June 15, 2004
arigato, we love you
terry brought in a present for me this morning - a cd from pizzicato five, a band from japan. i didn't understand a word of it, but the sound was delicious and the beat infectious. music was blaring from my office like a swinging discotheque in the heat of action, but nobody complained. all i was missing was the mirror ball and strobe lights. it's fun having my very own music pusher who deals in good times!
Monday, June 14, 2004
saved?
After seeing the preview for Saved! several weeks ago, I was determined to catch it as soon as it came out. Finally went to see it with my sister this afternoon. Having grown up in the evangelical youth culture, much of the film rung true. Though my experience was not quite as dramatic, or perhaps entertaining, I can see much of what was portrayed in the movie as being somewhat accurate.
While I enjoyed it (laughing aloud a few too many times in the otherwise quiet theatre...I don't think the other folks there got the jokes and sarcasm), the movie will undoubtedly push the buttons of some fundementalist Christian groups who do not recognize it as a satirical look at Christianity and youth culture. (A prime example being the youth pastor shouting juvenile sounding catchphrases to a packed assembly hall in an earnest attempt to make Christianity relevant to kids: "Jesus is in the houuuse!") After we left the theatre, my sister, while recognizing that it was funny at some points, admitted that she was a little uncomfortable watching it. Not that she's a Hilary Faye Christian in any way - just that she's more conservative minded, as opposed to my more liberal leanings.
The film was great on so many levels (I'd watch it several times over), but fails to reach any conclusions at the end. Which, while it may be disappointing to some who would have preferred a more definitive ending, seems to speak to Dannelly's own struggles and confusion regarding his own faith.
The great thing about the frayed ending is that it leaves each person to question his or her own belief system. Rather than unquestioningly taking on an entire belief system because "it's right" and it's Christian," I'd like to think that it challenges us to evaluate what our personal values are based on. I hope it opens up dialogue about how we, as a society, and we, as individuals, view differences - whether with acceptance, tolerance, or outright rejection.
A few tidbits worth noting about the film: it was produced by Michael Stipe of R.E.M fame and filmmaker Brian Dannelly himself attended a Catholic elementary school, a Baptist high school, and spent summers at a Jewish camp.
While I enjoyed it (laughing aloud a few too many times in the otherwise quiet theatre...I don't think the other folks there got the jokes and sarcasm), the movie will undoubtedly push the buttons of some fundementalist Christian groups who do not recognize it as a satirical look at Christianity and youth culture. (A prime example being the youth pastor shouting juvenile sounding catchphrases to a packed assembly hall in an earnest attempt to make Christianity relevant to kids: "Jesus is in the houuuse!") After we left the theatre, my sister, while recognizing that it was funny at some points, admitted that she was a little uncomfortable watching it. Not that she's a Hilary Faye Christian in any way - just that she's more conservative minded, as opposed to my more liberal leanings.
The film was great on so many levels (I'd watch it several times over), but fails to reach any conclusions at the end. Which, while it may be disappointing to some who would have preferred a more definitive ending, seems to speak to Dannelly's own struggles and confusion regarding his own faith.
I feel like I've already been born again - once you get saved, you're saved - but I just think that we're on a journey, and I would never want to say that I'm one way, because you never know where you'll be tomorrow. When I'm thinking about God, I think God totally gets that I'm confused or not sure right now, but I never thought that that was a bad thing as long as you continue on the journey.
-Brian Dannelly (in an interview)
The great thing about the frayed ending is that it leaves each person to question his or her own belief system. Rather than unquestioningly taking on an entire belief system because "it's right" and it's Christian," I'd like to think that it challenges us to evaluate what our personal values are based on. I hope it opens up dialogue about how we, as a society, and we, as individuals, view differences - whether with acceptance, tolerance, or outright rejection.
A few tidbits worth noting about the film: it was produced by Michael Stipe of R.E.M fame and filmmaker Brian Dannelly himself attended a Catholic elementary school, a Baptist high school, and spent summers at a Jewish camp.
Friday, June 11, 2004
code orange: pepperoni alert
Went across the border to Blaine, a not-so-little town just south of the border today to visit my friend Joanne, who was there at a conference, and celebrate her birthday. What I thought was going to be a simple and pleasant evening turned out to be an adventure-and-a-half.
please step out of the car...
Got to the border with no problems. Traffic was easy and there was a very short line-up once I got there. I drove up to the border patrol, rolled down my window and that's when the trouble started.
Cast of characters:
Border Patrol Guy
Border Official
Border Patrol Lady
Pizza Lady
Me
What?!? Do I look sketchy or something?!? Is he suspicious of me visiting my friend at a hotel? Does he think my friend is a "friend" of the variety?
Inside the Customs Office, while I'm waiting for my turn, I witness the follwing encounter. Turns out the folks at US Customs are bored or something and are making everyone come in. Just for kicks? You decide...
I thought to myself, "Yeah right, they're going to destroy it! They're so going to scarf down that pizza once the lady leaves! That's their dinner, right there!"
I also witnessed an encounter with Grocery Man, Chinese Mafia Man, and Construction Guy, but the one with Pizza Lady was the stupidest, so that's the one I chose to relate. Now for my stupid encounter...
Then she asked a whole bunch of questions about drugs and alcohol, etc, etc...
Ahhh! The joys of hanging out with US government officials. Perhaps they had a Code Orange Alert or something. They were so self-important and serious while the bunch of us called in for questioning were trying to contain our laughter.
Anyway, I finally made it out of there and to Joanne's hotel. Turns out it was both her and her roomate's birthday, so we all went to bellingham for dinner. Had a great antipasto plate and a woodfired shrimp and artichoke pizza, fun conversation and lots of laughs. I always enjoy hanging out with Jo. Wish I could do it more often...but if I have to face encounters like that at the US border everytime I decide to visit, maybe I'll have to pass.
by mere pennies!
On another note, I finally placed the purchase order for my snazzy new computer system at work. After some fancy negotiation skills, I managed to get a top-of-the-line G5, Apple Cinema display, external hard drive, extra RAM, lots of fun software, plus a long-awaited desktop laser printer. The grand total came to 82 cents above my allowable budget of $11,300, including installation and taxes. So I brought the purchase order form over to our Controller for approval, along with 82 cents in coins. It made her laugh, and it made me happy. Now I wait for my baby to arrive...
please step out of the car...
Got to the border with no problems. Traffic was easy and there was a very short line-up once I got there. I drove up to the border patrol, rolled down my window and that's when the trouble started.
Cast of characters:
Border Patrol Guy
Border Official
Border Patrol Lady
Pizza Lady
Me
Border Patrol Guy: (after asking all the basic 'where you from? what do you do?' sort of questions) Where you heading?
Me: Blaine.
Border Patrol Guy: What for?
Me: To visit a friend.
Border Patrol Guy (with raised eyebrows): A friend? In Blaine?
Me: Yeah.
Border Patrol Guy: She lives in Blaine?
Me: No, she lives in Seattle, she's staying at a hotel in Blaine.
Border Patrol Guy: Hmmm... (hands me a yellow ticket) You best go inside and see one of the Customs Officials inside. They'll need to inspect your car.
What?!? Do I look sketchy or something?!? Is he suspicious of me visiting my friend at a hotel? Does he think my friend is a "friend" of the
Inside the Customs Office, while I'm waiting for my turn, I witness the follwing encounter. Turns out the folks at US Customs are bored or something and are making everyone come in. Just for kicks? You decide...
Border Official: Could you open those boxes so I can see what's inside?
Pizza Lady: (opening her two boxes of pizza) One's pepperoni and the other's a vegetarian. Is there a problem?
Border Official: Why are you brining pizzas across the border ma'am? Haven't you read the rules? You're only allowed to bring a light lunch across the border. Two pizzas does not consitute a 'light lunch.'
Pizza Lady: My daughter's flying out tonight and she wanted to have some Canadian pizza for her farewell meal...
Border Official: Well, I can let the vegetarian go, but we're going to have to conficate the pepperoni. Pepperoni has been historically known to contain traces of beef and beef by-products, and with the current state of Canadian meat, we cannot allow it to cross the border. We'll also have to fine you for attempting to bring it across the border.
Pizza Lady: (visibly stunned and a little annoyed) Ummm...okay?
Border Official: Ahem. Yes, would you like to take the pizza back with you into Canada and try to sell it or drop it off with relatives before returning to the United States?
Pizza Lady: No, that's fine.
Border Official: Okay. I just wanted to give you that option - otherwise, we will just destroy the pizza.
I thought to myself, "Yeah right, they're going to destroy it! They're so going to scarf down that pizza once the lady leaves! That's their dinner, right there!"
I also witnessed an encounter with Grocery Man, Chinese Mafia Man, and Construction Guy, but the one with Pizza Lady was the stupidest, so that's the one I chose to relate. Now for my stupid encounter...
Border Patrol Lady: So, what is the purpose of your trip?
Me: I'm visiting a friend in Blaine.
Border Patrol Lady: What's her name?
Me: Joanne. (In my head, I added, "Why, do you know her?")
Border Patrol Lady: And how do you know this friend of yours?
Me: She's my sister's godmother's daughter. (Really! No joke.)
Border Patrol Lady: (confused) Ummm...okay...
Then she asked a whole bunch of questions about drugs and alcohol, etc, etc...
Border Patrol Lady: Is the car you're driving licenced to you?
Me: No. It's in my mom's name. (I pay for it, but it's in her name for insurance purposes - it's cheaper that way. Trust me.)
Border Patrol Lady: Does she know you're driving it?
Me: Yep. (Sarcastically in my head, "No, you goofball! I'm joyriding with my mom's car and driving it across the border!")
Border Patrol Lady: Are you carrying $10,000 or more on your persons?
Me: (jokingly) Don't I wish!
Border Patrol Lady: (straight-faeced) Don't joke. This is serious.
Ahhh! The joys of hanging out with US government officials. Perhaps they had a Code Orange Alert or something. They were so self-important and serious while the bunch of us called in for questioning were trying to contain our laughter.
Anyway, I finally made it out of there and to Joanne's hotel. Turns out it was both her and her roomate's birthday, so we all went to bellingham for dinner. Had a great antipasto plate and a woodfired shrimp and artichoke pizza, fun conversation and lots of laughs. I always enjoy hanging out with Jo. Wish I could do it more often...but if I have to face encounters like that at the US border everytime I decide to visit, maybe I'll have to pass.
by mere pennies!
On another note, I finally placed the purchase order for my snazzy new computer system at work. After some fancy negotiation skills, I managed to get a top-of-the-line G5, Apple Cinema display, external hard drive, extra RAM, lots of fun software, plus a long-awaited desktop laser printer. The grand total came to 82 cents above my allowable budget of $11,300, including installation and taxes. So I brought the purchase order form over to our Controller for approval, along with 82 cents in coins. It made her laugh, and it made me happy. Now I wait for my baby to arrive...
Wednesday, June 09, 2004
"that's a little something called crooning...i think."
Lined up at Dick's today to catch my favorite new crooner in concert. It's a small venue and tickets were cheap, so I thought "eh, it couldn't hurt to go..." Well, the intimate setting was perfect for such a performance and made for a more down-to-earth experience - and Jaime was amazing! I'd certainly pay three times the price to see him in concert again.
From the minute he hit the stage, to the last encore, he had the crowd in awe. Not only were we fixated by the dexterous fingers gliding across the ivory and ebony, but his boisterous charm and contagious energy is what kept us begging for more. He bounced around on stage, on the piano, on top of the bar, under the piano, played the piano like a drum kit, played the piano like a guitar, ska'ed, drank, danced, and basically had a rockin' good time both during and between his songs.
Jamie was a hyperactive ball of energy one second, and a soulful, introspective performer the next - never shedding his credibility or likeability in between. His storytelling sessions were also a hit. Anyone with an English accent can tell me a story and I'll be a captive audience simply because I have a thing for accents, but this guy was actually funny in a genuine, 'aw shucks' kind of way.
Mad talent, enchanting voice, unending imagination and creativity, charming wittiness, scruffy handsomeness, and absolutely likeable too. Jamie Cullum, I'm, like, totally in love with you. (I'm allowed to say that, aren't I?)
Katija and I were singing (and attempting to dance on the streets) Jamie's jazz-ma-taz version of "I Could Have Danced All Night" the whole way home.
From the minute he hit the stage, to the last encore, he had the crowd in awe. Not only were we fixated by the dexterous fingers gliding across the ivory and ebony, but his boisterous charm and contagious energy is what kept us begging for more. He bounced around on stage, on the piano, on top of the bar, under the piano, played the piano like a drum kit, played the piano like a guitar, ska'ed, drank, danced, and basically had a rockin' good time both during and between his songs.
Jamie was a hyperactive ball of energy one second, and a soulful, introspective performer the next - never shedding his credibility or likeability in between. His storytelling sessions were also a hit. Anyone with an English accent can tell me a story and I'll be a captive audience simply because I have a thing for accents, but this guy was actually funny in a genuine, 'aw shucks' kind of way.
Mad talent, enchanting voice, unending imagination and creativity, charming wittiness, scruffy handsomeness, and absolutely likeable too. Jamie Cullum, I'm, like, totally in love with you. (I'm allowed to say that, aren't I?)
Katija and I were singing (and attempting to dance on the streets) Jamie's jazz-ma-taz version of "I Could Have Danced All Night" the whole way home.
Monday, June 07, 2004
the godfather
Finally met my godfather today. My sister and I were sitting in the pews at church while the pastor was introducing the newcomers. I heard a familiar name and leaned in to my sister asking if that was my godfather. She laughed, realizing that I'd never met my godfather - aside from when I was, like, two years old. And honestly, who remembers anything from when they were that young anyway? Since I can remember, I've called Grace's godmother, my godparent, since we see her with some regularity...and simply because she's one cool lady!
Anyway, turns out it was him. He was visiting his brother with his four sons - none of whom I recall meeting prior to today. Aside from the annual Christmas card, I don't really know them, so meeting them was like meeting overseas relatives that you've never met, but have heard about from your parents. It was kind of neat getting to know them a bit better over sushi. Think of it as the comfort of family mixed with the awkwardness of strangers.
His four sons were pretty cool too. They're roughly the same age as my sister and I, and as it turns out, two of them live in Philly. So, they've offered to show me around town when I'm there later this summer. They even suggested taking me on a road trip to New York if I'm up for it. Up for it? I'm so there!
Now, this next bit has absolutely nothing to do with the above post except for its relation to the movie. I'm simply including it because I think it's funny. Shout out to Coppolla...
"Leave the gun. Take the cannoli."
Anyway, turns out it was him. He was visiting his brother with his four sons - none of whom I recall meeting prior to today. Aside from the annual Christmas card, I don't really know them, so meeting them was like meeting overseas relatives that you've never met, but have heard about from your parents. It was kind of neat getting to know them a bit better over sushi. Think of it as the comfort of family mixed with the awkwardness of strangers.
His four sons were pretty cool too. They're roughly the same age as my sister and I, and as it turns out, two of them live in Philly. So, they've offered to show me around town when I'm there later this summer. They even suggested taking me on a road trip to New York if I'm up for it. Up for it? I'm so there!
Now, this next bit has absolutely nothing to do with the above post except for its relation to the movie. I'm simply including it because I think it's funny. Shout out to Coppolla...
"Leave the gun. Take the cannoli."
Saturday, June 05, 2004
barn on the yard
Attended Bard on the Beach yesterday with my mom and sister. We started going last year and enjoyed it so much that we're planning on making it a yearly tradition. Grace wanted to introduce her boyfriend to live theatre last year, so she took him to a performance as well. If it gives you any indication of how well that plan worked, to this day, he still has trouble getting the name of the festival right. "Have fun at Barn on the Yard!" He said to us as we were heading off today.
For those that have been to Bard on the Beach before, you know that it's general seating, so the only way to 'reserve' your seats is to write your name with crayon on a sheet of paper that they provide and tape it to your seat back. That way, once you get your seat, you can go pick up concession snacks, use the facilities, or wander around chatting with people until the play starts without fear of losing your seat. On the sheet of paper taped to the seat next to us were scrawled the words: 'some fool.' Genius!
This year, they put on one of my favorite Shakespeare plays, Much Ado About Nothing. Michael Shamata, the director, decided to set the play in 1945 at the end of WWII, with the images of 'boys coming home' and the womens lib. movement resonating as themes throughout. It reminded me of the similarities in which we staged Troilus & Cressida back in University.
I still remember some of my lines as Troilus:
Makes me want to get into Shakespeare again...
Speaking of which, it's back! (With the same cast, even!) Serey took me when it was in town four or five years ago and I laughed my pants off. I don't usually watch plays twice, but for this one, I'll make an exception.
For those that have been to Bard on the Beach before, you know that it's general seating, so the only way to 'reserve' your seats is to write your name with crayon on a sheet of paper that they provide and tape it to your seat back. That way, once you get your seat, you can go pick up concession snacks, use the facilities, or wander around chatting with people until the play starts without fear of losing your seat. On the sheet of paper taped to the seat next to us were scrawled the words: 'some fool.' Genius!
This year, they put on one of my favorite Shakespeare plays, Much Ado About Nothing. Michael Shamata, the director, decided to set the play in 1945 at the end of WWII, with the images of 'boys coming home' and the womens lib. movement resonating as themes throughout. It reminded me of the similarities in which we staged Troilus & Cressida back in University.
I still remember some of my lines as Troilus:
This is the monstruosity in love, lady, that the will
is infinite and the execution confined, that the
desire is boundless and the act a slave to limit.
Makes me want to get into Shakespeare again...
Speaking of which, it's back! (With the same cast, even!) Serey took me when it was in town four or five years ago and I laughed my pants off. I don't usually watch plays twice, but for this one, I'll make an exception.
i'm a cheap date
Okay, before you go getting excited, I did not have a date today. In fact, it's been so long since I've been on a date, it's embarassing! No, today, I played hooky from work and had a "me day." So, I guess you could say, I had a date with myself. No, scrap that - it just sounds sad and pathetic.
Aaaanyway, I'm not sure I've ever taken a day off from work in my life, so I wasn't sure what to do. First thing's first, I slept in. Well no, I actually woke up at the usual time, turned on the morning news and laughed at clips of the morning commute, had breakfast, then took another nap before packing my swim trunks and a towel and heading to the pool.
Before heading out, I stuffed $25 into my wallet, and haphazardly decided to make it a $25 day. Basically, the plan was that I'd try to entertain myself with just the money in my pocket...nothing more. Oh, and no pre-planning allowed, so no newspapers or movie listings, etc. So, here's a run-down of my day (format courtesy of mastercard).
pool admission & locker rental - $3.55
I was actually really excited to go to the pool. It's been years since I've been swimming, and I used to do it quite regularly. Heck, I went through Bronze Medallion, Bronze Cross, NLS, AquaLeaders, and Water Safety Instructor Certification. I was hardcore...once upon a time.
And now, I just suck. I made it through 400m before I had to stop and just sit in the kiddie pool to catch my breath and soak my aching muscles. (i don't even want to think about why the kiddie pool is warmer than the regular pool, so don't go there!)
sunshine - free
After my swim, I decided to enjoy the sunshine outside at the adjoining park. The pool itself is just off a highway, but there's plenty of greenspace around it, so it made for a good tanning location. I just whipped out my pool towel, and presto, change-o! Since it was an impromptu tan and I neglected to bring any sunscreen with me, I expected to get a little burnt, but so far, I'm only slightly pink. I hope this means I won't start peeling like a leper.
lunch - $7.02
For lunch, I devoured my Turkey Bacon Club and had a Honey Cruller for dessert, along with an Iced Cappuccino. Mmmm... Timmy HoHo's spreads this great honey mustard sauce on the club, and it's just delicious! Think of an Italian Mama with her lips to her fingers - "perfetto!"
movie admission - $8.55
In the spirit of spontaneity, I went to the ticket counter, asked what the next movie was going to be and bought a ticket for it. Turned out to be Shrek 2, which was nice because I had wanted to see it anyway.
window shopping - $0
Had about 45 minutes to kill before the movie started, so I walked over to Winners to window shop. Actually, I didn't even really pay attention to the windows, I went straight in and checked out the racks. Now, some people hate going to Winners because they never seem to be able to find anything for themselves there. I'm in love with this store because while it may look like a tacky store, there are usually some great finds to be had. It's like a bazaar...you just have to dig around.
I found a pair of pyjama bottoms that i wanted to pick up, but remembering my $25 rule, I didn't make the purchase. I must admit that I sorta cheated though. I ended up placing them on hold and will probably go and pick them up tomorrow.
medium sized iced tea - $3.58
Back to the movie. The theatre was pretty empty, which was nice, so I had my pick of the seats. The last time I went to a movie myself was probably about five years ago, when I was living in Victoria. That time, I was pretty much forced to go by myself since I was new to town and didn't know anyone yet. I enjoyed the solo movie-going, but didn't like that I had to wait for my friends to go watch the flicks before discussing it with them, so I stopped doing it when I moved back to the mainland.
The movie itself was fun. I loved the metropolitan land of Far, Far, Away, copmlete with its own squeegie kids and Farbucks . The intertextual elements and references to other fairy tales was amusing too, and would have made a great essay for my Children's Lit. class if I was still a student.
fliping though magazines - $0
After the movie, I went to Chappies to flip through some magazines and browse the shelves for interesting titles. I tend to pre-shop before buying books. I look for interesting book covers and make a mental note of which books jump out at me, then I usually go home and read reviews and synopses online before narrowing down my choices. This way, I'm usually guaranteed to like the books that I buy. Neurotic, I know, but the pre-shopping concept kept me within my budget for the day since I didn't have to buy anything.
vintage hunting - $0
With about two or three dollars left in my pocket, I decided to hit the thrift store to see if I could score any cool vintage swag...cheap. I found a pink PUMA golf shirt and a striped GIVENCHY dress shirt, but at $4.99, they would have blown my budget for the day.
dvd rental - free
With that, I ended my day and headed home. Had a light tofu dinner and popped in the DVD that my sister rented last night.
grand total = $22.70
Not bad. Good times for under $25. Maybe I should do this on a more regular basis. I could get used to taking time off from work...
Aaaanyway, I'm not sure I've ever taken a day off from work in my life, so I wasn't sure what to do. First thing's first, I slept in. Well no, I actually woke up at the usual time, turned on the morning news and laughed at clips of the morning commute, had breakfast, then took another nap before packing my swim trunks and a towel and heading to the pool.
Before heading out, I stuffed $25 into my wallet, and haphazardly decided to make it a $25 day. Basically, the plan was that I'd try to entertain myself with just the money in my pocket...nothing more. Oh, and no pre-planning allowed, so no newspapers or movie listings, etc. So, here's a run-down of my day (format courtesy of mastercard).
pool admission & locker rental - $3.55
I was actually really excited to go to the pool. It's been years since I've been swimming, and I used to do it quite regularly. Heck, I went through Bronze Medallion, Bronze Cross, NLS, AquaLeaders, and Water Safety Instructor Certification. I was hardcore...once upon a time.
And now, I just suck. I made it through 400m before I had to stop and just sit in the kiddie pool to catch my breath and soak my aching muscles. (i don't even want to think about why the kiddie pool is warmer than the regular pool, so don't go there!)
sunshine - free
After my swim, I decided to enjoy the sunshine outside at the adjoining park. The pool itself is just off a highway, but there's plenty of greenspace around it, so it made for a good tanning location. I just whipped out my pool towel, and presto, change-o! Since it was an impromptu tan and I neglected to bring any sunscreen with me, I expected to get a little burnt, but so far, I'm only slightly pink. I hope this means I won't start peeling like a leper.
lunch - $7.02
For lunch, I devoured my Turkey Bacon Club and had a Honey Cruller for dessert, along with an Iced Cappuccino. Mmmm... Timmy HoHo's spreads this great honey mustard sauce on the club, and it's just delicious! Think of an Italian Mama with her lips to her fingers - "perfetto!"
movie admission - $8.55
In the spirit of spontaneity, I went to the ticket counter, asked what the next movie was going to be and bought a ticket for it. Turned out to be Shrek 2, which was nice because I had wanted to see it anyway.
window shopping - $0
Had about 45 minutes to kill before the movie started, so I walked over to Winners to window shop. Actually, I didn't even really pay attention to the windows, I went straight in and checked out the racks. Now, some people hate going to Winners because they never seem to be able to find anything for themselves there. I'm in love with this store because while it may look like a tacky store, there are usually some great finds to be had. It's like a bazaar...you just have to dig around.
I found a pair of pyjama bottoms that i wanted to pick up, but remembering my $25 rule, I didn't make the purchase. I must admit that I sorta cheated though. I ended up placing them on hold and will probably go and pick them up tomorrow.
medium sized iced tea - $3.58
Back to the movie. The theatre was pretty empty, which was nice, so I had my pick of the seats. The last time I went to a movie myself was probably about five years ago, when I was living in Victoria. That time, I was pretty much forced to go by myself since I was new to town and didn't know anyone yet. I enjoyed the solo movie-going, but didn't like that I had to wait for my friends to go watch the flicks before discussing it with them, so I stopped doing it when I moved back to the mainland.
The movie itself was fun. I loved the metropolitan land of Far, Far, Away, copmlete with its own squeegie kids and Farbucks . The intertextual elements and references to other fairy tales was amusing too, and would have made a great essay for my Children's Lit. class if I was still a student.
fliping though magazines - $0
After the movie, I went to Chappies to flip through some magazines and browse the shelves for interesting titles. I tend to pre-shop before buying books. I look for interesting book covers and make a mental note of which books jump out at me, then I usually go home and read reviews and synopses online before narrowing down my choices. This way, I'm usually guaranteed to like the books that I buy. Neurotic, I know, but the pre-shopping concept kept me within my budget for the day since I didn't have to buy anything.
vintage hunting - $0
With about two or three dollars left in my pocket, I decided to hit the thrift store to see if I could score any cool vintage swag...cheap. I found a pink PUMA golf shirt and a striped GIVENCHY dress shirt, but at $4.99, they would have blown my budget for the day.
dvd rental - free
With that, I ended my day and headed home. Had a light tofu dinner and popped in the DVD that my sister rented last night.
grand total = $22.70
Not bad. Good times for under $25. Maybe I should do this on a more regular basis. I could get used to taking time off from work...
Thursday, June 03, 2004
stick to your day job!
I went in to work today planning on moving some furniture around to make room for the new baby and ended up in somewhat of a mini remodel. I meant simply to re-assemble and reconfigure my desk system, in what was supposed to be a 'done in a day' project, but I got a little carried away.
When he swung by, Terry laughed and said, "This is why we plan our remodels ahead of time!" But I planned, I really did! One thing just lead to another, and another, and another...and before I knew it, I was tearing out a section of cabinetry, jimmying a plinth under the existing cabinets, and trying to weave my way around the scattered group of furniture piled in the middle of the room. Oy!
Heck, I work at The Big Blue, I'm fairly design-savvy and handy with tools - I thought I'd be able to pull it off without too many issues. Turns out I was wrong. *sigh* Here's to the disillusioned dreams of a graphic designer who thinks he can do double duty as an interior decorator. I need to go back tomorrow and finish off what I started. Thank goodness there's no shortage of office furniture at work for me to configure a new office system that will work for my needs. Gawd, I sound a little like an advert for the company.
as seen on tv
Just got a request from my Alma Mater to be part of a website video project:
This project is part of a larger Career Services initiative to develop a comprehensive website entitled "What Can I Do with My Major." This site will feature over 50 University majors, or programs of study, and each page will include discipline-specific information on the skills a student will have gained in the program, common occupations of graduates of that program, strategies for success in selected career paths, and links to relevant associations and interesting websites. Included in the Majors site will also be three pages of video clips featuring, respectively, University students, alumni, and professors from across the faculties.
We are hoping to video approximately 15 alumni - each video being about 1 1/2 - 2 minutes. The video process would probably take about 1 hour which could be conducted either at your office or on campus (depending on your preference).
Sounds intriguing. Perhaps this is my 15 minutes of fame. 14:59, 14:58, 14:57...
When he swung by, Terry laughed and said, "This is why we plan our remodels ahead of time!" But I planned, I really did! One thing just lead to another, and another, and another...and before I knew it, I was tearing out a section of cabinetry, jimmying a plinth under the existing cabinets, and trying to weave my way around the scattered group of furniture piled in the middle of the room. Oy!
Heck, I work at The Big Blue, I'm fairly design-savvy and handy with tools - I thought I'd be able to pull it off without too many issues. Turns out I was wrong. *sigh* Here's to the disillusioned dreams of a graphic designer who thinks he can do double duty as an interior decorator. I need to go back tomorrow and finish off what I started. Thank goodness there's no shortage of office furniture at work for me to configure a new office system that will work for my needs. Gawd, I sound a little like an advert for the company.
as seen on tv
Just got a request from my Alma Mater to be part of a website video project:
This project is part of a larger Career Services initiative to develop a comprehensive website entitled "What Can I Do with My Major." This site will feature over 50 University majors, or programs of study, and each page will include discipline-specific information on the skills a student will have gained in the program, common occupations of graduates of that program, strategies for success in selected career paths, and links to relevant associations and interesting websites. Included in the Majors site will also be three pages of video clips featuring, respectively, University students, alumni, and professors from across the faculties.
We are hoping to video approximately 15 alumni - each video being about 1 1/2 - 2 minutes. The video process would probably take about 1 hour which could be conducted either at your office or on campus (depending on your preference).
Sounds intriguing. Perhaps this is my 15 minutes of fame. 14:59, 14:58, 14:57...
Wednesday, June 02, 2004
i have my moments
Katija's moving to Montreal to be with her boyfriend, Chris. After doing the long distance thing for some time now, they've decided to take the plunge and move in together. While I'm happy for her, I'll definitely miss that fiery little redhead!
She came into my office this afternoon asking me to help her write a resignation letter so that she could make it official and get everything sorted out with payroll, etc. So, I tore off a sheet of A3 paper from my pad, grabbed a big, fat marker, wrote:
i quit!
*heart* katija
....coloured in the heart with a red marker, and handed it to her. "How's that?" I asked ginning. She laughed and brought the sheet over to the boss man, who pissed his pants.
I so funny.
scars are sexy, no?
While measuring my office today so that I could CAD it and rearrange some of the furniture in there, I gashed myself along my left temple. It bled a lot and started throbbing, but my vision didn't blur and I was able to pass the 'how many fingers am I holding up?' test, so according to the first aid attendant at work, I'll be okay.
The only hitch is that the thing I gashed myself against was metal, so there's a remote possibility of getting a tetanus infection. I think I got shots a few years ago, so I should be safe. However, if I start blogging incoherently, then you can assume the worst.
I so clumsy.
She came into my office this afternoon asking me to help her write a resignation letter so that she could make it official and get everything sorted out with payroll, etc. So, I tore off a sheet of A3 paper from my pad, grabbed a big, fat marker, wrote:
i quit!
*heart* katija
....coloured in the heart with a red marker, and handed it to her. "How's that?" I asked ginning. She laughed and brought the sheet over to the boss man, who pissed his pants.
I so funny.
scars are sexy, no?
While measuring my office today so that I could CAD it and rearrange some of the furniture in there, I gashed myself along my left temple. It bled a lot and started throbbing, but my vision didn't blur and I was able to pass the 'how many fingers am I holding up?' test, so according to the first aid attendant at work, I'll be okay.
The only hitch is that the thing I gashed myself against was metal, so there's a remote possibility of getting a tetanus infection. I think I got shots a few years ago, so I should be safe. However, if I start blogging incoherently, then you can assume the worst.
I so clumsy.
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