My co-workers insist I've gone mad, but I think it's because they're blind to the horrible truth that there are, in fact, gnomes at work in the building.

Each night I go home leaving my desk area unmolested. It's in prime condition with a row of assembled Kinder Surpise toys lining one end of my shelf, a small Kubrick Spider-Man figure hanging from my inbox tray, and a few pictures scattered around my area.

And then I come back the next morning and things are... different.

It started with Spider-Man. He was fine and dandy most of the time, but then one day I came in and he was facing the wrong way. Nathan, one of my co-workers was my first suspect. He's had it in for me since I started chucking paper clips at him. He denies it, but I'm still not sure.

It happened again the next day and the day after. Then things seemed fine.

Until I looked at my Kinder toys. Someone clearly moved my metal X-Men figurines around. They were all together, then suddenly apart.

Today it got worse. Two toys that were previously "chasing" each other now faced each other. The X-Men were moved out of order. My martian Kinder had flown away to the other end of the table.

This is the work of an evil genius. One who must be stopped.

I still suspect Nathan, as he's here long after the rest of us go home. I wish there was some way to set up a trap to catch the culprit. They all tell me I'm paranoid, or that the cleaner's are having a go at me.

I'll get them. I'll make them ALL pay.
Posted by Parallel
Thursday, April 28, 2005 at 11:41 p.m. | 0 comments

Arthur and Marvin... or Jer, Victoria, Paul, Catherine and myself tomorrow on the way to Big Turk's for the weekend. It shall be glorious. Hopefully we'll get out to see this flick along the way. Posted by Hello
Posted by Parallel
Tuesday, April 26, 2005 at 5:20 p.m. | 0 comments
September can't come quickly enough in my opinion. Not only will it mean the end of my exile here at this job, but it also brings Joss Whedon's feature film version of the incredible show, Firefly, to the big screen.

All of the original cast are back in a trailer that is fun, fast, furious, and stylish. For those of you who, like me, couldn't get enough, at least this juicy offering will help overcome the pangs of its cancellation.

Oh yeah, I mentioned the trailer. It's online NOW at www.apple.com/trailers.

Go see it. Then post your comments in the chatterbox. It's really good looking. The only person I didn't spot was Ron Glass as Shepherd Book, though I know he's in the film. Nathan Fillion, aka Malcolm Reynolds, gets the juiciest parts.

"Define bad situation." - Mal
"Oh god, oh god, we're all going to die?" - Wash

Brilliant.
Posted by Parallel
Wednesday, April 20, 2005 at 12:02 p.m. | 0 comments
Shortly after he was elected to the Holy office, Catherine sent me a brief message about her first impression of the Pope.

"Have you seen the new Pope, yet? He looks shifty."

Every time I see a picture of him I DO think he looks shifty, and feel the need to make me eyes dart left and right quickly like a certain dog on The Simpsons.

Any thoughts?
Posted by Parallel
Friday, April 15, 2005 at 1:39 p.m. | 0 comments
You will come back from within yourself
you can be art when we melt
and I will know what you were for
I say we're leaving

There ain't nothing here at all
Another day, a week, the mall
and baby, if I was in demand
You would be mine

Some day, this place is gonna burn
Is your whole life in there waiting?
Some day, your head is gonna turn
And you'll realize I'm missing
Do you realize?

You will come back, convince yourself
You can stay alive and wait for me
And I will know what this was for
And I'll say we're leaving

There ain't nothing here at all
Another month, a year, that's all
So we can tell them I'm coming out
Who's coming with me?

Some day, this place is gonna burn
Is your whole life in there waiting?
Some day, their heads are gonna turn
And they'll realize you're missing.

You're missing
We are there

- MGB
Posted by Parallel
Thursday, April 14, 2005 at 9:18 a.m. | 0 comments
The Juggernaut is in the house.

According to a scoop on Coming Soon (you'll have to cut and paste this link as my Mac at work doesn't have all the options) http://www.superherohype.com/news/x-mennews.php?id=2845, Vinnie Jones is currently in talks to play Professor X's half-brother, Cain Marko... aka The Juggernaut, in the upcoming X-Men 3.

This would be very cool if done right. A waste of time if it isn't. Still, one of the biggest things missing from X-Men 2 was a REALLY good brawl between super-powered characters. They were mutants, but didn't use their powers in battle as much as I would have liked.

I'll be there for this one.

So far Hugh Jackman, Famke Jansen, and Alan Cumming are set to return. Everyone else is in talks.

It comes out in 2006.
Posted by Parallel
Wednesday, April 13, 2005 at 11:25 a.m. | 0 comments
Just because it was a lyric in a song I was just listening to doesn't make it any less relevant a question.

"Can money pay for all the days I've lived awake but half asleep?"

What am I doing here?
Posted by Parallel
Tuesday, April 12, 2005 at 10:50 p.m. | 2 comments
For my dear, sweet, Catherine who today turns 26. I love you more with each passing day and can't imagine what my life would be like without coming home to hold you in my arms.

I love you today, tomorrow, and forever.

You look so cute asleep in bed right now.

I'm glad you had a nice day.
Posted by Parallel
This was an article in today's Metro and I wanted to post it for a couple of reasons.

1. I think it's kind of ridiculous. Society is becoming way too picky for its own good.
2. I figured Catherine would find it funny. My job is to amuse her.

"Cookie Monster, the blue furry muppet known for his penchant for cookies, will be eating less of his favourite food in the coming season, CBC.ca reports.

The change in Cookie Monster's diet is part of a new focus on television's Sesame Street, one that will stress healty eating habits for children."

It's official, the world has gone nuts.
Posted by Parallel
Thursday, April 07, 2005 at 7:56 p.m. | 0 comments
“A Subway sandwich shop employee in Edmonton, Alberta, somehow managed to activate the burglar alarm and disarm two men who were attempting to rob him at knifepoint. Scared by the sandwich maker’s heroics, the felons fled the scene. The Subway employee pursued the would-be thieves, shouting that there was no harm done and that he’d gladly make them free sandwiches if they came back. Amazingly, they did! Police arrived minutes later and arrested the hungry thieves, who were patiently waiting in line for a Cold Cut Trio.”

—Stuff magazine
Posted by Parallel
Monday, April 04, 2005 at 1:55 p.m. | 0 comments
Jer, Aaron and I ventured forth to see this comic book-turned-film on the big screen. While it has a lot of value in terms of cinematography, I found the execution to be a bit overwhelming. As a comic book fan, I appreciate the literalness of the translation, but I can imagine the uniniated arriving to the show and finding it a bit wanting.

Some found the endless narration jarring, and others will be blown away by the brutality of the film.

The biggest impression that the movie will leave with me, however, had nothing to do with what was on screen.

It was the audience. The crazy fucking audience.

There were people smoking hash somewhere in the theatre. I can't confirm it, but my suspicions fall on the guy in the back who laughed REALLY loudly at anything and everything. Apparently others noticed it as well as during the third act theatre employees stood on both sides of the theatre and were scanning the crowd. It was a bit disconcerting.

Add to the fact that the guys behind us were drunk. You could smell it clearly, especially on the breath of the guy who leaned forward in his seat. He kept knocking over glass bottles the whole time.

The woman beside Aaron kept falling asleep. This wouldn't have been bad if she hadn't cried out when Aaron got up to go to the bathroom. I thought it was quite funny.

The guys in front of us wouldn't take off their hats.

All of this was crazy and could be explained any number of ways. They were prepping for the bar or a party, maybe they had already been out for a good time. Then again, seeing as how it was a matinee and showed at 4 in the afternoon, maybe they were just idiots.

Oh, and they showed the movie and the Star Wars trailer. That was good.
Posted by Parallel
Wednesday, March 30, 2005 at 4:26 p.m. | 0 comments
This is from the Globe and Mail's Social Studies: "Of all the terrifying
circumstances to which one's home is vulnerable, nothing equals
that of a guest who stares straight at one's bookshelves," wrote Roger
Rosenblatt in Time magazine more than a decade ago. "It is when
those eyes stop moving that your heart, too, stops. The guest's body
twitches; his hand floats up to where his eyes have led it. There is
nothing to be done. You freeze. You hear the question even as it
forms: 'Would you mind if I borrowed this book? . . .'One has books;
one has friends; they are bound to meet."

I realize it's been more than a little while since I last posted but I have a REALLY good excuse: I'm lazy.

That's about it. Sometimes there's nothing one can do to become motivated to write endless pieces of drivel about their day, life, job or other circumstance.

For those of you who care, the new Fantastic Four trailer is out and I'm still uncertain what I think about it. Paul is falling on the cautious side while I'm sure that Jer already hates it even though I don't think he's seen it.

Aaron would just shrug. It's his way. Don't judge.
Posted by Parallel
Monday, March 21, 2005 at 11:11 p.m. | 0 comments
Anything that, in happening, causes something else to happen, causes something else to happen.
Posted by Parallel
Sunday, March 20, 2005 at 11:23 p.m. | 0 comments
Anything that happens, happens.
Posted by Parallel
Friday, March 18, 2005 at 6:38 p.m. | 0 comments
... or encouraged. Honestly, at this point I'm not sure which side of the fence I fall on.

For those of you in the dark, Lucas made an announcement today that for the 30th Anniversary of Star Wars, the films would be released, one a year starting in 2007, in 3-D. This is a true story.

What's more interesting is that Peter Jackson has made comments about doing something similar with Lord of the Rings. What's more, apparently he's already done it with some of the footage.

Don't get me wrong, I'll be there front and center for all of this because I'm a consumer whore. It's just that Lucas and his madness of forty different versions must be stopped sooner or later. I'm told that in 2017, for the 40th Anniversary, there will be smell-o-vision and actual garbage will get dumped on us during the trash compactor scene.

Again, I'll likely be there.

It's too bad that these films need the size of the theatre to really work, though, as watching them on a TV at home will likely lose the effect. Unless you're Paul who owns a projector, and I'm assuming by the time the movies actually come out will have bought his own theatre.

Star Wars. In 3-D. Wild.
Posted by Parallel
Tuesday, March 15, 2005 at 8:14 p.m. | 0 comments
I am not rich. I must stop acting as though I am.

I admit I've hit a bit of a spending streak lately that really must stop. I've managed to stop shy of getting carried away, though.

Part of it is due to finally getting a job. I bought a nice present for Catherine and picked up something for myself as well. Seemed only right. Then of course I had to pay for my karate grading, and I didn't realize I had to pay off that much on my credit card...

Then came a couple of games (board and video) that didn't cost that much individually, but they add up.

Not to stop there, I went and picked up the latest series of Marvel Legends figures today which included War Machine, Dr. Strange, Professor X, and Nightcrawler. I had no choice. Each figure comes with a piece of a giant figure, in this case Galactus, and I only need to secure one more to have the whole figure. The thing is a giant at 16".

Still, the cash ride is over for the moment. Everything is taken care of that needed it. Well, I suppose I didn't HAVE to buy season 4 of Buffy, but it was used (or sold as used... it was still in the original packaging)... and I guess I don't NEED to buy U2 tickets this Saturday... but I will. It's too bad I couldn't buy them closer to the actual concert date which is in September. Can I count them as a September purchase?

No worries as I do have the money for all this. I haven't gone nuts.

Yet.
Posted by Parallel
Sunday, March 13, 2005 at 8:26 p.m. | 0 comments
• Chou Remains Cremated

• New housing for elderly not yet dead

• SILENT TEAMSTER GETS CRUEL PUNISHMENT: LAWYER

• GREEKS FINE HOOKERS

• Federal Agents Raid Gun Shop, Find Weapons

• SHOUTING MATCH ENDS TEACHER’S HEARING

• YELLOW SNOW STUDIED TO TEST NUTRITION

• County Wants Money for Taking Dump
Posted by Parallel
Tuesday, March 08, 2005 at 8:21 p.m. | 0 comments

Ah, that graceful Campbell style of eating... Rory Marie... 8 months old. Posted by Hello
Posted by Parallel
As per his chatterbox instructions, I gave Brody a call. He's up north at the moment (and has been for a year... or at least that's how long since he was last in Guelph), and doing just fine. He and Lisa are having a great time raising little 8-month old Rory Marie.

We've vowed to email each other much more often than the never it's been so far. I find it funny that we don't talk much as I still consider Brody to be one of my best friends. That's all fixed now, however, as he's sent the opening email to me and I've already applied.

As per my request, Brody has already fired off a group of pictures of his lovely daughter. The first thought I had was "she looks just like him" followed quickly by "that poor, hairy, baby."

I hope to see my friend again soon as it's been too long. Whenever I see Brody, things just seem to make sense again. It's probably just his open and honest nature and great sense of humor. He's just one of those guys that makes day-to-day life a bit more enjoyable.

It might be the beer.

Ah, if Brody was around, the video games we'd play would be endless. Poor Rory would be fatherless as her Dad would stumble home late at night with bloodshot eyes from staring at screens.

Not a bad life, if you ask me. And perhaps better than the day-to-day operations up at Pickle Lake. Brody, I salute you.
Posted by Parallel
Saturday, March 05, 2005 at 11:44 a.m. | 0 comments
This, one and all, has to be my personal record for the longest time in between blog entries. In fact, it would be longer, but I'm avoiding doing work on a Saturday at the moment.

It's been a while, so I'll bring you all up to speed: I have a job now at a company called First Media Group. This is not the glorious job I feel I was promised in the early days of my youth and in fact the job itself can be boring and repetitive. On the bright side, however, this is my first real annual salary kind of job and I'm not about to mess it up.

I'm a production artist there and I lay out ads for many major and minor papers around Canada. We'll be expanding our efforts to the States eventually, and I'm sure my head will explode. It's only been one week, but already I've stayed late on three of the four days I've worked.

Hopefully this extra effort will cease.

In other news, Marvel is celebrating the 10th Anniversary of the Age of Apocalypse. One of the best X-Men stories to have ever been produced, all the original books are going to be collected in four massive trade paperbacks. Like a good little boy, I'll likely buy all of them when they come out.

In addition, Marvel is producing a six-issue limited series and a one-shot. I have the first issues of both, and I must say I'm rather impressed. 10 years is a lot of time to lose the magic, but so far so good.

Also, this week saw the release of Ultimate Iron Man. Normally I wouldn't announce such a project, but this one happens to be written by my favorite author, Orson Scott Card (Ender's Game). It's being drawn by Andy Kubert (Origin), another favorite, and worth taking a look at. By taking a look I'm sure most of you will take this to mean it's okay to read my issue.

Catherine and I are shuffling along and doing well. She's just completed her Felicity collection on DVD and is busy trying to get me to cheer up about getting a job. You'd think I'd be celebrating, but somehow it feels like the end of all there is...

Hrm.
Posted by Parallel
Visit the Site
MARVEL and SPIDER-MAN: TM & 2007 Marvel Characters, Inc. Motion Picture © 2007 Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 2007 Sony Pictures Digital Inc. All rights reserved. blogger template by blog forum