Friday, January 20, 2006
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9:59 a.m.
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 Up until recently, the box that alters the way people watch television was restricted to use in the United States only. Tivo is a DVR (digital video recorder) and though it would be easy to pass it off as a new-age VCR, there is so much more to it.
I picked up an 80hr Humax Tivo DVD Recorder through the States (read below to see the complicated process that is worth the effort). In addition to storing up to 80hrs of television programming, I can also burn and play DVDs of my favorite shows and movies. This frees up the hard drive and also makes for a tidy collection. My connection is simple: just a standard cable set up, but the package is so thorough that it contains a huge amount of telephone cord, a coaxial cable, a/v cables, a telephone cable splitter box, and cable to connect a satellite dish or cable box if you have one (I don't). This thing would work off an antenna.
 Tivo also features some of the following: pause and rewind live TV, create a "wishlist" of shows you'd like the Tivo to record and it will do so across channels. If you like the Simpson's, simply ask the Tivo to record any and all instances of the show. There goes that 80hrs quickly. If you want a show that hasn't been on in quite some time, ask Tivo to look for it and even if it's two years later and the show comes on, Tivo will record it.
Forget to program it before you left home? EMAIL the thing, and it will tape your show. It also offers full TV Guide program listings, can be connected to your home computer, play MP3s, display your pictures, and walk your dog. For any channel you're viewing, it stores up to half an hour in its memory so if you walk away and missed a scene, forgetting to pause the Tivo, just rewind. Many people will wait until 20 minutes into an hour long show before they sit down to watch it so they can skip commericals.
As for recording, you can record one channel and watch another, or watch a recorded show while taping another. It's pretty darn convenient. The Tivo remote is fully compatible with everything else nearby, so you can set it up to do everything at once.
Canada has it's own DVRs offered through Shaw and Rogers, but these are typically tied directly in to your cable bills and subscriptions and if you're like me and feel that Rogers controls too much of the free world, it feels nice to have a non-affiliated box to save your favorite programs with. Also, at this stage, Rogers does not have a DVR capable of playing and burning DVDs as well.
 While Tivo recently announced that it now offers Canadian service, that doesn't mean that you should head to Future Shop to try and buy one. The process is still complicated, though Jamie says that an article in the Windsor Star indicates that they will soon be sold here in Canada.
At this point, Tivo is only sold in the United States, and many retailers do not ship across the border. There are a couple, such as Weaknees.com, who will, but for those who have a US connection, this is what you should do:
1. Use MasterCard over Visa if you can. People have had trouble with the latter and I had no issues with MasterCard. Call them and get them to add a US address as a second BILLING address. Make sure you state billing, not shipping. Having someone to send it to is crucial, otherwise a stranger will get your Tivo.
The reason for this is that while Tivo supports Canadian users, their online store is not set up for Canadian credit card addresses. I recommend Tivo.com over US versions of Walmart or Best Buy, because Tivo has the best deals. You get a year-long subscription and $150 off the recorder straight away. If you just want a 40hr Tivo, you can get one with a year subscription for about $50 US.
2. Calling Tivo. It's a waste of time, because their service reps can't use your Canadian card data either. Also, the 1-800 isn't available to call from most areas in the GTA. I could do it at work through our telecom system, or if you really want to call, use a free web service like SKYPE.COM to call for you. Get the billing address changed, then just use that on their website. I had no issues with this, and it took about 5 business days for it to arrive at my shipping address.
3. The set-up: I went through this last night and it's LARGELY a painless process. There are a few hiccups that I didn't see on helpful forums such as TIVOCANADA.COM or http://forums.tivo.com.
When activating your Tivo online, you have to enter your address differently. It says how on the site, so I won't get into it, but your address will partly read LEO, WY, 82327. This is the default for Canada at the present.
 During guided set-up with your Tivo, you'll hit a snag. It asks for your area code, give it and it identifies your city, but it asks for your zip code, and you enter 82327 and it lists Wyoming. When it asks for your local cable provider, it also reads a local Wyoming station which you should select, but it WILL MESS UP your listings.
Here's what you do:
- Go through the guided setup selecting 82327 as the ZIP code
- Enter in your area code, then select the appropriate call in number that isn't long distance for you
- Tivo connects via telephone for a small program update
- Select the default Wyoming cable provider and channels it finds
- The guided setup states it's done and the update will take 4-8 hours to complete. You can watch TV only through the Tivo but don't stress it's not done yet.
- Navigate to http://research.tivo.com/72priority/ then enter your 15 digit Tivo service number. This should tell Tivo to download the latest software to your Tivo asap
- (I have not yet received my update, but the site says it can be up to 3 days)
- Now click your Tivo button, select settings, then "restart your Tivo", and select "restart guided setup".
- When you get to the ZIP code entry screen push the "enter" button on your Tivo remote, enter your postal code on the next screen
- Now select the local cable service provider
- Tivo connects, downloads your local program updates and you're done!
 So, it's a bit of a pain, but I'm guessing it will become much easier once they're available in Canada. If you want one, I suggest you head to tivo.com in the near future and buy it from them. Total cost for me, once I had the recorder and a lifetime service agreement (you don't have to pay anything again, otherwise after the year of service it's about $13 US a month), was a bit over $500 CND. Bye-bye Christmas money.
This thing is heavy as well. About 18 lbs. total. There are a/v inputs on the front and back of the machine, so if you so desire, you can hook up your Nintendo, Xbox, VCR, whatever into it. Handy, huh?
But that's it. A few steps, yes, but nothing too extreme. Hope it helps to any of you reading this who are interested. If you're not and I just did all this for nothing, then I hate you all.
Thursday, January 19, 2006
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10:50 a.m.
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 That's what this blog seems like sometimes. Either I'm posting every day, or there's nearly a week in between posts. I blame it on a lack of an interesting existence. Though I'm acutely aware that I have all of my friends and family out there to service. All of you who don't call.
I don't call either. But I have a reason: I'm lazy.
So, this is an expensive week in the Gerow-Wilkinson household. Despite my pessimistic attitude, it seems that Catherine and I are indeed goin to China this July for a three-week stint, where we will meet up with Catherine's brother, David.
We booked it and everything. Catherine, of course, gets the window seat. Fine my me, as on a 13 hour flight I'm happy to have the aisle to stretch my legs out a little. This means weeks of prep, light packing, needles, passports, and lots of other insane bits. Thankfully David went through all of this last year, so we know what to expect. And we have 6 months to prepare.
Catherine is using up all of her holidays at once for this, but since I only get two weeks vacation... who knows what will happen. I'm hoping to be going to teacher's college in September, so this might be a good time to leave my job. God help me if I don't get in.
Very excited about the trip though. Catherine's even more hyper, as she's hoping to get to hold a panda. She's obsessed, really. She got a panda mousepad (which sucks as a mousepad), so she's using it as a picture on her desk at work. I seriously doubt she has one of me at her job. I have one of her, though, so I'm the more dedicated partner in the relationship.
Other than that, TIVO is supposed to arrive today. In fact, it's en route. I can smell it. Or maybe that's Nathan. Full TIVO review tomorrow!
Friday, January 13, 2006
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10:46 a.m.
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 There is a moment in my life I keep coming back to. The kind that crystalizes in your mind, a feeling, a place, a person that becomes part of the core of who you are. This one involves my grandmother.
Ada Wilkinson, one of the kindest souls I have ever met, eventually had no choice but to live in a retirement ward in a hospital in Scarborough. Going there wasn't fun as the smell of anti-septics, medication, and entrophy was absorbed into everything. Even the white floors glistened with the off-white yellow stain that only sunlight and constant wear can drive into objects.
My father went every weekend to see her. One of my greatest shames is that I didn't go as often as I could have, not because I didn't love my grandmother, but that I couldn't bear the feeling of sadness that came with those trips. You don't make them that often when people are strong and healthy. Only when it's near the end.
One day, my father and I took my grandmother into a hall in the building. It was dark, and only a few lights lit the stage and a grand piano on the floor in front of it. The tables had sheets on them, chairs turned upside down to help the cleaners polish the floors. The balcony was empty.
I asked her if she came here often. "Not often, lovey. They have some people come to play, but not often."
I can play the piano. It's a skill that has fallen off as I haven't done it in any regular amounts for years. At that point, I was still tinkering often enough that I felt okay sitting on the bench, lifting the lid, and brushing off the dusty keys. I'd written a few songs in my spare time. Nothing to make Mozart envious, but nothing to cringe at. I could also play a few contemporary songs. I knew it would make her happy.
The music wasn't any different than any other time I played, but somehow it was stronger and richer than I had ever heard. It filled up the hall and into those dark spaces. My grandmother had her eyes closed and she gently tapped her leg with her hand, keeping time with the music.
As time went on, others came in when they heard the music. There were two people in the balcony, quietly listening. It was my first real audience. I can imagine them walking down the hall and hearing it. Being curious and grateful for the distraction.
When I finally stopped, all too soon now in my mind's eye, there was polite applause. My grandmother smiled and told me she thought it was beautiful.
My grandmother gave me a piano when I was a boy. I learned how to play it, but I never loved it. I didn't understand what a gift it was, what a gift it came to be. She passed away a few years ago. I remember crying when I got the call.
This moment was brought back to my mind by a song driven heavily by a piano. Most songs like it do. The song is 'The Scientist' by Coldplay.
"Nobody said it was easy
It's such a shame for us to part
Nobody said it was easy
No one ever said it would be this hard
Oh take me back to the start"
Thursday, January 12, 2006
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3:32 p.m.
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 (LEFT: Variant cover from Spider-Man: The Other, BELOW: Iron Spidey costume sketch). Since it has already been brought to my attention more than once, I figured I'd chime in on Spider-Man's supposedly 'new' costume from Marvel. It's ugly. Yet in some ways, I find it cool.
I can imagine that Toy Biz, the company responsible for making Marvel Legends figures, had a moment of bliss when this image was released because they're brainstorming a way to make yet another useless Spider-Man figure. Apparently, Toy Biz, in order to make their toys as marketable as possible, must include a Spider-Man, Wolverine, or Iron Man in each wave of its figures in order to entice retailers.
That's probably the only way that b-characters are going to make their way through.
At any rate, Spider-Armour guy is going to follow Marvel's 'The Other' crossover which I know absolutely nothing about. What I do know about, however, are trends. This will quickly grow tired and the costume will be dropped, most likely close to the start of the next movie as the iconic version is the one that sells the best.
Designed by Marvel Editor-In-Chief Joe Quesada, this new design has a few tricks up its sleeve.
"The Iron Spider design - as I like to call it - came to me during a Spider-Man story meeting we were having, we were talking and I was involuntarily sketching on a pad. It's inspired by a sketch that Chris Bachalo did that showed a new Spidey costume with [CLASSIFIED]. I thought that was brilliant, especially since it echoed one of Spidey's greatest villains, and I took the idea and imagined it as though seeing it through the eyes of Tony Stark. The sky's the limit with respect to gadgetry when it comes to Tony inspired costumes."
Still, it's an interesting short-term look.
 Marvel on the whole is a strange place these days. For years I wanted to get in there as an intern or editor in the aim of making myself a writer. This has not happened yet, but I'm working on getting more writing credits. The other two aspects, however, just don't hold the same appeal.
I'm finding that to be true for a lot of things lately, such as journalism. Maybe it's just life and experience, but nothing other than teaching seems to be holding my interest lately. Maybe it's working in an office that doesn't value you very much or figuring out that it's not the office that's messed up, but the whole system of working in the first place.
Nothing I can do except keep looking and keep trying. At least I'll have a new Spider-Man figure to tide me over.
PS. The Tivo has dropped in Buffalo. I might get it tomorrow, or early next week. It depends on my co-worker and whether she can come or not.
I'm not very patient.
Tuesday, January 10, 2006
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4:51 p.m.
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I didn't expect to be posting today, but some things are so creepy and ridiculous that you can't help but want to showcase it for everyone who may not have been expecting a web treat.
Here it is, direct from that video site (well, not direct, you'll have to cut and paste) and watch this inspirational video full of horrid singing, bizarre lyrics, cringe-worthy photos, and everything else you'll ever need to convince you that you need to avoid Appalachian State University.
HOT HOT HOT?
Not not not.
http://www.thatvideosite.com/view/1445.html
Monday, January 09, 2006
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4:33 p.m.
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 I recently discovered this song by Gorillaz, and I must say it's quite the catchy tune. Normally I don't go in for this sort of thing, but the 'feel good' repetition is just hypnotic.
That's it. That's all of my news. There really isn't much else going on, except that I'm adjusting badly to being back at work. I finally got to a place where I was okay with what I did, but now it just seems more and more pointless. Almost like repeating a grade for the third or fourth time (which I never did, not even once. I's smart).
Jer and I went on a long walk to nowhere on the weekend, then played Rebel Commando for his Xbox. Not a bad game overall, though I still remain a faithful Halo enthusiast. NHL 2004 got Catherine playing and she's expressing a desire for sports games. I'll have to weed that out of her. Or else get more friends.
My Tivo will hopefully arrive later this week. I'm quite jazzed about it, though where I'm going to find time in between season 2 and 3 of Alias, freshly purchased, I have no idea. I've become addicted to television, though oddly enough I don't seem to mind.
A bizarre twist in my Marvel book writing, is that my local comic shop, the Beguiling, has asked if I'll sign the copies that I get in next week. That's cool, but way too odd. It feels like I'm defacing comics, not adding .5 cents to their value.
If it even has any beyond the cool factor for me.
Almost time to go home, go to United Open Karate, feed Truffle, feed myself, and relax with Catherine. Not a bad life, I tell ya.
Friday, January 06, 2006
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1:00 p.m.
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 Just when you think the New Year is going to get off to a slow and uneventful start, things begin to happen. You go back to work, think things are slow, realize there aren't any more holidays until Easter, then you cry, then things start to happen.
The first bit of news is that X-Men: The 198 Files has now been released by Marvel. Written by my co-publisher and friend, Eric J. Moreels, Marc-Oliver Frisch, and myself, Brian Wilkinson.
For those who have known me for years, my ambition has been to get my name in a Marvel book in the credits as writer. For as long as I can remember, this has been my dream. I never thought it would happen, but there it is. I was even asked to sign the copies my comic book store owner got in.
It's just a handbook, nothing major. Not even the proper kind of comic book writing that I wanted to do. Still, it's paid freelance work for a company thousands have dreamed of writing for and failed. That's a big success in my mind.
It's available now and your local comic shop for $5.75 CND.
The other news, and substantially more important in the grand scheme of things, is that Jamie and Nicole are going to become parents. No, not to a new pet as many would immediatley think, but to an actual baby. A human. Good grief, Charlie Brown.
This news blows my mind.
Jamie and Nic told me via messenger yesterday. Apparently, Nicole gave Jamie a present on Christmas Eve that read "From Nicole, Morgan (their dog), and the baby." Jamie, being Jamie, began to look around for what he assumed to be a new puppy. Nicole had to explain it to him. Then, apparently, Jamie didn't speak for several hours.
While not planned, both of them seem to be happy, if not somewhat shocked themselves. I can't think of someone who will be a better mother than Nicole, so she'll more than balance out Jamie whom I expect to be the permissive parent. At least the kid will be rolling in video games, board games, and action figures. My kind of parent.
Congrats to both of you and good luck. We're here for you.
Saturday, December 31, 2005
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7:01 p.m.
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I know, I know... it's been more than a week since I put anything into this blog, but I have a REALLY good reason...
I couldn't be bothered. I'm on vacation and LOVING it.
Yes, it's true, I was away on vacation (and good lord did I need one) and couldn't be bothered to type. Where did I go for my first vacation this year? Well, nowhere. I sat at home with Catherine. Though we did do a lot of shopping.
Christmas went well. After work on the 23rd Catherine and I went to my mother's house where we met up with my brother, Graydon, and his girlfriend Tammy. We opened presents (I got a very nice jacket and sweater), had dinner, and went to bed after Graydon and Tammy went home.
The next day we went back into the city to meet up with Catherine's parents. We had dinner, picked up our mass assortment of presents, grabbed Truffle, and headed to Brantford for Christmas.
This would be the first Christmas in years where I didn't have to run all over the world in one day. We woke up, opened stockings, had breakfast, opened presents, then had dinner. The whole day was over in the blink of an eye, yet somehow it lasted longer than any Christmas has in years.
The next day was the Wilkinson family Christmas, so Catherine and I went to Guelph. There we saw my Dad, Bern, all of her kids, and my best friend, Chris. Even snuck in a phonecall with Jer during all the fun.
After that, a day in Brantford (watched Harry Potter 4 again), then came home with Truffle on Wednesday. From there, returned gifts as needed, shopped around, got a bargain or two, and largely stayed at home and watched season 1 of Alias (a lovely gift from my father).
Gift highlights:
I make this list more for myself to look at in the coming years, but the rest of you can enjoy as well. No, no Xbox 360 on this list as I'm holding out for a Nintendo Revolution and preparing to order a TIVO from the States.
What I gave Catherine:
Wrapped in one giant box thanks to Larrie from work, I got her a purse from Jacob, Sex & The City season 4 (she got season 5 from my father), a pair of slippers, and an FM Transmitter for her iPod that didn't work and had to be replaced. We did this yesterday and I picked up one that was $20 more money, but on sale for less than the price of the original one I bought her. It may have been a mistake, but I was happy to not point it out.
Truffle got her an egg spatula. Catherine was pleased.
My list is more extensive, but this is my blog, not hers.
I got season 1 of Alias (from my dad), a new fan (from my dad), season 1 of the Batman Animated Series, Serenity, a new sweater, body pillow cover, and Colouretto (a game) all from Catherine. I also picked up more sweaters, shirts, a jacket, lots of Kinder Surprises, a UWO game, a couple of books, cash, and lots of memories that I will soon forget.
This was the year of my buying DVD sets for people. I made season 1 of Lost for my father, brother, uncle, and Nathan, then gave Sex & The City to my mother and Catherine (please, no jokes), Dead Like Me to my father, season 3 of Buffy to my brother, and Firefly to my uncle. What can I say? Catherine and I enjoy our TV. Hence the purchase (soon) of a Tivo.
Tivos are amazing. I just wanted to say that.
Other than that, vacation is winding down as is this year. This is it for this year, new posts on the horizon, new adventures, and hopefully lots of positive change. If not, I expect to go postal mid-April.
Watch for it!
Happy New Year!
Thursday, December 22, 2005
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11:22 a.m.
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With the holidays once again upon us, we are bombarded with Christmas specials old and new alike. For no reason other than I want to, I'm going to present you with four of my holiday favorites.
 1. A Christmas Story
Produced in 1983, this low-budget film probably didn't have aspirations of becoming a holiday classic, but the infamous "You'll shoot your eye out, kid!" found its way into our hearts. The movie, based on a book by Jean Shepperd, follows young Ralphie and his endless pursuit for a BB gun that no one seems to think is safe for him to have.
Great moments include sticking your tongue onto a frozen metal pole, the pink rabbit suit, the leg lamp, and the Santa Claus from Hell. As holiday classics go, no film captures Christmas so well as this film. I don't know what it is about it that reminds me of my own family so much, but it's stuck in my hearts. Catherine's family hasn't seen it, so I've bought it to show them what they've been missing.
 2. National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
Some would say this is the most crucial of all holiday films to watch and aside from A Christmas Story, I'm prone to agree. Chevy Chase's film about a holiday gone wrong when his family all visits for Christmas is hilarious and each year manages to impress and delight.
Randy Quaid stands out in this film as Cousin Eddie, and if you look closely you'll notice Juliette Lewis as Audrey, Doris Roberts (Everybody Loves Raymond) as Chase's mother-in-law, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Seinfeld) as the the stuck-up neighbour.
Gotta love this movie for the huge tree, the house of a million Christmas lights, and the dead cat. Every holiday ends well if there's a dead cat involved.
 3. Scrooged
An update of the Charle's Dickens classic has Bill Murray taking on the role of a man visited by ghosts to show him the error of his ways and teach him the true meaning of Christmas. This film could easily have become heavy-handed, but the entertaining ghosts, including Carol Kane as the Ghost of Christmas Present, kept things light.
Bill Murray was outstanding in this movie, and I remember the first time I saw it I was more than a little scared. It seemed dark at the time, particularly the Ghost of Christmas Future, but now I can't get enough of it. I'm still hooked to Al Green and Annie Lennox's 'Put A Little Love In Your Heart' song from the end of the movie.
Great scenes include Bobcat Goldthwait and his shotgun rampage as well as seeing Murray and Kane beat the snot out of each other.
 4. Elf
A new entry, yet somehow timeless already. Will Ferrel knocks it out of the park in this Jon Favreau (Swingers) film about a grown man living among Santa's elves at the North Pole. Ferrel is appropriately clueless about how the outside world works when he goes off in search of his human father played by James Caan.
I loved that Caan had a very controlled performance while Ferrel was reigned in just short of Jim Carey-type excessiveness. Ferrel was endearing as Buddy and seeing him lean in to Caan and loudly whisper "I like to whisper too!" fills me with the giggles.
Other great moments are fighting with the fake Santa, syrup on everything, and of course Will Ferrel crushing Bob Newhart by sitting on his lap. This movie will make the rounds on television sooner than later, and likely become a holiday classic. Now if we could all just forget that Christmas With The Kranks ever happened...
5. Other notable entries...
Miracle on 34th Street, It's A Wonderful Life, Nightmare Before Christmas, Peanuts Christmas, A Christmas Carol, Home Alone, and too many others to list all make their way into our hearts each year. One of the biggest thrills at Christmas was the number of specials on and I remember watching all of them with my family. One day I'd like to do that with my own kids. For now, though, I get to hog the remote.
Only three days until C-Day...
Tuesday, December 20, 2005
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12:19 p.m.
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Nathan discovered this insane video the other day and has found a way to make sure that everyone else can see it as well. Nate is a great source of information of how to upload pictures, videos, and all the other useless junk we see on the Internet these days.
I'm semi-proud to present it to you.
I give you... Arnold in YOSH!
Tuesday, December 13, 2005
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4:16 p.m.
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On the one hand, I feel guilty making fun of a co-worker, especially since she took us out for lunch today, gave us a Christmas card, and a scratch ticket (I won $4).
On the other hand, this is just too damn funny.
I overhead a co-worker pitching our ads to a potential new client, and she said if you don't want our personals ad, we can send you a remnant ad instead.
A remnant ad is nothing more than a small box or even just a line of text that gets put in if there's a bit of space left over after the paid advertising has been put in the paper. It's a nothing ad and just filler.
I told the co-worker not to pitch those to publishers as it sounds like she's asking them to put garbage in their papers. I had to explain, using visual aids, what I meant before she understood.
I said "remnant just means 'left over.'"
She said "Oh well, I didn't know. My Latin's not that good."
Nathan and Sandy nearly had a heart attack from laughing so hard.
Thursday, December 08, 2005
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11:30 p.m.
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• An 87-year-old man dropped dead while waiting in line at a government office in Bogotá, Colombia. He’d been applying “for a certificate to prove he was still alive.”
• In August 2000, a 44-year-old woman named Angel Destiny fled for her life dressed only in pajamas after half of her house in Cardiff, Wales, collapsed into rubble. Destiny, who makes her living as a psychic, told reporters, “I just didn’t see it coming.”
In other news, I'll be beginning a Christmas movie countdown... flicks that I've loved and that I feel you should all love as well. Look for the first installment tomorrow.
I also just finished reading Ultimates 2 #9 and have made a pdf for those who want to read it. The most shocking issue ever and an instant classic. It's just that damn good. A smack in the face if there ever was one. Brilliantly done.
Anyway, Catherine's in bed, I'm tired, and I just finished talking to Pushee whom I haven't spoken to in ages. This seems to becoming too commonplace these days... close friends that I don't see anymore. I think I've forgotten what Aaron looks like. I just have the warm glow of text messages on my cellphone for company.
I can't wait for Christmas vacation to start...
Tuesday, December 06, 2005
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2:33 p.m.
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I'm still not sure where I sit on the topic of the Bryan Singer-less X-Men 3, only that I'm as much curiously hopeful as I am concerned that this film will suck.
The teaser trailer has been released and is available to view through Apple's website, though I am heartily vexed as I can't run the video on my Mac computer here at work. This causes me great anger as Apple, Quicktime, and Macs are all part of the same company, yet Apple, in its money-hoarding wisdom, is forcing complete system upgrades in order to get the latest version of Quicktime, something I'm not yet prepared to do with my work computer.
So, I'll have to wait until tonight. A startling number of characters are slated to appear in this film though, including Multiple Man, Omega Red, Callisto, Juggernaut, Stacy X, Emma Frost, Kitty Pryde, Colossus, Jubilee, M, and quite a few more. I'm very interested to see these new characters alongside the complete cast (except for Alan Cumming's Nightcrawler who won't be in the film).
The most interesting addition is Kelsey Grammar as the Beast. Not sure how I feel about the look, but the casting is pretty dead on. Frasier as a super-hero. Quite the concept.
That's about it. Been busy otherwise. Good weekend, though Truffle has a bad eye and needed to be taken to the vet for an exam. She's fine, but we're out quite a bit of money. The things we do for those we love...
Worth every penny. Catherine was amazing throughout the whole thing. I'm just way too much of a softy.
Tuesday, November 29, 2005
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4:33 p.m.
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Just when you get comfortable...
The reign of terror that is work strikes again as a co-worker and friend unjustly gets the axe. TPTB set their sights on Bill who was well-liked, hard working, and funny.
What makes it worse is that another co-worker and Bill's partner was proven to be lazy and does not do any work, making Bill's firing all the more cruel.
That aside, Bill is a really good guy. He never has an unkind word, always has a smile, and is always hungry. I've never seen a man eat so much so often. Hopefully he gets started at a new job he was promised soon so that he can make a ton more money and give the finger to this place from afar.
Just the other day he emailed his potential employer to get an update, but decided (poorly) to disguise his message (also done poorly). Not once, not twice, but at least three or four times over the course of the email, he included the phrase "Happy Holidays." This in an email, instant delivery communication, around mid-November.
Of course, Nathan and I couldn't let that slide. All day, we joked about "Happy November" or "Happy Thursday" and even "Happy 3:30pm." Bill, being as gracious as he is, just laughed and took it in stride.
Bill loves working on houses and was talkinga bout moving to a tropical location with his wife and setting up his own company. Bill fixes things, makes things better, and is a good friend. It's a shame I didn't get to know him better before he left this place.
I'll miss the rides home he gave me so many times, and Sandy as well. Yes, I know he's not dead, just removed from this place, and yes, I'm annoyed because he'll be having a lot more fun than I will.
Monday, November 28, 2005
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9:42 a.m.
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Role Model: Wilfredo T. Laboy, superintendent of the Lawrence, Massachusetts, school system, who put 24 teachers on unpaid leave for failing a basic English proficiency test
Setting an Example: Laboy—who had recently received a 3 percent pay increase that raised his salary to $156,560—flunked that same test. Three times.
So, it's done. Catherine and I took off Friday to hand-deliver my profiles to U of T and York with the hope that I would soon be entering teacher's college. It's by no means guaranteed, but I think I've got a pretty good shot.
God help me if I don't get in.
At U of T, the man behind the counter didn't once break up his phone call to look over at me, silently mouth 'teacher's college?', then mouth another 'good luck' as he took my profile and dropped it into a bin. I'm not sure what I expected to happen, but after hours and months of working on that thing I expected something more involved. Maybe a conversation. A hand shake. A secret decoder ring.
Something.
Oh well. The rest of the day I spent text messaging Aaron, Nathan, and Catherine's parents. All in all, it was a fantastic weekend, got some Christmas shopping done and played Ultimate Spider-Man with Jer.
By the way, never rent a game from Blockbuster again. Normally $8 for a rental (including tax), the batards are now charing $10 including tax to rent a game. I know you can keep it a week, but jeez, guys, that's just stealing.
Wednesday, November 23, 2005
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11:19 p.m.
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Today is the day of my birth. Not literally, as the actually birthing came some 28 years earlier.
God, I can't believe I'm already this old. I wasn't supposed to make it, you know. I had serious illnesses when I was growing up, two of which should have killed me outright. So here I am, 28, and looking to make my next big move in life by going to teacher's college next year.
Assuming I get in.
Nothing is ever guaranteed in life, but sometimes it can surprise you. Though I've hated my job since I started, I could never have anticipated that I would meet someone who would become one of my best friends. Today, Nathan helped me to celebrate my birthday (along with Bill, Li, Sandy, Jen, Jim, Dan, Gargi, Patricia, and others) but I know it was Nate who really pulled it all together.
First thing in the morning my computer was covered in a birthday banner. Crude, but Nate's style. Then I discovered a Hulk Figure Factory toy in my drawer. Again, Nate's style. We ordered in food, I discovered a Venom Figure Factory that had been stowed away in Li's file boxes, and then found a Marvel Legends Bullseye figure on my chair. I was overjoyed. I was touched.
I was unprepared to find two more Figure Factory toys, Iron Man and Thing, in my desk drawer after lunch. I couldn't believe Nate had gone to that much effort. You could see that he was as pleased with the results as I had been with his birthday earlier that same month.
It just goes to show you that no matter the original packaging of something, if you dig deep there's almost always something better underneath.
Getting home was the best, though. Nothing compares to seeing Catherine after a day, good or bad, and getting a hug. I got my present right away and was shocked to see that she had bought a cellphone for me that I had been talking about quite a bit in the past. I spent a good part of the night programming it though I should have been working on my application (I swear, it's almost done).
The irony of her gift became apparent as I ran out to buy a frozen pizza for dinner as I was still stuffed from lunch. There was none at the crap Dominion, or the 24 hour store down the block. I went another couple of blocks to ANOTHER grocery store, and they only had vegetables. So I bit the bullet and got Pizza Pizza.
Here's where the irony fits in. I was supposed to be gone for 10 minutes, but it's been more than half an hour. So I had to call Catherine to tell her where I was but since my phone was new, uncharged, and unactivated I used a payphone. It took a little while to find one, too.
Still, afterwards we had a great pizza dinner, spent time with Truffle and my gadgets (and the application, I swear), then watched Lost and now Catherine is in bed hoping I'll turn off the lights and go to bed myself.
It's been a good day. Tomorrow it continues with lunch with my mom.
Monday, November 21, 2005
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2:48 p.m.
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Every so often one is lucky enough to bear witness to an event that, as good as it is in the telling, pales in comparrison to the actual event itself. In this case, it is an act of awkwardness, publicly done no less, that not only warrants telling but demands that a new term be invented to explain it... I give you... the browner.
Last Friday, my office had their annual Christmas gift exchange (yes, I'm aware it's November... Happy November, everyone) and we did a Secret Santa gift swap. The terms of the swap are simple: find something nice for the person you drew out of a hat within a $15-$20 range.
Most of the gifts were harmless. Bowls, beers, food, and books. Typically holiday fare. One man dared to be different...
Background: Mr. Brown and Ms. Gift Receiver worked together for some time at another company which we recently acquired. Through my own frank talks with the Miss, she's not a fan of Mr. Brown though has not openly said anything against him but they never speak to each other. Mr. Brown makes attempts to get her attention and Nate speculated for some time (as did I) at some potential trist existing between them, but given Ms. Receiver's statements, I didn't think it likely.
Mr. Brown goes for broke. His gift is a Blind Date DVD jewel case that he has created himself. It includes logo, head shot of the host, and is made to seem like a real product, though it's obvious it's been printed out. Some of the special features and chapter selections include "dinner, taking in the game, the hot tub scene, and the limo ride home." Deleted scenes included Ms. Receiver and her roommate (graphic lesbian photo attached the the cover, one of whom looks like Ms. Receiver) having some fun.
Inside the case was a single ticket to see the Maple Leafs. After processing his info for a minute or more, Ms. Receiver looks at Mr. Brown and asks if he has the other one. He smiles, nods, and says "yep."
His gift is essentially a date night for the two of them to see the Maple Leafs, but given the content on the jewel case and the slightly enforced nature of the gift, no one knew what to say. You see, Ms. Receiver, trying to look as gracious as possible, has been in a relationship for more than 6 years. Mr. Brown is himself a newlywed.
The awkwardness was palpable. Everyone is trying to laugh at how clever Mr. Brown was, and how creative his gift was. The case is PASSED AROUND to everyone who looks at it and tries not to seem horrified. Whispered conversations afterwards reveals that I was not the only one feeling uncomfortable. Patrick, our foreign boss, dryly states that he wonders what Ms. Receiver's boyfriend is going to make of this gift.
What indeed? If she so wished, she could sue Mr. Brown and the company for all it's worth. Hell, it's not a bad idea. It certainly was one of the most brutal sights I've seen in quite some time. The only other highlight was my gift to Nathan. He had to open five boxes, one inside the next, only to find nothing. Then I handed him his present from where it was on the desk behind him. I laughed. That's what's important.
So, in the interim, I've decided that public awkwardness on this scale should be called a 'browner' but I open it up to the rest of you to determine how fitting a name this is.
What a dumb thing to do. But it's GREAT conversation fodder.
Tuesday, November 15, 2005
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7:20 p.m.
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Here it is. Feast your eyes. Proof positive that I am now, officially, a paid Marvel writer. Yes, the sum you see is in fact for a whole $20 (US).
It's a step in a direction that I've been trying to go in for a long time. More money would have been good as will more work in the future, but it's the first payment from Marvel.
The book in question is X-Men: The 198 Files and deals with the aftermath of a Brian Michael Bendis storyline called House of M that decimated the mutant population at Marvel, leaving very few mutants behind and de-powering some like my personal favorite, Chamber.
Should the storyline prove worthy, I'll comment on it more later on. For now, here is the cover for the issue which I am credited with writing (along with two others). It goes on sale in January.
Wednesday, November 09, 2005
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9:18 a.m.
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We employ odd people and odd practices here at FMG, the least of which is making really bizarre photos up of the special boy or girl. Nathan was no exception, but seeing as how The Others hate the web team, I had to make up all the photos.
So I got to work. The results of which are as follows. The first is the favorite by consensus, and I'm particularly pleased about the headband. Pink looks good on Nate.
The next one makes excellent use of Golden Girl Bea Arthur, here outstretched hands, and puckered lips. I can't see why any mortal man wouldn't fall prey to her temptations.
Here we have Nate enjoying a hose. This was an actual ad (minus his head) that we used for one of our new publications.
Nate likes pork chops, so it's no surprise he's also a big fan of piggybacks. Look at 'em go!
Why just make fun of Nathan when I can throw another co-worker, Li, into the mix as well? Nathan's skills at work include eating all of Li's food. She's stopped bringing so much in.
Now the real reason all of these images have made their debut on this blog is because I'm sure Nathan doesn't really want them to get out. But since I am a jerk and need to entertain all of you, I figured no harm could come of this.
If you don't hear from me in three days, Nate is a likely suspect. Though I got him some pretty good presents, so hopefully he's happy. Just don't poke the bear.
Tuesday, November 01, 2005
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11:20 a.m.
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Meaning: Real, not fake
Origin: “Originally meant ‘placed on the knees.’ In Ancient Rome, a father legally claimed his new child by sitting in front of his family and placing his child on his knee.”
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