Thursday, November 30, 2006
Shouldn't it be a 'Big Mc"?
flickr
Sunday, November 26, 2006
I need a name for my cat.... it's a she.
Wednesday, November 22, 2006
Okay, so now that I've ripped myself away from the insane fun that is Wii Sports, I'll tell you all the story of how I managed to secure my Wii on launch day.
Being that it launched on a Sunday, I was blessed by not having to wake up at some ungodly hour to go stand in line. Also, since Nintendo was nice enough to ship a hell of a lot more units than Sony, I wasn't expecting a ruthless experience.
I hopped on the bus and headed down to my local Zellers, I figured that'd be a pretty good bet since it's in a senior's neighbourhood. I got there around 10am, to see a group of 6 kids waiting inside who told me that they were told the store had 6 systems. Okay, great. So I was very sad.
Then I remembered that farther down the road is a Superstore (Loblaws type thing). I waited VERY impatiently for the bus to head down there, and got there around 10:30. There were a few people sitting inside the outer door (but outside the inner door). I asked if they knew how many systems the store had, "12" I was told. There were 9 people there. Huzzah! I pushed the door open, breaking it somewhat in the process, and got into the atrium. People showed up after I got there and piled in, and around 11:15 or so the store manager came with 12 Wii passes. I was actually surprised at the civility of the people there, some people acknowledged the fact that they arrived after other people, and that the other people deserved a pass first.
Once 12:00 came around everyone made their way straight to the electronics department. I snapped up a copy of Zelda: Twilight Princess, and stood in line to claim my Wii. I smiled to myself each time someone in line asked where I'd gotten the pass, and then left dejectedly.
Anyways, I'm not going to get into a full review of the system or the games, but the pack-in game - Wii Sports, is so damn fun. I don't have any friends, but I imagine it'd be even MORE fun with other people. I hate sports games, but the motion sensitive controls simply make these 5 games. Go get one, when you can.
matt's adventures in dentistry, part the third
Thursday, November 16, 2006
Today I had booked what was to be the final appointment to complete the root canal. Well, it was originally booked for Nov. 2nd, but I had to postpone it.
Turns out that was a bad idea, since apparently due to the time delay it became re-infected.
Today's appointment was some more drilling, some more bacteria-killing wire shoved into my tooth, and an injection of calcium hydroxide.
I've got another temporary filling on it and another appointment on the 30th.
This time I remembered to bring my camera though, the result is this:
well blogger's being a bitch, so I guess I'll have to upload it later. But it's in my flickr stream if you head over there.
Saturday, November 11, 2006
This week I read a disappointing statistic about Canadian youth and their knowledge of Canada's WWI and II heroes. I don't have it for you, or I'd post it, but I can't seem to find the story on cbc.ca. Suffice it to say, a buncha youth though that General MacArthur was a Canadian general, but didn't know who Billy Bishop was. The people at the Dominion Institute have set up an online petition to try and convince the government that the last veteran of WWI to die should be given a state funeral (if his family wishes it), as a way to honour all of the WWI war dead. There are three remaining WWI veterans alive, all over the age of 100. That means, that in all likelihood before the end of the decade, Canada will no longer have a living connection to The Great War. If you'd like to sign it, click on this.
Another thing that the Dominion Institute has done is establish The Memory Project Digital Archive. This is an incredible site, filled with personal stories told by the veterans, newspaper clippings, pictures and other paraphernalia. Head on over there (just click on the link there) and spend some time listening, and looking at the incredible trove of memories. No one in my family served in the army during either WWI or WWII to the best of my knowledge. On my mom's side they probably would have been conscientious objectors, due to their religion. My dad's side I'm not sure about, but they were Quebeckers and probably farmers. Or perhaps there was just no one of suitable age. I'm not really sure, but that's something that I've resolved to find out.
CBC.ca also has a great in-depth feature on Remembrance Day, right here. That wonderful pictures is from wikipedia.org.
In Flanders Fields
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders Fields.Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.- John McCrae, 1915
Friday, November 10, 2006
Wow, well I didn't intend on taking so long to post again, but both my internet and tv (they come into my house on the same wire) were down since Wednesday. I've had intermittent internet access, but it's been so frustrating I haven't bothered. So I've spent the time with a mix of reading, and watching dvds with the commentary on. I've learned a lot about SCTV, and about the making of Death to Smoochy. Well it's been fixed, turns out I was on a bad port at the phone company's switching station, down the street. It feels quite good to be connected again. I missed internet access much more than the tv, as is to be expected.
Once a year at work we have to write an exam to be able to continue to sell mutual funds, this Thursday while I was in my office listening to streaming internet radio and writing the exam, I realised the EXACT moment that I got sick. So here I am, sick with a head/chest cold. I was recommended a type of medicine, and bought some today. I took a dose at work in the afternoon, before I realised that it was drowsy-inducing. That made for an interesting, drowsy afternoon.
Okay, well I'm going to lie down and watch 22 Minutes.
Oops, I guess I should post this.
a little place in the wilderness
Friday, November 03, 2006
Last Wednesday was the memphis show. When I bought the tickets they were playing at a medium-sized performance venue, but I got an email a day or so before the show that the venue had changed, to a much more intimate one. A local bar.
In total, by the time memphis took the stage there were probably only 75-100 people in the bar, most seated at tables around the stage. After a song or two, Torquil (the lead singer) told everyone to pull the tables right up close to the bar, had the sound/lights guy turn off the spotlights and instead turn on a disco ball.
They did pretty much every song from A Little Place in the Wilderness, and one or two from the earlier EPs. The show was amazing, and Torquil did a lot of talking with the audience. For a few songs he strayed out from the stage and stepped onto tables to sing.
Despite the small crowd, he noted that Stars' first show in Winnipeg had less people, so he was excited for the future shows.
I plan on being at each one of those shows, since this show actually made me like the band and songs even more than I did before. If any of you out there have the chance to get to a memphis show, do it. This picture was taken before we pulled the table up closer. For the majority of the concert I was about 4 feet from the stage.
In other news, I finally bought new frames yesterday: