Oh come on..... what's a wasted minute?

Watch porn.

Just go see.

100 things in 100 days - number 10

10. My wife and I met at a party neither of us were planning to attend.

The story is here.

Acting session #3 throws a curve ball or two

Well, I knew last night's acting class was going to be a turning point, what with my acting partner now out of the equation, but I had no idea........

It turns out another pair got broken up too, so I was teamed with a new actor and we were given a new scene (on class #3 out of 6!). So we had a lot of catching up to do. Stacie, our instructor, was accommodating enough in giving us 2 shots at running through the new scene during class. Once was just a read-through with the traditional "what do you want?"; "what do you need?" post-read-through exercises, then we got a second run through with the scene blocking exercises (setting up our set and figuring out movement). Meanwhile, we have to have our lines memorized by next week [scream].

So, big changes. Our respective instructors (half of the original Epcor gang are in a second class) will be asking their classes if it's OK for the other class to come watch the final session. Our group said yes, now we just have to see if the Saturday group does the same, then we can officially invite each other to each other's performances.

I also had an epiphany last night. While watching our instructor giving direction to each pair, I found myself mentally aligned with much of what she was offering to the actors, before she even offered it. I didn't completely agree with every decision, but that's just a personal choice thing. The bottom line is that I think I may want to try a crack at directing. I felt like I was mentally prepared to take over for her and direct the actors (God help me if Stacie actually reads this). I know I would have done a lot of stuff completely wrong, being a total n00b at the craft, but I felt I would have been able to communicate my intentions and confident that the actors would understand what I wanted. It was very odd - the whole process just seemed so familiar to me.

Stay tuned.......

100 things in 100 days - number 11

11. Very few people can spell my last name on first try.

Very few people can spell my last name on first try - having only heard it, or pronounce my last name - having seen its spelling. I do what I can to help them along:

"It's pronounced like pleasant - without the 'ant'."
"Spell plez in your head and add an 's' before the zed."


But when it comes to spelling, even when I spell it out for them, they add consonants where they don't belong:

Me: "P.... l.... e.... s.... z"
Them: "P...... l..... a......
Me: "No..... P-l-e........"
Them: "P-l...... e.........t..
Me: "NO! P-L-E... S...... Z!"
Them: "P-l-e-s-c-h....."
Me: "S!.... Z!"
Them: "Z?" [quizical look]
(Like my name doesn't have a 'zzz' sound in it)

Top 10 Things I like about Calgary

1. Proximity to Rocky Mountains
2. The pathways - especially along the river system
3. Polite people (they hold the door for you!)
4. The +15 walkway system between downtown buildings
5. The economy - it's freaking rocking dude!
6. The modern skyline
7. The dry climate (and it's not humid either [snort])
8. Stampede!
9. Chinooks
10. The way it stays light out real late in summer.

That guy....... he was in that movie with the thing...

I found a rather neat list: The 20 Best "That Guy"s of all Time. You know - those actors who always appear in various roles in various movies, but you probably don't know their names.....

Peter Stormare is one of my faves.

Spend more money..... get more stuff (what a concept)

I'm driving into work this morning and listening to the radio when a Home Depot commercial comes on. It was one of those situations where you tune out the gist of the ad and your mind only tunes in when it hears something that stands out. I'm tuning in just as the following sage advice bellows from my speakers: ".......the more you buy, the more you get."

Yeah. Those Home Depot folks sure have a way with understatement, huh?

Don't you dare steal this idea.....

I have an idea for a computer firewall / anti-virus suite name.

Wall/rus (fireWALL / anti-viRUS). I know - it's so clever.

Cash only please. In small bills...........

[raises hand] I will test drive!! [hand still raised]

It burns gasoline, gets great mileage (92 mpg) and is very quick too (0-60mph in under 5 seconds).

Invented by............. a Canadian, eh.

OhGizmo article with video. Manufacturer's site here.

100 things in 100 days - number 12

12. I care what others think about me.

I think it's my biggest weakness. I have always wanted to fit in. I'm sure it has been the motivating factor for many decisions and behaviours in my life, especially when I was young. I'm less susceptible to this weakness now, but it's still there................ unlike the guy pictured......

Wow..... that was pretty deep, eh?

Why is everybody always pickin' on Wiki?

I was asked today why some people have a thing against Wikipedia.

Here was my answer:

I think it's because some parts of society aren't ready to accept a resource that is so editable by the masses.

If I was a person who relied solely on printed material, I would probably find Wikipedia to be an abomination because the material can be contradicted by anyone. The generation that grew up on encyclopedias and other reference textbooks cherish static information because it lessens the chance of anyone challenging them. This is a trait that many generations have suffered from.

I remember the looks I got from teachers when I suggested that some of what we were learning was no longer accurate. If scholars accepted sources like Wikipedia as potential sources of information, it opens the door for people to challenge everything - and some folks don't appreciate the challenge. Another thing I notice is that it's so easy to label Wikipedia an unreliable source of data when you find one incorrect entry. But we somehow got this message that because Wikipedia has a few incorrect entries, none of it can be trusted.

I beg to differ. I would challenge that if you stacked up every article in an entire set of a hard copy encyclopedia and measured it against Wikipedia, the encyclopedia would have a much higher percentage of inaccurate articles. I also suggest that Wikipedia becomes more accurate over time by virtue of its ability to be edited.

Tell a story in one sentence....

I can't quite make up my mind what I think of this next site, but One Sentence's premise is sound - telling a true story in one sentence. You can vote on them too. Best one read so far:

I was out of prison for nearly a week before I stopped waiting for other people to open doors for me.

Reverse Star Wars moment

So, I'm on Facebook, right? Slowly but surely people are finding me on there when sure enough, Darlene's daughter Lee-Anne finds me.

The friend request caught me off guard, not because of who it was or anything, but because of how it was worded. "You are Lee-Anne's father." It was the weirdest real life imitates a Star Wars movie line moment ever!

The Avengers meet their match

OK..... it was funny when Mr. Baldwin of defective yeti plotted out the scene. But now that someone then actually drew the comic, it's freakin' hilarious.

The Avengers do IKEA.........

Well done Mr. Sukys.... well done.

And then there were 13

So, I just found out that my acting partner will not be able to continue the course with us due to the severity of her injuries.

This means I will possibly be acting against the instructor. That's intense......

100 things in 100 days - number 13

13. Although the risk is higher, I prefer honesty and frankness.

This could lead to quite a discussion...............

I've lost count of the number of times I've dealt with people who did not speak their mind, which led to all sorts of wasted time as a result. I'm sure there are times when honesty would result in hurt feelings, but at least the hurt is immediate and over much sooner. I prefer that over the alternative.

Fish lips

If you're looking for a little dose of weirdness in your day, check out the Max Middle Sound Project.

Ummm........ you may want to wear headphones for this, unless you're alone.

If only I were there to watch the look on your face..... or if you decided to play it over speakers and you're not alone..... everyone's faces.

100 things in 100 days - number 14

14. I am Canadian.
I'm not going to pretend like I think Canada is the best country in the world. Every country has its good and bad points, right?

So let's dispense with the bad ones first, shall we? Our Trans Canada Highway system is laughable. Most of our best talent leaves the country before they make it big. We have no tropical region of the country. We have no high speed rail. No..... that line from Quebec City to Windsor is not a high speed rail line. Our winters can get brutal.

Now the good ones. We don't take ourselves too seriously. As a result, our comedy exports are numerous. We have lots of land and water, but not a lot of people. We're historically a liberal society, at least in the last 40 years or so. Our national icon is a frickin' beaver. Our flag is awesome. We invented hockey. We have a low violent crime rate. We have one of the world's smallest armies, yet we kick butt when it counts. We invented Tim Horton's. We've got Mounties!

Photo by steve took it

Leave it to Converse.....

While shopping this weekend I found some very cool shoes. These are Converse All Star slips. They have no laces (which I like) so they just slip on. The only thing stopping me from buying a pair is that the soles are quite narrow - no good for me. But I still think they're cool and if I ever find a pair with wide soles, they're coming home with me.

What does your handwriting say about you?

The TUL pen company offers to analyze your handwriting.

Just try not to take it too seriously....

Powered by air!

This is an urban car technology with potential - it's powered by compressed air. Of course, you still need to use energy to compress the air, but far less than the energy used to manufacture, transport and store gas. One of the side benefits is that the cold air coming out of the exhaust can be used to cool the riders.

It's the 24 episode!

I can't believe we've actually posted 24 episodes online. I would have thought we'd be banned from YouTube and Video.ca by now. Oh well, I guess anything goes on the internets, eh?

Anyway, in episode 24, Hosehead has to suffer through a visit to Starbucks after the local Tim Horton's closes temporarily. He's like a fish out of water. Video.ca link.

100 things in 100 days - number 15

15. I've been smoke-free since June 1999.

I smoked for 20 years prior to quitting. It started when I got my first job. Joining the military didn't help matters - it seemed like most people in that culture smoked. I tried to quit a few times. It wasn't pretty. One time I tried, after 2 days Darlene told me to go buy some smokes before she killed me.

By 1999, I was ready. Zyban was my miracle drug. It really helped take the edge off. But the key was replacing the behaviour.

Now, I can't even stand the smell of cigarette smoke. It's really hard to believe at this point in my life that I ever smoked. I still enjoy the odd cigar, but I can count them on one hand. I feel for smokers. I know exactly how they feel having been there myself. More should be done to help them quit - when they're ready.

Looking for travel ideas?

For any of my readers who like to travel, but are coming up blank regarding where to go next, this site may be of some help. Tripbase Alpha is still in development, but the idea is to choose the elements of your travel experience that are most important and downplaying those that aren't using a slider. The factors you can adjust are nightlife, dining, shopping, nature and attractions.

I gave it a try and it suggested places I would certainly be interested in visiting (or have already), and threw in a few I never even would have thought of. Paris topped my suggestion list. I'm still on the fence as to how useful this will be in the end, but it certainly has potential.

Modern times call for modern rules

I just love this article: The A-Z of modern etiquette. Some words of wisdom for the digital age. Samples:

• There is nothing more irritating in modern life than the message "sent via Blackberry". Think: why would anyone want to know that?
• ...don't fall into the trap of thinking an iPod is your property in any traditional sense. Instead, think of it as a loan from Apple, to be traded in for the newest model as soon as its built-in obsolescence kicks in, several days after the warrantee expires.
• Upon receipt of an email virus: never "reply to all" to point out the fact.

Sometimes pictures say it better...

You've heard me rant and rave against DRM. But folks who aren't technically inclined might have a difficult time figuring out what it is or why they should care.

This Flickr pool does a pretty nice job of visualizing why DRM sucks by posting pictures entitled "DRM is like...".

Picture by vrogy.

100 things in 100 days - number 16

16. I have an incredible wife. I think we're soul mates.

I'll speak to how we met later on in this list. But let's just say that when we did meet, Darlene was the first woman that I could carry on a conversation with for hours on end. She has wit, intelligence, resolve and good taste. She always has a surprise up her sleeve. We often know what the other is thinking - it's scary how often it happens. But on a more intimate note, I especially love the way her........... [snort] sorry, I started getting a little carried away there......... [shrug]

That picture was us in 1987.

Bring on the pervs!

Before you read this post, make sure you read the next one down first.

OK, now that you're back, how long did you think it would take before folks had started playing virtual 'peeping toms' with this new Google Maps feature? That's right, we already have folks looking out for titillating glimpses into peoples' lives.

Like this one, where the Street View cameras caught some semi-nude sunbathers near Stanford U.

[play Twilight Zone music here]

Tell me when this starts sounding scary....

I honestly thought this was a joke when I first read about it a few days ago, but it turns out that now we have (in a limited number of American cities for now) Street View on Google Maps. This is a 360 degree, zoomable street level view of a growing number of streets in (for now) Las Vegas, San Fransisco, Denver, Miami and New York. As you zoom in to a city with Street View available, the streets with pictures will be outlined in blue. When you click on a spot on a street, a little person-symbol appears with an arrow showing which direction the view is oriented. In the posted picture is where we stayed on our recent Vegas trip. The tower on the right is The Hotel.

I guess the reason I missed its introduction is that I typically go to Google Maps via the Canadian portal (maps.google.ca versus maps.google.com), which does not have this feature. Another feature that is popping up in more US cities is the traffic button - make sure you check that out as well.

I'm telling you............. sooner or later you'll be able to find out if the nearest grocery store still has the small jar of Kraft peanut butter in stock before you leave your home.

Soldier's housing still inadequate

When the Federal government decided to close some bases in western Canada and consolidate the western Army in Edmonton 10 years ago, there were a few people who wondered if it was a good idea. The population of the base ramped up past 5000 soldiers and these people were told that their housing needs would be taken care of..... eventually. Time went by and around 2001, more than half of the military housing that did exist was sold to Canada Lands Corporation, which developed the 250 hectare area into a nice new neighbourhood - with no new neighbourhood to replace it.

Unfortunately, the real estate market in Alberta is very hot right now, with the average home price in Edmonton around $413,000. So soldiers' families cannot afford these kinds of prices when in many cases there is only one wage earner in a military family. As a result, many military families are living up to 2 hours away from the Base to keep home costs down. Some military members being told they're getting transferred to Edmonton are threatening to give up their careers to avoid the economic hardship.

I completely understand their predicament having finished my military career there. Just so you know, although military housing is much cheaper (to rent) than living on the economy, they are not luxury homes. Most military housing is 1950s vintage, with outdated and ineffectual insulation, wiring and plumbing. And the folks who manage those homes make sure rents go up every time the soldiers get a raise.

More on the story here.