I actually spent a fair chunk of time writing today, to avoid grinding to 80 in WoW.
Huh. Go figure.
I also bought myself a new winter coat. It's super lovely gorgeous wool, and it had a super extra large price tag to boot - which resulted in a few days of soul searching, and searching for change between couch cushions. Really, it's the nicest coat I've ever owned. Like my super Swedish wellies, I hope that it will be part of my wardrobe for many, many years to come.
Well there. Excitement abounds!
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Dear Homeless/Children/Elderly/Healthcare Workers/Teachers: I'm Sorry No One Cares.
Hold on to your hats, 'cause I'm in a helluva tear.
In this province, we have poverty. A fair amount of it. In fact, I recall not to long ago reading an article online that said our homeless population was higher than anywhere else in North America. Possibly higher than anywhere else in the world.
In this province, we have a failing palliative care system that is going to fall ass-over-teakettle as the baby boomer generation continues to age over the next twenty years or so.
In this province, we lack proper funding for heath care. We bully unions into signing lop-sided, lousy agreements, and force them back to work without any thought or concern for their arguments, or the hard work they do.
In this province, we lack proper funding for the public school system. Classroom crowding, lack of resources, and under paid teachers and staff are ensuring that generations of children are growing up without the proper education they deserve.
In this province, we are currently experiencing severe funding cuts to arts and culture. This is destroying jobs, families, communities. This is compromising the great and beautiful expressions that blossom from the creative members of our society, shaping and enriching all our lives.
Yet...
In this province, we have spent billions of dollars preparing to host the 2010 Olympics. This includes everything from major rapid transportation upgrades, to lighting displays, to Olympic athlete housing, to merchandising.
I will never say I hate the Olympics, because I don't. I am glad for the athletes, and that they are able to pursue the careers they desire and are able to derive an income from those careers.
But! I loathe, absolutely loathe and detest our Premier and elected party for making such disgusting and grandiose expenditures; expenditures far beyond our means. Perhaps Mr. Campbell needs to go back to basics, and understand the function of a credit card. You use the credit card - you pay it off. Not over months, or years, or decades - you pay it off, ideally within the month given.
That said, I understand we are in economically difficult times. Not everyone is capable of paying their credit up front, and interest free. Many people I know are struggling, due to job loss, and credit has helped provide some cushion until things are better. But I don't understand - can't understand - how a government can operate so irresponsibly with credit that doesn't even belong to them, but rather to the British Columbia taxpayers.
It's not as though any of those problems are new, or surprising. They were there when we placed our bid on the Olympics seven years ago. But our government chose to wear blinders and greedily push ahead, without a single consideration to long-term consequence.
And if for any reason, I was going to willfully choose to have my tax dollars run into deficit for benefit of this province, it would be to solve one or all of the five problems I outlined in the beginning of this post, which in my humble opinion are far more worthy of our financial attention.
I am one truly disappointed, and embarrassed British Columbian.
In this province, we have poverty. A fair amount of it. In fact, I recall not to long ago reading an article online that said our homeless population was higher than anywhere else in North America. Possibly higher than anywhere else in the world.
In this province, we have a failing palliative care system that is going to fall ass-over-teakettle as the baby boomer generation continues to age over the next twenty years or so.
In this province, we lack proper funding for heath care. We bully unions into signing lop-sided, lousy agreements, and force them back to work without any thought or concern for their arguments, or the hard work they do.
In this province, we lack proper funding for the public school system. Classroom crowding, lack of resources, and under paid teachers and staff are ensuring that generations of children are growing up without the proper education they deserve.
In this province, we are currently experiencing severe funding cuts to arts and culture. This is destroying jobs, families, communities. This is compromising the great and beautiful expressions that blossom from the creative members of our society, shaping and enriching all our lives.
Yet...
In this province, we have spent billions of dollars preparing to host the 2010 Olympics. This includes everything from major rapid transportation upgrades, to lighting displays, to Olympic athlete housing, to merchandising.
I will never say I hate the Olympics, because I don't. I am glad for the athletes, and that they are able to pursue the careers they desire and are able to derive an income from those careers.
But! I loathe, absolutely loathe and detest our Premier and elected party for making such disgusting and grandiose expenditures; expenditures far beyond our means. Perhaps Mr. Campbell needs to go back to basics, and understand the function of a credit card. You use the credit card - you pay it off. Not over months, or years, or decades - you pay it off, ideally within the month given.
That said, I understand we are in economically difficult times. Not everyone is capable of paying their credit up front, and interest free. Many people I know are struggling, due to job loss, and credit has helped provide some cushion until things are better. But I don't understand - can't understand - how a government can operate so irresponsibly with credit that doesn't even belong to them, but rather to the British Columbia taxpayers.
It's not as though any of those problems are new, or surprising. They were there when we placed our bid on the Olympics seven years ago. But our government chose to wear blinders and greedily push ahead, without a single consideration to long-term consequence.
And if for any reason, I was going to willfully choose to have my tax dollars run into deficit for benefit of this province, it would be to solve one or all of the five problems I outlined in the beginning of this post, which in my humble opinion are far more worthy of our financial attention.
I am one truly disappointed, and embarrassed British Columbian.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Who, me?
The problem with loving story so much, is that sometimes you can become so emotionally invested in someone else's story that you forget you're trying to tell one of your own.
I am addicted to story; in a variety of mediums, primarily television since I decided to point my ship in that direction back in '07. Along the way, I've met up with some other crafty seamen and women (*giggle* SEAMEN *snort), who have fascinating stories of their own. When one of them hits a plot point, I tend to drop everything I'm doing and watch them with my breath held tight.
When reality sets back in, I realize I'm two steps behind where I should be. So when it's my turn to step it up, I'm not as prepared as I should be.
Getting there. Rambling. Where am I again?
Hitching my boat to a few others in an attempt to create something collaboratively delicious. It's looking promising so far...
Got off the bus today, and an addict was shouting at the stop. I turned, mostly just because it started me - it was almost right out of The Village Idiot sketch by MP. She politely, and articulately, apologized, and assured me that I was not the person she was addressing before returning to her shouting rant about the lack of addicts in the area.
Biiiiiizzzaaare.
I am addicted to story; in a variety of mediums, primarily television since I decided to point my ship in that direction back in '07. Along the way, I've met up with some other crafty seamen and women (*giggle* SEAMEN *snort), who have fascinating stories of their own. When one of them hits a plot point, I tend to drop everything I'm doing and watch them with my breath held tight.
When reality sets back in, I realize I'm two steps behind where I should be. So when it's my turn to step it up, I'm not as prepared as I should be.
Getting there. Rambling. Where am I again?
Hitching my boat to a few others in an attempt to create something collaboratively delicious. It's looking promising so far...
Got off the bus today, and an addict was shouting at the stop. I turned, mostly just because it started me - it was almost right out of The Village Idiot sketch by MP. She politely, and articulately, apologized, and assured me that I was not the person she was addressing before returning to her shouting rant about the lack of addicts in the area.
Biiiiiizzzaaare.
Monday, November 23, 2009
Crap in a Hat!
It's 11:56... and here's another lame one off blog entry because I am *gasp* actually getting a lot of the real writing done today.
So, let's see... I am enjoying some coffee, and some sour patch kids. I did some dishes earlier, and beat another level in the new Super Mario game.
This Lame Blog Entry brought to you by the letter X, the number 17, and the colour plaid.
So, let's see... I am enjoying some coffee, and some sour patch kids. I did some dishes earlier, and beat another level in the new Super Mario game.
This Lame Blog Entry brought to you by the letter X, the number 17, and the colour plaid.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Writer Machine GO!
Tonight, I was going to blog about my obsession with Christmas - due to an exciting but unexpected burst of inspiration I'll be knuckling down on an idea for an animated web series instead. Enjoy your reprieve, for the Christmas blog cometh.
I'll leave you with a body massage:
I'll leave you with a body massage:
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Get Your G33k On!
Christmas of '88, Santa brought me and my brother a Nintendo Entertainment System. That's when everything fell apart...
I kid. Although, Blackjack and Depthcharge on the 386 quickly lost their position as prime video game entertainment in our home.
Countless hours were spent playing Tetris, Final Fantasy, and of course, Super Mario. We'd get so loud and wired up, Mum would shout at us from the kitchen to calm down - but usually wound up joining us for a crack at a few levels. I think we were pretty balanced kids though; very rarely did an excess of video games degrade into bad behavior or poor grades.
My brother took his love of video games a step further, and now makes video games for a living at a major company in Vancouver (no - not EA). I still indulge regularly, an avid console and PC gamer. MMO, RTS, and FPS are part of my regular vocabulary, as are LOL, LFG, and OMGWTFBBQ.
o.O
My brother wound up taking the NES with him when he moved out - I didn't argue, as it seemed to have more sentimental value for him (though, it did for me too). Today, he decided he no longer wanted it, and brought it over. We wound up playing the new Super Mario Bros Wii game together for most of the afternoon, totally borking my writing plans for the day... but it was just like old times.
I'll leave you with one of my favorite pieces of internet g33kdom... many of you have probably already seen it. It's nonsensical outrageousness at it's best. Enjoy!
I kid. Although, Blackjack and Depthcharge on the 386 quickly lost their position as prime video game entertainment in our home.
Countless hours were spent playing Tetris, Final Fantasy, and of course, Super Mario. We'd get so loud and wired up, Mum would shout at us from the kitchen to calm down - but usually wound up joining us for a crack at a few levels. I think we were pretty balanced kids though; very rarely did an excess of video games degrade into bad behavior or poor grades.
My brother took his love of video games a step further, and now makes video games for a living at a major company in Vancouver (no - not EA). I still indulge regularly, an avid console and PC gamer. MMO, RTS, and FPS are part of my regular vocabulary, as are LOL, LFG, and OMGWTFBBQ.
o.O
My brother wound up taking the NES with him when he moved out - I didn't argue, as it seemed to have more sentimental value for him (though, it did for me too). Today, he decided he no longer wanted it, and brought it over. We wound up playing the new Super Mario Bros Wii game together for most of the afternoon, totally borking my writing plans for the day... but it was just like old times.
I'll leave you with one of my favorite pieces of internet g33kdom... many of you have probably already seen it. It's nonsensical outrageousness at it's best. Enjoy!
Friday, November 20, 2009
On The Inside
DISCLAIMER: I'm OK - just random writing.
Lonely is a rough place. It’s big, and empty – there’s no one here in lonely. There are no windows, only walls. It’s dark, and cold, and damp. It’s full of self-doubt, and self-hatred. Lonely is where sad lives – it festers and grows, and it’s only a matter of time before it will block out all the other feelings. Soon, lonely will metastasize into something much larger, and completely blanket and hide me from the outside world. There’s no way back, and no way out; just an existence hampered by sadness, confusion, and self-destruction. Lonely is where souls go to die.
Lonely is a rough place. It’s big, and empty – there’s no one here in lonely. There are no windows, only walls. It’s dark, and cold, and damp. It’s full of self-doubt, and self-hatred. Lonely is where sad lives – it festers and grows, and it’s only a matter of time before it will block out all the other feelings. Soon, lonely will metastasize into something much larger, and completely blanket and hide me from the outside world. There’s no way back, and no way out; just an existence hampered by sadness, confusion, and self-destruction. Lonely is where souls go to die.
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