06/25/03
Yesterday was St-Jean Baptiste Day in my home town. I celebrated here on the beach, and watched a fabulous documentary called "A License to Remember: Je me souviens", where the narrator interviews many different Queébecois to ask them what this motto (inscribed on Quebec license plates) means to them. The answers ranged from tearful patriotism to sarcastic hostility. Quite fascinating. It was on "Rough Cuts", hosted by the lovely Michaelle Jean. Look for the re-broadcast.
I got carded last week. I was in a bar in the suburbs with my 2 younger cousins, and didn't have any id showing my birthdate. If you know me, you know I have uber-chubby cheeks which create the illusion of youthful appearance, but you also know that I'm quite long in the tooth to be ided for 19. Curiously enough, I was embarassed rather than flattered. My two cousins, needless to say, laughed uproariously as soon as I was asked, which should have tipped the waitress off. But she didn't believe me, even after I showed her my faculty id; so the manageress had to come suss out the situation. It all ended well, of course, and I drank a rather horrid drink, a spiked sugary iced-tea which came in a mini-pitcher, served with a straw. A wonderful grand time was had by all.
Since then, I noticed a corny ad in Shape magazine for Botox. What is alarming is the warning about side-effects, artfully obscured within the full page type of details about the product. I doubt many people read it. But just in case you're thinking about going to a botox party, perhaps you should reconsider. One of the possible side-effects is death. Yes, that's right, death. Rather a bit pricy for a face-full of botulism don't you think?
06/08/03
[Bus Stop]
NASA delays Mars mission. CAPE CANAVERAL, FLA. - Stormy weather forced a one-day delay Sunday in the launch of a rocket that will carry a rover designed to search for evidence of water on Mars. - cbc
Waiting for the bus to come is like waiting for a relationship to change. You keep being tantalised by the allure of its arrival, just right around the corner. You even see big headlights. You wait. Take a breath. It's a drive-by bus going to the airport.
So you tell yourself to be patient, but practical. You walk a few more blocks up the hill. You peer down the hill, longingly. You wait. Take a breath. Stamp your foot, perhaps. Either way, you wait. Sometimes the waiting is the kind of hair-curling, clenching impatience. Sometimes it's like a first blossom on a Magnolia tree. Either way you wait.
Another set of headlights, this time for certain it's a bus, because everyone else are craning their necks forward too, eagerly. You all cram into line. It drives by - full. You give a finger to the bus driver.
When at last you fall into the debate with yourself about whether or not you should pull out the credit-card to take a bloody taxi, along pulls up the bus. The real Mccoy. You blow out your breath quickly.
06/02/03
June. June. June.
Because it's June.05/29/03
Ran at 7.1mph on the treadmill today, in interval fashion. The treadmill displays this as 8.27 min pace. I feel happy. Too bad this site is not a weight-loss blog, 'cause then I would get all kinds of encouraging email.
Patrick Roy retired yesterday. I used to have a crush on him. Almost all the images you see of hockey players are when they're all geared up. And for a goalie, especially now, that's major gear. So it's hard to tell what they look like. Underneath the mask, as you can see, Roy's a cutie.
05/27/03
Attempting to overcome feelings of nostalgia induced by a telephone call, an email, the humidity and the clouds.
So I while away the hours considering my namesakes. See images at right. I'm rather fond of the baby and the pattern on the right.
05/22/03
[301]
Notice how of the 'scooby gang', only the demons (well one former demon) got toasted? I was disappointed for the 1st 1/2 hour, it was schmaltzy and drawn-out. The last 1/2 hour was more up to snuff. Although Willow the Good Witch was a tad corny. And now to making lists of books to read.
$3.01 -
Three dollars and one cent. This was the balance of my account at
the Bank of Montreal. An account I just closed, which had been
inactive for approximately 13 months, and which had been losing
money ($2.00 per month to be exact). The clerk asked me "May I
ask why are you closing the account and is there any way we can
pursuade you not to?" I replied "Because it's costing me $3
per month to keep open and I don't use it". He promptly checked
his computer, then snipped, "$2 per month". I said nothing.
But his reply was exactly why I left the Bank of Montreal in the
first place. Snippy staff, crappy service, exorbitant fees (to wit:
my new VC biz account costs $6 per month + whatever I use, average:
9.50/month; my old BM biz account cost $15 per month + extras,
ie:75cents(!) to make a deposit, no less). I should have closed the
BofM personal account ages ago. But, as I have a tendency to
waffle, it sat there until I realised I would be paying them
(two dollars) a month to keep it open.
[This image courtesy of my new scanner. I have two weeks to test
its abilities and still get my $ back if it sucks. It's an Epson
2400.]
05/20/03
Less than 3 hours until Buffy kicks some more ass and saves the world.
I found this entry when looking for
weight-loss blogs. The Fatty Clothes blurb is funny, but what
caught my eye is that the author mentions how she's going to fill
her Buffy time slot. She'll be writing. I think I shall read. I
used to be a voracious reader, now I am reduced to the occassional
mystery novel, online articles, blogs and technical books. The
Buffy hour can be replaced by starting on a few books available in
my own house: 'White Teeth' will do for a start.
Also, a fitting farewell essay to Buffy is in the works.