Done

Watch me do the last day dance!

...

Pretty impressive, no? I'm now gainfully unemployed.

I'm in for a beating

Today on my lunch break, I managed to walk the almost two klicks to the DMV, renew my registration, walk back, grab lunch on the way, and be back in the office in less than an hour.

I wonder what's going to break tonight. I just hope it's not the computer. I don't have the energy to fix it. Please let it be something simple like my clavicle. Or have someone beat me about the noggin with an angry weasel.

Of course, maybe karmic balance was restored by the fact that I got to share an elevator with a guy who smelled like he'd been shovelling onions, boiled cabbage and feces in 100 degree heat all day.

Nah... better get fitted for the cast.

Too much to say (Or Gravy Part 1)

I have a number of different things that I want to blog about, but no time to do it in. Though I do have my two trainees doing all the filing I've put off for the past 11 months, so that'll keep them out of my hair for a while.

Would love to recount my adventures in movie-copdom, but that's really something I'd need to take my time for. So I'll regale you with a tale of the worlds most obnoxious wedding table mate.

Attended a wedding this weekend for one of Gal's co-workers (who by the way I've met once (and who also apparently received her dress at 4 am the morning of her wedding)). Traditional Catholic ceremony, semi-traditional chinese ceremony. Basically lots of courses (10) mostly with food I don't eat. But I tried (but didn't necessarily enjoy) a lot of it.

I'd met Obnoxious-Guest once before at some guy's birthday dinner. I'd concluded within about 10 minutes of talking to him that I was going to seriously dislike him. Ten minutes after that, I started taking odds from myself as to whether I was going to tell him to pound sand or not.

I don't suffer fools (gladly or not), but I generally don't take a strong dislike to them. I can't count on one hand the number of people that I've contemplated physical violence against, simply due to their idiocy. This fellow is one of them.

He is, to hear him tell it, a genius; apparently deeply knowledgeable on any and every subject, and delights in discussing any and all topics.

A few highlights:

Argued with one of our table mates about the similarities between the Chinese and Japanese character sets. Ob-Gee has been studying Japanese for 5 months. His conversation mate is fluent in Mandarin and Cantonese as well as English. And the traditional and simplified character sets.

The argument with a Hindi guest about something that I didn't understand, but was quite sure from the expressions he was getting that he was full of crap.

Tried to argue with me on several different topics (movies, European history, the relation between atheists and morals) but I wasn't going to take the bait. The fact that he was out of arms reach might have had something to do with it. Not to mention that verbally demolishing an idiot, while fun, is not especially fulfilling.

Aside from the fact he's an ignorant putz... who the hell argues with people you don't know... at a wedding reception no less! A wedding reception that you are attending because your mother is a co-worker of the bride?

My hat is off to you Ob-Gee, you are a bigger ass than I thought you were. And that is quite an accomplishment.

Silence

For both my brain and the blog. After the raging storm last week, I've been sailing smooth but busy waters. Wrapping up my last week at work has brought me two trainees, which is severly limiting my down time at work, which is when the majority of my writing gets done.

So, after this Friday, I should be able to post more regularly. Anything between now and then I'll consider a bonus. =)

And then a long weekend, two days of getting stuff done around the house, then a road trip!

Pointless

Temper lost, peace lost, compassion lost, reason lost.
Loss of self, consumed in icy anger, fury, ire and loathing.
I thought I'd killed this me
The me consumed by rage
where reason has no hold.
Imprisoned only, beneath a thin veneer.

Then worse, the me that frightens me more than the rage
Even, unfeeling, compelled by reason, unruled by passion or emotion.
Uncaring, hurtful by calculation, not by passion.
Not willing to accept anything but its own logic driven reality.
Heart turned off, soul smothered, intellect in full control.

Separate, disconnected, passionless and cold.
Analyzing risk versus reward, effort against return
Solitary and unfeeling
Unhuman

So much progress, thought to be made
Gemini nature, at the forefront
the ugly twin.

Janus Gemini each twin
with two faces

Back to square one

20 More Random things

1. I was 5'5" when I started high school. I was 6'2" when I started my senior year.
2. I have an unfortunately high tolerance to pain killers, which makes for much fun if I'm forced to go to the hospital. No, like I told you four hours ago, Demerol does nothing for me!
3. I'm more Oscar than Felix
4. Tequilla has been very, very bad to me. Grass makes me grumpy.
5. I once propositioned the lead singer of a Celtic bar band between sets. Her husband the drummer was quite amused.
6. I'm slightly dyslexic, fairly colour blind, and partially deaf in my left ear.
7. My father was suspended from his high school for printing Fuck on the front page of the student newspaper. 25 years later, I was chastised for saying fuck (or shit, I can't remember) on stage while in high school.
8. One summer I ran an improv camp for kids.
9. I've delivered 1 eulogy and 1 best man's toast.
10. I've had 3 serious relationships in my life.
11. I was once kissed by a girlfriend's mother.
12. I don't drink nearly as much as I used to.
13. The night of 11 was the last time I was so drunk I blacked out.
14. I'm an open book to a large degree; there are things in the vault I'll never tell.
15. I have an opinion on just about anything and everything.
16. I used to read the entirety of the CNN, CBC, and BBC websites once a week.
17. I've had 11 different addresses in the past 9 years.
18. I stopped smoking 5 years ago, drinking pop 4 years ago, and being single 3 years ago.
19. I've been dating Gal longer than all my previous relationships (serious or not) put together.
20. I wonder why some people find me intimidating when they first meet me.

Follow Up

In an effort to attain balance after my post yesterday, I've just two things to say.

A) PHHHBBBBBTTTT! (in case you are not sure, this is an eloquent rasberry)

B) Purple Monkey Dishwasher

Politics - Just This Once

First, some background:

I'm a centrist. Have been for a long time. To break it down further, I'm a social liberal and a fiscal conservative. I'm also Canadian, which colours my view as well, and places me somewhat left of what would be considered an average liberal for our southern neighbours.

I follow current events. I've studied history. I'm enough a student of history to know that it really does repeat itself. I've developed the ability to think for myself, and take a large dose of cynicism daily. For the most part, I don't believe in black and white. Things are only that simple if you glance at them quickly.

Socially, I'm pro-choice, pro-gay marriage, pro-universal healthcare, pro-social safety net. I've discussed these things at length with many people, and come to my own conclusions. I've yet to hear a compelling argument as to why I should change my views. If I do, I just might.

I believe that we shouldn't spend more money than we bring in. I'm all about reducing the deficit. I think we have international obligations that must be met. I think some of these obligations are as important as domestic concerns.

Mostly, I'm about getting things done. Having worthwhile goals, and getting them accomplished.

There are a number of blogs that I read that have been discussing the events in London, Madrid, New York and the Middle East. I respect these people and their view points, some conservative, some liberal. Most of these are commenting on the US being in Iraq, whether it was justified, abuses committed by the US military versus those interred at Abu Gharib, and what actions should be taken (or not taken) against extremists.

I decided that this is important enough to me for me to want to say my piece.

Extremism needs to be ferreted out and destroyed.

Those at the far left and the far right love to pontificate as to why this should or shouldn't happen, and what methods should be used. Trust me when I say that your average extremist doesn't worry about the means. The ends is where it's at.

Is eliminating extremism going to be costly? Yes.

Bloody? Yes.

Unpleasant, messy, mired in tough moral decisions? Yes. Yes. Yes.

Is not confronting and eliminating Extremism going to be less unpleasant, bloody, messy, etc...?

Absolutely fucking not.

I'm not saying that eliminating extremism is going to be a purely military action. It's got to be military, political, social, economic and religious. From without and within, and all around.

It should not be about telling people what to believe.

It should be about telling people that how they want to live may not work for the rest of us. But if it works for them, they should do it. And that how I want to live may not work for them. But if it works for me, I should do it.

And that all that is fine. We all share this planet, and we need to get along. If we don't get along, some of us are going to have to leave. And I'd like to think, if we were to count up all the "I just wanna live my own way" versus the "My way or the highway" folks, the first group will win 100,000 to 1. I hope.

Liberals - Understand that Extremists can't be reasoned with. We can't change their mind. They need to change it themselves, and we need to give them every reason at our disposal to do so. Because they won't even bother to try and change our mind, except to ventilate it a little. Taking the moral high ground against those with no morals gets you nowhere.

Conservatives - Stop pretending that the reason the US went to Iraq was solely to stop terrorism. It wasn't. It was security, politics, and economics. The world runs on oil. It's natural to want a secure source of it. Hussein was a pox and needed to be taken out. Concensus can work. Torture does not.

Far left liberals and far right conservatives: This means you O'Reilly and Colter. This means you Moore. When I say Extremist, I mean you too. Your time will come. Political views aside, you are all quite rude.

This won't be solved in my lifetime. This probably won't be solved so long as there are people on this planet. That doesn't mean it's not worth addressing.

My Luck

Friday I gave my two weeks notice. I'd tried to see if the production was going to be able to change at all, or if I could flex my way around and still work until the end of July. No dice. So, I gave my notice.

Saturday was great. Gal and I went to a goodbye picnic for a friend who's going to Bande Aceh with the Red Cross. Went to Ikea to finally order some wardrobes to get the apartment in order. There was no line-up at the cash, so we were in and out in 20 mins.

As soon as I saw the lack of line, my Vaga-senses started tingling. I always end up in line, and without fail, it's the slowest line. So I was a little scared.

Went to catch a matinee... again, no line. I started to get a quiver in my stomach.

After the movie, went to Wally-mart. In and out in 20 mins, got in the quickest line at the cash. Future Shop, same deal. By then, I was starting to feel sick. We'd even gotten relatively close parking spots in all these places. This is unheard of for me.

Got back to the apt. and found a relatively close place to park, despite the fact there were 5000 extra people in the neighbourhood for a street festival. Once we got into the apartment, I needed to lie down. I was afraid. Very. Afraid.

Sunday we slept in until 10, Gal got up, and I decided I was going to go back to sleep, as she was going to an art show. I slept until 1, which was very great. As I got out of bed, the metal side support crumpled. Great. I broke the damn bed.

Got a call from the film production office... something came up, and they had to change my shooting dates. I'm now shooting evenings, this week and next. Great. I didn't have to give my notice.

My first scene is in 4 days. I haven't got a script. Haven't heard from them about costume. Great. I'm going to end up shooting until midnight or later, then have to work the next day. Great. I have no idea how many, or what lines I have. Great.

You know, if it weren't for rotten luck, I wouldn't have any at all. =)

But you know what? It doesn't bother me in the least. I'm going to be in a feature film, with a small speaking role.

I'm going to be leaving a job I don't really care for.

Really, it's all great.

Angry

Events like today's in London make me want to smash those responsible in the throat with a spigot.

Not watching where I figuratively step

Apparently you're not allowed to tell someone that they really cocked something up. Well, judging at least from the looks of shock I got earlier. Apparently fucking something up is okay, but cocking it up is right out.

Good to know.

I'd recommend 10 gallons of gasoline

It's looking more and more like I might be able to make the luau. I've yet to confirm my shooting dates and times, but I had a discussion with my boss, and there's no way they can grant me the time off for the shoot.

I can completely understand that, but at the same time, I'm not going to stay at a job I don't particularly like, for okay money, no benefits and no chance for advancement, when an opportunity like this comes up. Half the reason I moved to T.dot was for a chance to see if this acting thing can work out for me (the other half of the reason being Gal).

So, I'll be giving my notice so that I can have the last week of July off. This also means that I'll be available the first week of August. I'm likely going to drive down, and I'll be on the coast for about a week. Then I have to scramble back here and find another job.

I'm gonna need a place (or two or three) to crash while I'm down there. I don't want to burden anyone, so I'll shift from place to place as necessary. And if I'm driving down, everybody better be at this friggin' luau. =) 'los, this means you.

I'm going to spend a day or two in Freddy Beach too to try and catch the crew up there as well.

Of course, if the shoot falls through, I likely won't be down. So keep your fingers crossed for me.

I'm looking forward to Friday Karaoke, and meeting the new Suspects. And of course the disaster in the making that this pig roast is starting to sound like. Someone make sure to arrange some nice weather for while I'm down.