Parker and Nicky, my delightful nephews aged 10 and 9-days-shy-of-7, were here this weekend.
I met them at Finch station where my sister dropped them off for a visit. Parker has stayed with me before but Nicholas has not, so this was going to be an interesting test. Still, as he spends alternate weekends with his father (divorce, custody, yuck) I figured an overnight with his uncle and his big brother should be just fine.
Despite some initial concerns about not having the right bedtime supplies, though, Nicky settled right in, and Parker, well, he can make himself at home anywhere. Highlights of last night: Nicky got 5 new Webkinz for his collection asa birthday present, then we played with Star Wars toys while Parker watched the 2-part season finale of Doctor Who for this year. Then outside we went with the lightsabres for some fun in the park when it got dark.
Today we were up and out pretty early, and the shopping began. A few things at So Hip It Hurts, and a few more things at Toys R Us, then to the movie theatre to watch The Clone Wars, this time being my second. The verdicts from the kids? Nicky liked it, Parker did not.
And now they have gone home. I had them with me for 24 hours almost to the minute, and not once did I stop to count the hours until they left. I loved having them with me. Now that they have gone home I actually feel a bit lonely, truth be told. I've tidied up my apartment (it wasn't that messy really) and Jay is coming by shortly for some Blakes 7 episodes, so I am not going to be on my own for long, but it's only after guests leave that I feel a bit wistful. Still, I'll see the kids again soon enough, and now that I know they can both survive a visit here together, they can stay over again and have some more fun. I am glad they came; I like to think that them coming here to stay for an overnight is a good experience for them, and it gives my sister a break. And for me, well, it gives me someone to play Star Wars with...
That is all.
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Thursday, August 21, 2008
ring your own damn Bell
Have you seen the new Bell Canada marketing strategy? It was one of those viral campaigns where they simply threw the two letters "er" onto white billboards for a few weeks and then overnight swapped em all to saying like "Texting just got better" or some such nonsense, along with their new cheap looking logo. I suppose they thought they were being clever.
I've just changed the way I use Bell; I got rid of my land line and am now cellular all the way, which while opening me up to certain potential health risks will work out a lot better for me in the long run. Trouble is, Bell managed to lose my disconnect order first, then started telling me about all the one-time fees they would be adding to my bill; the first person I talked to said a $15 charge for an automated message to tell callers my number had changed. When nothing happened and I called back, now someone else told me about a $17.50 charge for not giving them 30 days notice on my calling plan. My land line is disconnected at last, and there is no forwarding message, so there's one charge I do not expect to see.
So I expanded my Bell Mobility services now, and was told I would get a $250 credit towards a new phone. Great, I thought, this one I have now is looking a little worn, why not look into a new one. Oh, but for some reason, there's a $35 one time charge for this now, and I only get the credit if I buy another bundle of features (features I really don't need, like mobile internet browsing - who the hell has time for that?), and I am limited to a certain range of phones. All this information they never mentioned on the phone; maybe they're questions I should have asked, but if Bell is a sincerely competitive business they should make things more clear at the outset. Unfortunately I agreed to their 3 year contract before all this came to light - and then as I was coming home the other day I saw the inspired Rogers plan where your wireless phone connects to your internet router and you get unlimited calling when you go through it. So I'm kinda missing out this time, unless Rogers adds to their campaign and agrees to buy out the contracts of people who want to switch over.
There's a thought, eh Rogers?
But in the meantime, Bell can stick their one time fees up their one time ass. I will stick with my old phone for the duration of this contract, their $35 fee be damned. And then when that contract is up, I'm off to a different provider.
That is all.
I've just changed the way I use Bell; I got rid of my land line and am now cellular all the way, which while opening me up to certain potential health risks will work out a lot better for me in the long run. Trouble is, Bell managed to lose my disconnect order first, then started telling me about all the one-time fees they would be adding to my bill; the first person I talked to said a $15 charge for an automated message to tell callers my number had changed. When nothing happened and I called back, now someone else told me about a $17.50 charge for not giving them 30 days notice on my calling plan. My land line is disconnected at last, and there is no forwarding message, so there's one charge I do not expect to see.
So I expanded my Bell Mobility services now, and was told I would get a $250 credit towards a new phone. Great, I thought, this one I have now is looking a little worn, why not look into a new one. Oh, but for some reason, there's a $35 one time charge for this now, and I only get the credit if I buy another bundle of features (features I really don't need, like mobile internet browsing - who the hell has time for that?), and I am limited to a certain range of phones. All this information they never mentioned on the phone; maybe they're questions I should have asked, but if Bell is a sincerely competitive business they should make things more clear at the outset. Unfortunately I agreed to their 3 year contract before all this came to light - and then as I was coming home the other day I saw the inspired Rogers plan where your wireless phone connects to your internet router and you get unlimited calling when you go through it. So I'm kinda missing out this time, unless Rogers adds to their campaign and agrees to buy out the contracts of people who want to switch over.
There's a thought, eh Rogers?
But in the meantime, Bell can stick their one time fees up their one time ass. I will stick with my old phone for the duration of this contract, their $35 fee be damned. And then when that contract is up, I'm off to a different provider.
That is all.
Friday, August 15, 2008
adventures in fitness # 8, or, The Fading Light of Star Wars
196 pounds.
Today I weighed in at 196 pounds. Let the record show that is now 24 lbs down from where I was. I feel kinda tired, but that's because I just came back from the gym. I had a good workout, my trainer even told me I was doing good today. Then while he was helping me stretch after my workout this sick mush slow song came on the radio and we just started to laugh. "This is not good music for stretching another male," he muttered to someone, but in an ironic kind of way, not demeaning. Cool dude.
It's Friday. I feel good aside from the tiredness. I hear thunder overhead out there, a low growl every now and again. Yesterday it apparantly stormed real good but I slept through it. Getting good sleep is key to health, they say, so I have been trying to get more.
I am not sure what's on for the weekend yet. There's a new Star Wars movie out, Clone Wars, that takes place between episodes 2 and 3, but I am not sure how much I am buying into that. I think the big sticking points for me are:
1) it's animated
2) it doesn't really add anything to the mythology
3) it's obviously a cash grab
Is my Star Wars fandom slipping? I remember being all excited about it as a child, and even into my adult life, and I still buy the odd action figure for my collection and play with lightsabres ... but it seems to me that Doctor Who still says more to me on a few levels. Anakin Skywalker's tragic fall into darkness just doesn't seem as gripping as the Doctor's perpetual lonliness.
There's a paper in ther somewhere.
That is all.
Today I weighed in at 196 pounds. Let the record show that is now 24 lbs down from where I was. I feel kinda tired, but that's because I just came back from the gym. I had a good workout, my trainer even told me I was doing good today. Then while he was helping me stretch after my workout this sick mush slow song came on the radio and we just started to laugh. "This is not good music for stretching another male," he muttered to someone, but in an ironic kind of way, not demeaning. Cool dude.
It's Friday. I feel good aside from the tiredness. I hear thunder overhead out there, a low growl every now and again. Yesterday it apparantly stormed real good but I slept through it. Getting good sleep is key to health, they say, so I have been trying to get more.
I am not sure what's on for the weekend yet. There's a new Star Wars movie out, Clone Wars, that takes place between episodes 2 and 3, but I am not sure how much I am buying into that. I think the big sticking points for me are:
1) it's animated
2) it doesn't really add anything to the mythology
3) it's obviously a cash grab
Is my Star Wars fandom slipping? I remember being all excited about it as a child, and even into my adult life, and I still buy the odd action figure for my collection and play with lightsabres ... but it seems to me that Doctor Who still says more to me on a few levels. Anakin Skywalker's tragic fall into darkness just doesn't seem as gripping as the Doctor's perpetual lonliness.
There's a paper in ther somewhere.
That is all.
Sunday, August 10, 2008
it's raining, it's pouring
It's actually a cool kinda Sunday, the kind where you could just whitter the day away doing nothing and be forgiven for it because it was too wet to go out and do anything.
Yesterday after another fun morning at the gym (I'm down to 199 lbs now) Jay came over for another episode of Blakes 7 and then a viewing of the new Doctor Who DVD Black Orchid. Actually, we watched Orchid for it's commentary track which was nothing short of hysterical; the cast got together and just roasted the show together. Bliss. Mark arrived just a few minutes into episode 2 - he's on his way to Rigaud, Quebec, for a work-related mission this week - and joined the fun. Then once all was done Mark and I journeyed north to Aurora for an evening of beers and food with friends. I didn't have any beer, though, sticking to my resolve to be thin and gorgeous. I made a few unwise choices off the dessert platter though.
Mark's off on his way to Quebec now, it was wonderful to see him even for a short visit, and plans are afoot for Thanksgiving in Windsor. I'm told I am cooking the turkey. Fair dues, I've done it before. And Mark apparantly already has a box of PC cranberry stuffing in his cupboard so we're already on our way there.
And here I am on a rainy Sunday. I don't have to go to work early tonight, and I slept well last night so after a nap this afternoon (around 5 PM or so) I'll be ready to go. And then the week starts anew.
Projects? Well, nothing new on the horizon. I've finally done my dining room; I put pictures of it on my Facebook page for all to see. I have a rather large open space on one wall in my living room that is begging for some attention; I think it would be a good place for a large piece of art. Then the over-write of my apartment will roll onwards, with a new coffee table on the horizon, new drapes (or blinds - not sure yet), entertainment unit, desk, chair and couch eventually. I have a 5 year plan, this all fits into it. Just as I get it done I'll be ready to move, probably.
So. Rain. Good day for a cuppa tea and some music, and some intrspection. Or online chitchat... one of those.
That is all.
Yesterday after another fun morning at the gym (I'm down to 199 lbs now) Jay came over for another episode of Blakes 7 and then a viewing of the new Doctor Who DVD Black Orchid. Actually, we watched Orchid for it's commentary track which was nothing short of hysterical; the cast got together and just roasted the show together. Bliss. Mark arrived just a few minutes into episode 2 - he's on his way to Rigaud, Quebec, for a work-related mission this week - and joined the fun. Then once all was done Mark and I journeyed north to Aurora for an evening of beers and food with friends. I didn't have any beer, though, sticking to my resolve to be thin and gorgeous. I made a few unwise choices off the dessert platter though.
Mark's off on his way to Quebec now, it was wonderful to see him even for a short visit, and plans are afoot for Thanksgiving in Windsor. I'm told I am cooking the turkey. Fair dues, I've done it before. And Mark apparantly already has a box of PC cranberry stuffing in his cupboard so we're already on our way there.
And here I am on a rainy Sunday. I don't have to go to work early tonight, and I slept well last night so after a nap this afternoon (around 5 PM or so) I'll be ready to go. And then the week starts anew.
Projects? Well, nothing new on the horizon. I've finally done my dining room; I put pictures of it on my Facebook page for all to see. I have a rather large open space on one wall in my living room that is begging for some attention; I think it would be a good place for a large piece of art. Then the over-write of my apartment will roll onwards, with a new coffee table on the horizon, new drapes (or blinds - not sure yet), entertainment unit, desk, chair and couch eventually. I have a 5 year plan, this all fits into it. Just as I get it done I'll be ready to move, probably.
So. Rain. Good day for a cuppa tea and some music, and some intrspection. Or online chitchat... one of those.
That is all.
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Duffy
Last night I went to the Phoenix Concert Hall for the first time in.... I'm not sure how many years. Let's just say it was so long ago that I had a VIP pass for their retro Saturday nights. Was it Saturday? Or was it Friday? Or were Fridays exclusively the Brunswick House? Or Colby's when the Brunny got a bit stale?
Anyways. Last night was an actual concert at the Phoenix, and the star of the night was this lovely Welsh girl named Duffy. Well, actually her name is Aimee Anne Duffy, so I am told. She's a pretty young thing with an incredible voice, and she came out onto the stage with no fanfare wearing a simple red and white number which she said she chose specifically for it's "Canadian colours". And then she sang.
Oh wow can she sing.
The crowd was standing room only, as is the case with that place, and everyone seemed to be loving it. Jamie and I were pretty close to the stage so we could see her very well, even if this maniac woman in front of us kept getting her Scary Spice hairdo in the way. and was it ever hot in there. All those people packed together so tight generated a lot of heat. I swear there was air conditioning when we walked in. I don't know where it went.
I've not done a lot of small venue gigs before; usually I save my concert money for big gigs like Madonna, just for the sheer scale of the productions, but on a value for money index you really can't go wrong for $37 for Duffy. She was fun, she wasn't full of herself, she was certainly interested in keeping the audience involved in her performance by talking to us between songs and ad-libbing the odd humourous quip.
Jamie got the logic for this one right; see these new artists when they are still affordable and while they are still producing. My Madonna tickets (3 of them) ran me $550 and although I am going to enjoy that show a lot, I know that my feeling of connection to the person on stage is going to be less because of the sheer number of people there and my distance from the stage. And also perhaps because of the rehearsed structured nature of Madonna's bigger "Stick and Sweet" tour vs Duffy's "hey come and hear me sing" kind of attitude.
Buy her album. Support her.
That is all.
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