Workmares revisited

The last couple nights, I've discovered a new type of workmare (a dream related to work, in case you were unaware).

I'm not just dreaming about being at work, or people I work with - but now I'm dreaming about being inside my work. Last night I was actually in a videogame. Sounds like fun you say? Apparently you don't know our video games - they involve a lot of shooting and stuff. Great fun when you're doing the shooting. Not so much when you are being shot at.

I'm taking this as another sign that I've been working too much this summer.

Fire makes it good

I was playing Bioshock the other day (a new xbox game that's been getting good reviews) and I must confess that one of the things I quite like are the ambient scenes when they have someone do the old run-flaming-into-a-room-and-then-collapse stunt.

What is it about fire that ups the fun factor of anything by 12?

Juggling? Any dum dum can juggle bowling pins, but you light those bowling pins on fire and I'll watch.
Car crashes? Who doesn't watch Nascar for the car crashes - but hey - one of those wrecks catches on fire and you've got compelling television.
Camping? Sure it's great getting outdoors and all, but until you have a campfire - it's just missing something.
Homework? Who hasn't used the excuse that their homework accidentally burned up?

My suggestion to you for the rest of the week - see where you can add fire to your own life...I guarantee a 12 point increase in the amount of fun you have.



NOTE: This blog cannot be held liable for any related damage that may occur when adding fire to anything

Hello? Summer? You still out there?

As I emerge blinking into the unfamiliar sunshine, after being cooped up for the last six months, I find myself unsure of what to do. Like someone sticking their foot in an icy stream and then pulling it out in shock. What does one do when you have time for a life? It's been so long I hardly remember.

Fringe just ended last weekend - a sure sign that summer in Edmonton is nearly done and fall is on the way. The labour day football games are next week. I've just skipped an entire season.

I guess that's ok, though. I've always liked autumn. Nice and cool in the mornings, still warm enough in the afternoons to get outside and enjoy it - and then cool enough in the evenings to bring out some heavier clothes that have been pushed to the back of the closet for the summer.

The river valley is beautiful (for the two weeks when the leaves have changed colours before falling to the ground and leaving a barren wasteland). The farmer's markets are full with produce from the harvest. The University is back in session (with its accompanying crop of beautiful women back in town).

Bring on the autumn, I say...

Feeling restless

So I just finished the series Freaks and Geeks the other night. If you haven't seen it, you should. It's a great coming of age, high school series - kind of similiar to Wonderyears but set in 1980 so it resonates a little more with me. The 80's were my time. Oh to have those years to do again. It definately cranked up the nostalgia factor for me.
Combine that with my current project coming to an end after three years and meeting up with my old friends who are off leading lives in exotic places - I find myself feeling a little restless.

Pretty much as long as I can remember I've found that my life seems to revolve around four or five year stints. High school, University, First Career, The Travels, Back to School, and Second Career.

I'm now over five years at my current job - the longest I've been in one place in my life. Not that I'm looking for a new job or a new life - I'm still loving what I'm doing - but those feelings of restlessness are definately here. That temptation to blow everything up and start anew.

Maybe a bit of travelling combined with a fresh new game to work on and getting some life-time back will start the next cycle without the need for more dramatic changes.

PG Ratings (or how Bioware learned to stop worrying and love swear words)

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Fringe time

It's time for the last of Edmonton's summer festivals - the Fringe.
I'm not such a big theatre-goer during the year, but at Fringe - I'm willing to experiment a bit.

Checking out my first play tonight.

...and just maybe the beer gardens afterwards. God I love festivals.

An 'Awesome' trip

Well the road trip was amazing. If you've never driven the Coquihalla, I highly recommend it.
It feels like you're driving out of the clouds - this amazing, lush forest towering above you on each side. Plus you can just fly when you're on it. Divided all the way from Kamloops into Vancouver. Made the trip in 12 hours on the way there and just under 11 on the way back.
Even managed a few wild life sightings as well - a bear, some mountain goats and even a couple moose (which I hadn't ever seen before, actually)

Anyways - it was good having the four horsemen together again. Some things may change over time, but you know your real friends are the ones that you pick up things right where you left off - no matter how long its been since you've seen them.

On a side note - Kyle noted that western canadians seem to be using the word 'awesome' an awful lot these days - and not in it's original sense - that of striking 'awe', but more as an alternative way of saying 'great'. Funny thing was, as soon as Kyle pointed it out, I couldn't help but notice every time I happened to say it. That's my new goal - I'm expanding my vocabulary and routing out all of the awesomes I can...

wonderful... admirable...dynamite...transcendent...fantastic...first-rate...marvelous...terrific......tremendous...exceptional

Roadtrip!

It's been 7 years since my last road trip - the last of the infamous Kimberley soccer trips, I believe.

Tomorrow, I'm off to Vancouver bright and early, and while I don't expect the level of debauchery to be quite as high as the old days - I'm still expecting some trouble.

The four horsemen of the apocalypse will be together again!

Alex, Kyle, Pepsi and myself have known each other since elementary school. Various combinations of the four of us have traveled the world together or been roommates together pretty much continuously for the last 20 years. Kyle moved to Korea a little over 10 years ago, Peps moved to Calgary about 5 years ago and Alex moved out to Vancouver last autumn leaving me all by my lonesome.

Kyle's bi-annual visit seemed like a good excuse to head out to Vancouver to get together and do some carousing like the good old days.

It's a damn good thing I've been exercising my liver lately. Alex, Pepsi and me (with our friends Liz and Claire sandwiched in between)

Moms

You know, it doesn't matter how old you get - it's still nice to know your mom loves you.

My mom knows I've been stuck at work quite late the last little while. I asked her to let some repair guys in to my new place who needed to do some work. When I get home, I found a little note saying the job was done and to look in my fridge. What do I find there but a little turkey-dinner care package.

My mom's in her 80s now and starting to slow down maybe just a little bit.
When I stop to think about it - that's a little scary. I'm not a big fan of the whole loss and death thing, but I'm not seeing any way around it eventually. I have a friend who's being confronted with this whole issue right now and I have no solutions for her. No easy way to get by, get through, go on.

Anyways - just wanted to say, 'thanks mom...'

So tired...

And it's not going to get any better.
Heading to Vancouver this weekend in a commando raid to meet up with some of the boys from the old hood. Driving out on Friday and back on Sunday.
This promises to be messy.
One day I'll catch up on my sleep.

If you haven't yet - check out the new links for August music. Michael Franti has been bumped up to my 'will travel to see' list. He was that good.

Folk Fest Fallout

I survived...but barely.
Sunday was probably the best single day at the folk fest I've been to.
Some awesome workshops with Buck 65.
A really cool folk/ska band from Mexico City played the afternoon main stage - Los de Abajo.
It was the first time that I can remember most of the hill was on their feet in the afternoon.
Some more workshops and some quality beer tent time followed.
And on the evening mainstage, Ozomatli brought out the funk and then Michael Franti and Spearhead blew everyone away.
The hill was on it's feet the whole night and looking awesome.

Now I'm in need of some recovery time. Only 360 days to go till next time.

Folking tired!

One day in and I'm already tired.

Damn this work. Totally getting in the way of my folk enjoyment.I'm not a young man anymore, you know - four straight days of drinking is going to take its toll.Plus I didn't even get monday off this year - one of the cardinal rules of folk fest.

Here's hoping I make it to Sunday.

Blue Rodeo is headlining tonight - I've seen them plenty of times, but I'm sure they'll put on a good show in the rain.

Thanks to Cookie for coming along last night. I'm stealing a couple of your photos to put up here as well.

Time to get the folk out!

Edmonton Folk Fest starts tonight!
Easily one of my favorite festivals of the year. (mmmmm, hippie girls)

It never used to be on my radar - 'folk music', I'd say to myself. 'Who listens to that crap?'
But you go once or twice, just cause your friends are working the beer gardens, and maybe you get a little older and you start to broaden your musical horizons and BAM! Just like that, suddenly you're a folkie. Not only that, but I've become some kind of evangelical folkie. My festival hasn't been a success unless I can drag someone down to it that has never been before.

Seems like every year there's some new music to discover, some old friends to meet, some new memories to make.

It's been raining this week so it's going to be muddy and there's no big headliners this year, but bring on the fest - I'm ready to go!

http://www.edmontonfolkfest.org/

Question of the Day...

Today's question is brought to you by the letter 'W'

Who is more confusing to who? Are women more confusing to men or are men more confusing to women?

All moved in

Well... several herniated discs and strained muscles later, I'm all set up at my new place. True friends are those that you can abuse with the old 'help me move' request, so many thanks go out to Corey and Jason who probably spent the rest of the weekend recovering.

I couldn't believe how much stuff I had left to move. I thought I'd been doing well throwing out all my old crap for the previous month, but we packed that moving van full to the brim. Amazingly - nothing got broken or scratched and the unloading went much smoother than the loading.

I'm liking the new place. I'm especially liking being close enough to walk to pretty much anything downtown. I'm really really liking the lack of roommates.

Unfortunately now it's back to work. The only problem with having a couple days off is how much stuff piles up around here. 267 emails waiting for me when I got in today and a bug count that was at 3 is now at 87.

Sigh. Guess it's time to get back to it.