Sunday, November 04, 2007
Books and late postings
Hey everyone -- or the two people who still may be checking my blog. Obviously, I have not been diligent in posting over the past few months. I've been busy with work and moving but have found a sliver of time to update the books I've read/am reading. Please see the posts below and I hope to be writing more regularly here.
Just finished
Life After God
by Douglas Coupland
We are the first generation raised without God. We are creatures with strong religious impulses, yet they have nowhere to flow in this world of malls and TV, Kraft dinners and jets. How do we cope with loneliness? Anxiety? The collapse of relationships? How do we reach the quiet, safe layer of our lives? In this compellingly innovative collection of stories, bestselling author Douglas Coupland responds to these themes. Cutting through the hype of modern living to find a rare grace amid our lives, he uncovers a new kind of truth for a culture stuck on fast-forward. A culture seemingly beyond God.
by Douglas Coupland
We are the first generation raised without God. We are creatures with strong religious impulses, yet they have nowhere to flow in this world of malls and TV, Kraft dinners and jets. How do we cope with loneliness? Anxiety? The collapse of relationships? How do we reach the quiet, safe layer of our lives? In this compellingly innovative collection of stories, bestselling author Douglas Coupland responds to these themes. Cutting through the hype of modern living to find a rare grace amid our lives, he uncovers a new kind of truth for a culture stuck on fast-forward. A culture seemingly beyond God.
Just finished
Dead I May Well Be
by Adrian McKinty
This Irish bad-boy thriller -- set in the hardest streets of New York City -- brims with violence, greed, and sexual betrayal. "I didn't want to go to America, I didn't want to work for Darkey White. I had my reasons. But I went." So admits Michael Forsythe, an illegal immigrant escaping the Troubles in Belfast. But young Michael is strong and fearless and clever -- just the fellow to be tapped by Darkey, a crime boss, to join a gang of Irish thugs struggling against the rising Dominican powers in Harlem and the Bronx. The time is pre-Giuliani New York, when crack rules the city, squatters live furtively in ruined buildings, and hundreds are murdered each month. Michael and his lads tumble through the streets, shaking down victims, drinking hard, and fighting for turf, block by bloody block. Dodgy and observant, not to mention handy with a pistol, Michael is soon anointed by Darkey as his rising star. Meanwhile Michael has very inadvisably seduced Darkey's girl, Bridget -- saucy, fickle, and irresistible. Michael worries that he's being followed, that his affair with Bridget will be revealed. He's right to be anxious; when Darkey discovers the affair, he plans a very hard fall for young Michael, a gambit devilish in its guile, murderous in its intent. But Darkey fails to account for Michael's toughness and ingenuity or the possibility that he might wreak terrible vengeance upon those who would betray him. A natural storyteller with a gift for dialogue, McKinty introduces to readers a stunning new noir voice, dark and stylish, mythic and violent -- complete with an Irish lilt."
by Adrian McKinty
This Irish bad-boy thriller -- set in the hardest streets of New York City -- brims with violence, greed, and sexual betrayal. "I didn't want to go to America, I didn't want to work for Darkey White. I had my reasons. But I went." So admits Michael Forsythe, an illegal immigrant escaping the Troubles in Belfast. But young Michael is strong and fearless and clever -- just the fellow to be tapped by Darkey, a crime boss, to join a gang of Irish thugs struggling against the rising Dominican powers in Harlem and the Bronx. The time is pre-Giuliani New York, when crack rules the city, squatters live furtively in ruined buildings, and hundreds are murdered each month. Michael and his lads tumble through the streets, shaking down victims, drinking hard, and fighting for turf, block by bloody block. Dodgy and observant, not to mention handy with a pistol, Michael is soon anointed by Darkey as his rising star. Meanwhile Michael has very inadvisably seduced Darkey's girl, Bridget -- saucy, fickle, and irresistible. Michael worries that he's being followed, that his affair with Bridget will be revealed. He's right to be anxious; when Darkey discovers the affair, he plans a very hard fall for young Michael, a gambit devilish in its guile, murderous in its intent. But Darkey fails to account for Michael's toughness and ingenuity or the possibility that he might wreak terrible vengeance upon those who would betray him. A natural storyteller with a gift for dialogue, McKinty introduces to readers a stunning new noir voice, dark and stylish, mythic and violent -- complete with an Irish lilt."
Just finished
Angel Fire East
by Terry Brooks
The Word & the Void series: book three
As a Knight of the Word, John Ross has struggled against the tireless dark forces of the Void for twenty-five years. A rootless wanderer scarred as deeply by the magic he wields as by the unspeakable horrors he has witnessed in its service, Ross is driven by dreams that show the world reduced to blood and ashes by the Void and its minions. The grim futures he dreams each night will come true unless he can stop them now, in the present. But for all his power, John Ross is only one man, while the demons he hunts--and which hunt him in turn--are legion.
Then Ross learns of the birth of a gypsy morph, a rare and dangerous creature formed of wild magics spontaneously knit together. If he can discover its secret, the morph could be an invaluable weapon against the Void. But the Void, too, knows the value of the morph, and will not rest until the creature has been corrupted--or destroyed.
Desperate, Ross returns to the town of Hopewell, Illinois, home of Nest Freemark, a young woman with magical abilities of her own. Twice before, with the fate of the world hanging in the balance, the lives of Ross and Nest have intersected. Together, they have prevailed.
But now they face an ancient evil beyond anything they have ever encountered, for a demon of ruthless intelligence and feral cunning awaits them in Hopewell. As a firestorm of good and evil erupts, threatening to consume lives and shatter dreams, Ross and Nest have but a single chance to solve the mystery of the gypsy morph--and of their own profound connection.
by Terry Brooks
The Word & the Void series: book three
As a Knight of the Word, John Ross has struggled against the tireless dark forces of the Void for twenty-five years. A rootless wanderer scarred as deeply by the magic he wields as by the unspeakable horrors he has witnessed in its service, Ross is driven by dreams that show the world reduced to blood and ashes by the Void and its minions. The grim futures he dreams each night will come true unless he can stop them now, in the present. But for all his power, John Ross is only one man, while the demons he hunts--and which hunt him in turn--are legion.
Then Ross learns of the birth of a gypsy morph, a rare and dangerous creature formed of wild magics spontaneously knit together. If he can discover its secret, the morph could be an invaluable weapon against the Void. But the Void, too, knows the value of the morph, and will not rest until the creature has been corrupted--or destroyed.
Desperate, Ross returns to the town of Hopewell, Illinois, home of Nest Freemark, a young woman with magical abilities of her own. Twice before, with the fate of the world hanging in the balance, the lives of Ross and Nest have intersected. Together, they have prevailed.
But now they face an ancient evil beyond anything they have ever encountered, for a demon of ruthless intelligence and feral cunning awaits them in Hopewell. As a firestorm of good and evil erupts, threatening to consume lives and shatter dreams, Ross and Nest have but a single chance to solve the mystery of the gypsy morph--and of their own profound connection.
Just finished
A Knight of the Word
by Terry Brooks
The Word & the Void Series: book two
In the eleventh century the Welsh hero Owain Glyndwr was chosen to combat the demonic evil of the Void and disappeared from history to fulfill that mission. Armed with powerful magic, Glyndwr became a Knight of the Word - a draining and demanding legacy passed on eight centuries later to John Ross, a professor of English literature on tour in Wales. In accepting the black runestaff that channeled the magic of the Word, John Ross accepted a solemn trust - and an awful burden. Each night he dreams of hellish futures wrought upon the world by the Void. And each dream is of a future that will come to pass unless Ross prevents it in the present. Then an unspeakable act of violence shatters his weary beliefs. Haunted by guilt, John Ross turns his back on the Word. But a fallen Knight makes a tempting prize for the Void, and merciless demons soon stalk Ross and those close to him. His only hope is young Nest Freemark, who wields a powerful magic all her own.
by Terry Brooks
The Word & the Void Series: book two
In the eleventh century the Welsh hero Owain Glyndwr was chosen to combat the demonic evil of the Void and disappeared from history to fulfill that mission. Armed with powerful magic, Glyndwr became a Knight of the Word - a draining and demanding legacy passed on eight centuries later to John Ross, a professor of English literature on tour in Wales. In accepting the black runestaff that channeled the magic of the Word, John Ross accepted a solemn trust - and an awful burden. Each night he dreams of hellish futures wrought upon the world by the Void. And each dream is of a future that will come to pass unless Ross prevents it in the present. Then an unspeakable act of violence shatters his weary beliefs. Haunted by guilt, John Ross turns his back on the Word. But a fallen Knight makes a tempting prize for the Void, and merciless demons soon stalk Ross and those close to him. His only hope is young Nest Freemark, who wields a powerful magic all her own.
Monday, August 13, 2007
Just finished
Running with the Demon
by Terry Brooks
The Word & the Void Series: book one
On the hottest Fourth of July weekend in decades, two men have come to Hopewell, Illinois, site of a lengthy, bitter steel strike. One is a demon, dark servant of the Void, who will use the anger and frustration of the community to attain a terrible secret goal. The other is John Ross, a Knight of the Word, a man who, while he sleeps, lives in the hell the world will become if he fails to change its course on waking. Ross has been given the ability to see the future. But does he have the power to change it? At stake is the soul of a fourteen-year-old girl mysteriously linked to both men. And the lives of the people of Hopewell. And the future of the country.
by Terry Brooks
The Word & the Void Series: book one
On the hottest Fourth of July weekend in decades, two men have come to Hopewell, Illinois, site of a lengthy, bitter steel strike. One is a demon, dark servant of the Void, who will use the anger and frustration of the community to attain a terrible secret goal. The other is John Ross, a Knight of the Word, a man who, while he sleeps, lives in the hell the world will become if he fails to change its course on waking. Ross has been given the ability to see the future. But does he have the power to change it? At stake is the soul of a fourteen-year-old girl mysteriously linked to both men. And the lives of the people of Hopewell. And the future of the country.
Monday, July 30, 2007
Just finished
The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz
by Mordecai Richler
The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz is the novel that established Mordecai Richler as one of the world’s best comic writers. Growing up in the heart of Montreal’s Jewish ghetto, Duddy Kravitz is obsessed with his grandfather’s saying, “A man without land is nothing.” In his relentless pursuit of property and his drive to become a somebody, he will wheel and deal, he will swindle and forge, he will even try making movies. And in spite of the setbacks he suffers, the sacrifices he must make along the way, Duddy never loses faith that his dream is worth the price he must pay. This blistering satire traces the eventful coming-of-age of a cynical dreamer. Amoral, inventive, ruthless, and scheming, Duddy Kravitz is one of the most magnetic anti-heroes in literature, a man who learns the hard way that dreams are never exactly what they seem, even when they do come true.
by Mordecai Richler
The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz is the novel that established Mordecai Richler as one of the world’s best comic writers. Growing up in the heart of Montreal’s Jewish ghetto, Duddy Kravitz is obsessed with his grandfather’s saying, “A man without land is nothing.” In his relentless pursuit of property and his drive to become a somebody, he will wheel and deal, he will swindle and forge, he will even try making movies. And in spite of the setbacks he suffers, the sacrifices he must make along the way, Duddy never loses faith that his dream is worth the price he must pay. This blistering satire traces the eventful coming-of-age of a cynical dreamer. Amoral, inventive, ruthless, and scheming, Duddy Kravitz is one of the most magnetic anti-heroes in literature, a man who learns the hard way that dreams are never exactly what they seem, even when they do come true.
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Just finished
Searching for Bobby Orr
by Stephen Brunt
This book is not only about Bobby Orr but about what was happening in hockey during his playing days. Orr redefined the defensive style of hockey; there was nothing like it before him. He was the first to infuse the defenseman position with offensive juice, driving up the ice, setting up players and scoring some goals of his own. He was the first player to win three straight MVP awards, the first defenseman to score twenty or more goals in a season. His most famous goal won the Boston Bruins the Stanley Cup in 1970 – for the first time in twenty-nine years – against the St. Louis Blues in overtime. But history will also remember Bobby Orr as a key figure in the Alan Eagleson scandal, and as the unfortunate player forced into early retirement in 1978 because of his injuries.
Personal Note: Alan Eagleson is such an ass!
by Stephen Brunt
This book is not only about Bobby Orr but about what was happening in hockey during his playing days. Orr redefined the defensive style of hockey; there was nothing like it before him. He was the first to infuse the defenseman position with offensive juice, driving up the ice, setting up players and scoring some goals of his own. He was the first player to win three straight MVP awards, the first defenseman to score twenty or more goals in a season. His most famous goal won the Boston Bruins the Stanley Cup in 1970 – for the first time in twenty-nine years – against the St. Louis Blues in overtime. But history will also remember Bobby Orr as a key figure in the Alan Eagleson scandal, and as the unfortunate player forced into early retirement in 1978 because of his injuries.
Personal Note: Alan Eagleson is such an ass!
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Just finished
Double Play
by Robert B Parker
It is 1947, the year Jackie Robinson breaks major-league baseball's color barrier by playing for the Brooklyn Dodgers — and changes the world. This is the story of that season, as told through the eyes of a difficult, brooding, and wounded man named Joseph Burke. Burke, a veteran of World War II and a survivor of Guadalcanal, is hired by Brooklyn Dodgers manager Branch Rickey to guard Robinson. While Burke shadows Robinson, a man of tremendous strength and character suddenly thrust into the media spotlight, the bodyguard must also face some hard truths of his own, in a world where the wrong associations can prove fatal.
by Robert B Parker
It is 1947, the year Jackie Robinson breaks major-league baseball's color barrier by playing for the Brooklyn Dodgers — and changes the world. This is the story of that season, as told through the eyes of a difficult, brooding, and wounded man named Joseph Burke. Burke, a veteran of World War II and a survivor of Guadalcanal, is hired by Brooklyn Dodgers manager Branch Rickey to guard Robinson. While Burke shadows Robinson, a man of tremendous strength and character suddenly thrust into the media spotlight, the bodyguard must also face some hard truths of his own, in a world where the wrong associations can prove fatal.
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Just finished
A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius
by Dave Eggers
From the editors...
Within five weeks, a college senior loses both his parents to cancer and is bequeathed his eight-year-old brother. Having finished college and moved to Berkeley, Calif., with his little brother, Toph, he tries to be a father. Despite the responsibilities of cooking, cleaning and bill-paying, he is still just a playful older brother. Unique, entertaining, self-deprecating, satirical yet startlingly beautiful, A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius is a passionate and funny true story of a troubled family. Might magazine founder and McSweeney's editor Dave Eggers recounts his heartwrenching experiences in this darkly humorous, self-conscious anti-memoir.
by Dave Eggers
From the editors...
Within five weeks, a college senior loses both his parents to cancer and is bequeathed his eight-year-old brother. Having finished college and moved to Berkeley, Calif., with his little brother, Toph, he tries to be a father. Despite the responsibilities of cooking, cleaning and bill-paying, he is still just a playful older brother. Unique, entertaining, self-deprecating, satirical yet startlingly beautiful, A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius is a passionate and funny true story of a troubled family. Might magazine founder and McSweeney's editor Dave Eggers recounts his heartwrenching experiences in this darkly humorous, self-conscious anti-memoir.
Friday, May 11, 2007
Just finished
The History of Love
by Nicole Krauss
A long-lost book reappears, mysteriously connecting an old man searching for his son and a girl seeking a cure for her widowed mother''s loneliness. Leo Gursky is just about surviving, tapping his radiator each evening to let his upstairs neighbour know he's still alive. But life wasn't always like this: sixty years ago, in the Polish village where he was born, Leo fell in love and wrote a book. And though Leo doesn't know it, that book survived, inspiring fabulous circumstances, even love. Fourteen-year-old Alma was named after a character in that very book. And although she has her hands full -- keeping track of her brother, Bird (who thinks he might be the Messiah), and taking copious notes on How to Survive in the Wild -- she undertakes an adventure to find her namesake and save her family.
by Nicole Krauss
A long-lost book reappears, mysteriously connecting an old man searching for his son and a girl seeking a cure for her widowed mother''s loneliness. Leo Gursky is just about surviving, tapping his radiator each evening to let his upstairs neighbour know he's still alive. But life wasn't always like this: sixty years ago, in the Polish village where he was born, Leo fell in love and wrote a book. And though Leo doesn't know it, that book survived, inspiring fabulous circumstances, even love. Fourteen-year-old Alma was named after a character in that very book. And although she has her hands full -- keeping track of her brother, Bird (who thinks he might be the Messiah), and taking copious notes on How to Survive in the Wild -- she undertakes an adventure to find her namesake and save her family.
Thursday, April 26, 2007
Just finished
Slaughterhouse-five
by Kurt Vonnegut
Billy Pilgrim is the son of an American barber. He serves as a chaplain's assistant in World War II, is captured by the Germans, and he survives the largest massacre in European history the fire bombing of Dresden. After the war Billy makes a great deal of money as an optometrist, and on his wedding night he is kidnapped by a flying saucer from the planet Tralfamadore.
More info.
by Kurt Vonnegut
Billy Pilgrim is the son of an American barber. He serves as a chaplain's assistant in World War II, is captured by the Germans, and he survives the largest massacre in European history the fire bombing of Dresden. After the war Billy makes a great deal of money as an optometrist, and on his wedding night he is kidnapped by a flying saucer from the planet Tralfamadore.
More info.
Monday, April 23, 2007
R-E-S-P-E-C-T
This past weekend was spent in Welland for the funeral of the father of my soon to be brother-in-law. As the funeral procession drove from the funeral home to the church and then later on to the cemetary, I noticed a very cool thing. Everyone who was driving pulled over to the side of the road and stopped until we all drove by. Everyone who was walking on the sidewalk stopped and waited until we all drove by. They were paying their respects to the deceased and to the family.
In all my years of living in Toronto, I've never noticed anyone stopping while the procession drives by. We may slow down but we never stop. I thought that was a great gesture on behalf of all the people living in Welland. One woman stopped walking and put down her Tim Horton's bag on the sidewalk and bowed her head!
I guess things like this happen more often in small towns where interactions with the same people create a feeling of closeness and respect. Life is slower and the little things are appreciated more. This is lost in the fast-paced, big cities where people stay to themselves and interact with others only when necessary.
Good on you, Welland!
In all my years of living in Toronto, I've never noticed anyone stopping while the procession drives by. We may slow down but we never stop. I thought that was a great gesture on behalf of all the people living in Welland. One woman stopped walking and put down her Tim Horton's bag on the sidewalk and bowed her head!
I guess things like this happen more often in small towns where interactions with the same people create a feeling of closeness and respect. Life is slower and the little things are appreciated more. This is lost in the fast-paced, big cities where people stay to themselves and interact with others only when necessary.
Good on you, Welland!
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Just finished
Lord Vishnu's Love Handles
by Will Clarke
You'll never know what you'll find when you judge a book by it's cover. Off the wall and original is how I would describe both the story and cover.
Travis Anderson has a psychic gift. Or so he thinks. So far he's milked his premonitions only to acquire an upper-middle-class lifestyle -- pretty wife, big house, and a shiny Range Rover -- without having to make any real effort. But recent visions threaten his yuppie contentment. Haunted by omens of impending cancers, stillborn babies, and personal train wrecks, he is compelled to make a series of inaccurate and horrifying prophecies that humiliate him in front of his fellow country club members. The IRS gets Travis's number, too, demanding an audit of his sloppy bookkeeping.
Drowning in mounting financial problems and apparent mental illness, Travis tries booze, pills, even golf to stay afloat, but nothing works. His wife and friends are forced to stage an intervention. Travis is in danger of losing his family, his career, and ultimately, his sanity. That is, until he meets a Hindu holy man in rehab who claims to be the final incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Suddenly, the tragically shallow Travis is saddled with the responsibility of bettering mankind and saving the world.
Friday, April 13, 2007
Favourite word of the day
Magma
mag-muh : noun
1. molten material beneath or within the earth's crust, from which igneous rock is formed.
2. any crude mixture of finely divided mineral or organic matter.
3. a paste composed of solid and liquid matter.
mag-muh : noun
1. molten material beneath or within the earth's crust, from which igneous rock is formed.
2. any crude mixture of finely divided mineral or organic matter.
3. a paste composed of solid and liquid matter.
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
2007 NHL Playoffs
The 2007 NHL playoffs begin tonight and here is my prediction: Buffalo will play San Jose for the Cup. Even though the Leafs are out -- again, I do enjoy watching playoff action. For this reason, I'm hoping that Minnesota and Detroit go far into the playoffs because their games will be played at a reasonable hour compared to the teams further West.
Let's have some fresh teams vying for hockey's Holy Grail. I'm tired of seeing Detroit, New Jersey and Dallas.
You know the playoffs are here when the newspapers start to publish images of the Leafs clearing out their lockers for the year!
Let's have some fresh teams vying for hockey's Holy Grail. I'm tired of seeing Detroit, New Jersey and Dallas.
You know the playoffs are here when the newspapers start to publish images of the Leafs clearing out their lockers for the year!
Friday, March 30, 2007
My first and last post about work
Due to sales being down, I was gently relieved of my duties at work on Thursday, March 29. The first time I've been let go. The layoff had nothing to do with my skills as a graphic designer -- it was a cost-cutting move for a small communications business which has never really recovered from the post-911 letdown. I'm still working here until the and of April and they've been quite generous in allowing me access to the office until the end of June to aid me in my quest to find another job.
It is disappointing to be let go. It's quite different than the "we hate your work and get out" scenario as they are quite pleased with my work. I was always searching for another more challenging job as I was at the end of my creativity here. Designing manuals, workbooks, leader's guides and PowerPoint presentations can be quite monotonous and unfulfilling at times. I now have the kick-in-the-pants I need to be serious in finding the job of my dreams. It is also the push I need to start heavy marketing of my freelance, graphic design business and find some more clients.
I still can't believe that it has happened to me. I guess it was just my turn.
It is disappointing to be let go. It's quite different than the "we hate your work and get out" scenario as they are quite pleased with my work. I was always searching for another more challenging job as I was at the end of my creativity here. Designing manuals, workbooks, leader's guides and PowerPoint presentations can be quite monotonous and unfulfilling at times. I now have the kick-in-the-pants I need to be serious in finding the job of my dreams. It is also the push I need to start heavy marketing of my freelance, graphic design business and find some more clients.
I still can't believe that it has happened to me. I guess it was just my turn.
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Just finished
Frankenstein
by Mary Shelley
Fabulous! Not the book I had expected. The story, it seems, has morphed into something one-dimensional for Hollywood. This is the version I thought I would be reading; how an unfeeling monster is created and goes on a terror spree.
By the way, Frankenstein is the name of the scientist, not the Being. The Being doesn't have a name throughout the story. Although the Being is repulsive to look at, he doesn't lurch around like Boris Karloff's rendition. He has, in fact, superhuman speed, is wily, observant, articulate and intellectually developed.
The story of Victor Frankenstein starts in a series of letters penned by Walton, an English explorer icebound in the Arctic. While studying in Geneva, Frankenstein discovers how to give life to inanimate matter and from dead flesh constructs his Being. As the Being's mind and thoughts and mind develop, his loneliness and misery build and he acts out in deadly violence. After the Being's last murder, he flees to the North Pole with Frankenstein following to destroy him to stop the violence and his guilt. Once there, Frankenstein meets Walton, who saves him from drowning in the frigid waters, and confesses the horror that has drawn him into the Arctic.
The story was created in the early 1800s so some of the English may be a bit "Shakespearean" but it is not that difficult a read. I highly recommend it!
by Mary Shelley
Fabulous! Not the book I had expected. The story, it seems, has morphed into something one-dimensional for Hollywood. This is the version I thought I would be reading; how an unfeeling monster is created and goes on a terror spree.
By the way, Frankenstein is the name of the scientist, not the Being. The Being doesn't have a name throughout the story. Although the Being is repulsive to look at, he doesn't lurch around like Boris Karloff's rendition. He has, in fact, superhuman speed, is wily, observant, articulate and intellectually developed.
The story of Victor Frankenstein starts in a series of letters penned by Walton, an English explorer icebound in the Arctic. While studying in Geneva, Frankenstein discovers how to give life to inanimate matter and from dead flesh constructs his Being. As the Being's mind and thoughts and mind develop, his loneliness and misery build and he acts out in deadly violence. After the Being's last murder, he flees to the North Pole with Frankenstein following to destroy him to stop the violence and his guilt. Once there, Frankenstein meets Walton, who saves him from drowning in the frigid waters, and confesses the horror that has drawn him into the Arctic.
The story was created in the early 1800s so some of the English may be a bit "Shakespearean" but it is not that difficult a read. I highly recommend it!
Monday, March 26, 2007
I'm an idiot
I'm driving to my buddy's place last Friday during the drive-home rush hour on highway 400 and we're barely moving. The band is getting together to practice and I'm pretty hungover from Thursday's Heaven and Hell concert. I notice a lot of strange looks as cars pass by me. It was a nice afternoon so I had the window down when one guy yells something at me as he goes by. I speed up to him (by speed I mean 20 km/h) but can't get in hearing distance. He then points behind us and I look in my driver-side mirror to notice my gas lid is open and the cap is barely hanging on in the slot on the inside of the lid. Another guy passes me and is about to yell something to me but I stop him and say, "I know" and give him the thumbs up. In the words of Popeye, "How embarrasking!" How the gas cap stayed on the lid while I was on the 407 doing 130 km/h, I'll never know. The cap doesn't attach to the lid but there's a slot to hold it while you're pumping.
I'll chalk this one up to lack of sleep.
I'll chalk this one up to lack of sleep.
Saturday, March 24, 2007
Heaven and Hell
Last Thursday I went to see Heaven and Hell at the ACC. It's one of the many versions of Black Sabbath -- Ronnie James Dio, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Vinnie Appice. Megadeth opened and were pretty good. Heaven and Hell were pretty good as well. To my surprise, they only played songs from the Dio/Sabbath days, no old Sabbath and not one Dio tune. That was quite disappointing. I thought the show would be much louder but the volume was actually quite tolerable. Would I pay $75 to see them again -- no -- but at least I can say I saw them.
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Brad Delp passes away
Wow! I just heard on the radio that Brad Delp, the lead singer of Boston, passed away this weekend. I don't think the public has been told how he died but check out Wikipedia for more information.
Boston was my favourite band while I was growing up and to this day when I hear More Than a Feeling, I can feel the warmth and scent of summer. Nothing is better than driving on a summer's day with the windows down and listening to any Boston tune. I'm still shocked!
Update [March 20]
Apparently, he committed suicide.
Boston was my favourite band while I was growing up and to this day when I hear More Than a Feeling, I can feel the warmth and scent of summer. Nothing is better than driving on a summer's day with the windows down and listening to any Boston tune. I'm still shocked!
Update [March 20]
Apparently, he committed suicide.
Just finished
Ysabel
by Guy Gavriel Kay
Set mostly in 21st century Aix-en-Provence, 15-year-old Canadian Ned Marriner is spending a spring vacation with his celebrated photographer father during a shoot of the Cathedral of Saint-Sauveur. His mother, a physician with Doctors without Borders, is in the Sudan, so Ned and Dad are extremely worried. Exploring Saint-Sauveur, Ned meets American exchange-student Kate Wenger, who knows a lot about the history of Aix. The two surprise a knife-carrying, scar-faced stranger in the cathedral, who tells them, "I think you ought to go ... you have blundered into the corner of a very old story." Ned and Kate, then the rest of his family, including the aunt and uncle from England and his mother, are drawn into an ancient conflict with the shades of Celtic spirits. [Booklist]
by Guy Gavriel Kay
Set mostly in 21st century Aix-en-Provence, 15-year-old Canadian Ned Marriner is spending a spring vacation with his celebrated photographer father during a shoot of the Cathedral of Saint-Sauveur. His mother, a physician with Doctors without Borders, is in the Sudan, so Ned and Dad are extremely worried. Exploring Saint-Sauveur, Ned meets American exchange-student Kate Wenger, who knows a lot about the history of Aix. The two surprise a knife-carrying, scar-faced stranger in the cathedral, who tells them, "I think you ought to go ... you have blundered into the corner of a very old story." Ned and Kate, then the rest of his family, including the aunt and uncle from England and his mother, are drawn into an ancient conflict with the shades of Celtic spirits. [Booklist]
Thursday, March 08, 2007
Just finished ... almost
I'm always interested in trying to read the "classics" to find out why they are classics. I started reading Moby Dick and The Sea Wolf but I couldn't finish them. I tried hard to get into each book but they just didn't match my mood at the time. Perhaps I'll give them a shot some other time. I've also started, but decided not to finish, Ball Four and The Weather Makers.
There are way too many books to read to have to struggle through books you're just not in to.
I hope to start reading another classic in the upcoming weeks ... Frankenstein.
There are way too many books to read to have to struggle through books you're just not in to.
I hope to start reading another classic in the upcoming weeks ... Frankenstein.
Just finished
The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid: A Memoir
by Bill Bryson
Easily, one of the funniest books I've ever read. Bill Bryson is one of my favourite authors as he mixes in humour with an easy-to-read description of the times he's writing about. In this book, his latest, Bryson reflects on his life as he grows up in middle America.
by Bill Bryson
Easily, one of the funniest books I've ever read. Bill Bryson is one of my favourite authors as he mixes in humour with an easy-to-read description of the times he's writing about. In this book, his latest, Bryson reflects on his life as he grows up in middle America.
Friday, February 02, 2007
That's a paw!
Sun Ming Ming of China holds a basketball in this file photo, October 6, 2006. The Maryland Nighthawks signed the 7 ft 9 ins centre, introducing the world's tallest professional basketball player.
Thursday, February 01, 2007
Out of the mouths of babes
Some examples of the originality and innocence of children.
JACK (age 3) was watching his Mom breast-feeding his new baby sister. After a while he asked: "Mom why have you got two? Is one for hot and one for cold milk?"
BRITTANY (age 4) had an earache and wanted a pain killer. She tried in vain to take the lid off the bottle. Seeing her frustration, her Mom explained it was a child-proof cap and she'd have to open it for her. Eyes wide with wonder, the little girl asked: "How does it know it's me?"
CLINTON(age 5) was in his bedroom looking worried. When his Mom asked what was troubling him, he replied, "I don't know what'll happen with this bed when I get married. How will my wife fit in?"
The Sermon I think this Mom will never forget.... this particular Sunday sermon ... "Dear Lord," the minister began, with arms extended toward heaven and a rapturous look on his upturned face. "Without you, we are but dust..." He would have continued but at that moment my very obedient daughter who was listening leaned over to me and asked quite audibly in her shrill little four year old girl voice, "Mom, what is butt dust?"
My favourite:
JAMES(age 4) was listening to a Bible story. His dad read: "The man named Lot was warned to take his wife and flee out of the city but his wife looked back and was turned to salt." Concerned, James asked: "What happened to the flea?"
JACK (age 3) was watching his Mom breast-feeding his new baby sister. After a while he asked: "Mom why have you got two? Is one for hot and one for cold milk?"
BRITTANY (age 4) had an earache and wanted a pain killer. She tried in vain to take the lid off the bottle. Seeing her frustration, her Mom explained it was a child-proof cap and she'd have to open it for her. Eyes wide with wonder, the little girl asked: "How does it know it's me?"
CLINTON(age 5) was in his bedroom looking worried. When his Mom asked what was troubling him, he replied, "I don't know what'll happen with this bed when I get married. How will my wife fit in?"
The Sermon I think this Mom will never forget.... this particular Sunday sermon ... "Dear Lord," the minister began, with arms extended toward heaven and a rapturous look on his upturned face. "Without you, we are but dust..." He would have continued but at that moment my very obedient daughter who was listening leaned over to me and asked quite audibly in her shrill little four year old girl voice, "Mom, what is butt dust?"
My favourite:
JAMES(age 4) was listening to a Bible story. His dad read: "The man named Lot was warned to take his wife and flee out of the city but his wife looked back and was turned to salt." Concerned, James asked: "What happened to the flea?"
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
Just finished
Armageddon's Children
by Terry Brooks
(Book one of trilogy)
Being a huge fan of Brooks' work, I was pleasantly surprised to come across his latest book at the library.
Logan Tom is doomed to remember the past and determined to rescue the future. Far behind him lies a boyhood cut violently short by his family''s slaughter, when the forces of madness and hate swept our world after decadent excesses led to civilization''s downfall. Somewhere ahead of him rests the only chance to beat back the minions of evil that are systematically killing and enslaving the last remnants of humanity. Navigating the scarred and poisoned landscape that once was America and guided by a powerful talisman, Logan has sworn an oath to seek out a remarkable being born of magic, possessed of untold abilities, and destined to lead the final fight against darkness.
Across the country, Angel Perez, herself a survivor of the malevolent, death-dealing forces combing the land, has also been chosen for an uncanny mission in the name of her ruined world''s salvation. From the devastated streets of Los Angeles, she will journey to find a place-and a people-shrouded in mystery, celebrated in legend, and vital to the cause of humankind . . . even as a relentless foe follows close behind, bent on herextermination. While in the nearly forsaken city of Seattle, a makeshift family of refugees has carved out a tenuous existence among the street gangs, mutants, and marauders fighting to stay alive against mounting odds-and something unspeakable that has come from the shadows in search of prey.
In time, all their paths will cross. Their common purpose will draw them together. Their courage and convictions will be tested and their fates will be decided, as their singular crusade begins: to take back, or lose forever, the only world they have.
by Terry Brooks
(Book one of trilogy)
Being a huge fan of Brooks' work, I was pleasantly surprised to come across his latest book at the library.
Logan Tom is doomed to remember the past and determined to rescue the future. Far behind him lies a boyhood cut violently short by his family''s slaughter, when the forces of madness and hate swept our world after decadent excesses led to civilization''s downfall. Somewhere ahead of him rests the only chance to beat back the minions of evil that are systematically killing and enslaving the last remnants of humanity. Navigating the scarred and poisoned landscape that once was America and guided by a powerful talisman, Logan has sworn an oath to seek out a remarkable being born of magic, possessed of untold abilities, and destined to lead the final fight against darkness.
Across the country, Angel Perez, herself a survivor of the malevolent, death-dealing forces combing the land, has also been chosen for an uncanny mission in the name of her ruined world''s salvation. From the devastated streets of Los Angeles, she will journey to find a place-and a people-shrouded in mystery, celebrated in legend, and vital to the cause of humankind . . . even as a relentless foe follows close behind, bent on herextermination. While in the nearly forsaken city of Seattle, a makeshift family of refugees has carved out a tenuous existence among the street gangs, mutants, and marauders fighting to stay alive against mounting odds-and something unspeakable that has come from the shadows in search of prey.
In time, all their paths will cross. Their common purpose will draw them together. Their courage and convictions will be tested and their fates will be decided, as their singular crusade begins: to take back, or lose forever, the only world they have.
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Oh deer!
On my way to work this morning I was behind a car which slammed on it's brakes. Just before the driver hit the brake lights, I saw a shadow to my right. I waited a few seconds to see why the car slowed down and then saw a deer bound across the road. It was quite tall (5 feet) as far as Markham deer go (?) and I've now seen a few along this stretch of road (Elgin Mills between Kennedy and Woodbine).
Although driving down this road feels like you are in cottage country, it's only seconds away from the subdivisions which are slowing making their way north, devouring everything in their path. I wonder how deer can live so close to the city before I realize how close the city has come to the country.
It's a "wow, that was cool!" moment.
Although driving down this road feels like you are in cottage country, it's only seconds away from the subdivisions which are slowing making their way north, devouring everything in their path. I wonder how deer can live so close to the city before I realize how close the city has come to the country.
It's a "wow, that was cool!" moment.
Monday, January 15, 2007
I finally won!
It took a while but I finally won a three-team pro-line ticket. I haven't been playing much this year but in the last month or two, I play when the Leafs are on the tube; it makes watching the game a little more interesting.
This ticket was a mixed bag with all three games as tight as a tourniquet. I selected one football game to tie (outcome within three points), one hockey team to win and one player to out-point another.
New England and San Diego tied, 24-21. Minnesota beat Chicago 4-3 in a shootout win. Lecavalier had 2 points to Yashin's 1 ... Paul wins!
Now, the payout was only $21 but that's on a $2 bet. That's a tank of gas for the Echo!
This ticket was a mixed bag with all three games as tight as a tourniquet. I selected one football game to tie (outcome within three points), one hockey team to win and one player to out-point another.
New England and San Diego tied, 24-21. Minnesota beat Chicago 4-3 in a shootout win. Lecavalier had 2 points to Yashin's 1 ... Paul wins!
Now, the payout was only $21 but that's on a $2 bet. That's a tank of gas for the Echo!
Winter driving tips
It looks like winter has finally arrived in Toronto. Freezing rain and snow greeted us this morning and should be with us for the next few days. Along with the bad weather comes bad traffic. Everyone, rightly so, takes extra precaution and the 30-minute commute becomes an hour or even longer. With snow and ice on the ground, bad/lazy drivers become potentially deadly obstacles you must manoeuver around in order to get home in one piece. Here are some tips that can make driving a lot less stressful during the next few months of winter.
- Leave home earlier. This way, you don't have to rush to get to work. You know traffic will be bad so get a head start. Weaving in and out of the lanes so you can get to work 3 minutes earlier is just plain idiotic. You also cause stress for the 78 people you will cut-off in the process.
- Don't be lazy. Scrape off all the snow and ice from your windshields and windows. How the hell do you expect to change lanes or turn when you can't see out of your car? You are the ones who usually end up in front of me while the two-foot snowbank on your hood continually blows off onto my windshield causing my nerves to fray.
- Eliminate the condensation on your windows. For decades now, all cars come equipped with fans which produce heat and cold. Use the heat to help rid the car of condensation produced from the heat coming off your head while your brain overexerts itself allowing you to breath and blink at the same time. Also, see point above.
- Slow down Mario Andretti! We're all late for work! (Unless you obeyed point number one.) Unclench yourself, listen to some tunes on the radio, and arrive in one piece. We're going to pass you anyway as you will either slide into a ditch, slam into a guardrail, or spin-out and cause an accident. Now, by slowing down I don't mean going 5 clicks per hour. This just causes you to be gently nudged from behind into said ditch, guardrail or oncoming traffic. How about a nice cruising speed while leaving plently of room between you and the car in front.
That's all I have for now. If any more tips come to mind, I'll be sure to add them. Drive smart!
Thursday, January 11, 2007
World's Densest Cities
An article in Forbes magazine lists the world's densest cities. By dense, they mean population, not stupidity.
The capital of the Philippines, Manila boasts the highest population density in the world. It has a population of 1,581,000 with a density of 41,014 persons per square kilometre. The metropolitan area consists of some 10 million people. The roads are filled with buses, pedicabs (bicycles with sidecars) and cars. The traffic is consistently described as horrendous. Fixing this situation has to be put into the context of serious water problem and other infrastructure calamities. I should probably stop complaining about my 15-minute drive to work!
Other cities mentioned were Cairo (Egypt), Lagos (Nigeria), Macau (China), Seoul (South Korea), Dhaka (Bangladesh), Buenos Aires (Argentina), Jakarta (Indonesia), Kaohsiung/Taipei (Taiwan), Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic).
By comparison, in 2001, Toronto's population density was 3,939 persons per square kilometre and New York's was 10,316.
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
iPhone = iNcredible
There's no way I can do describe and do justice to what this device can do. It is an amazing creation that let's you do everything with the touch of your finger. If you thought the iPod's scroll-wheel was cool, wait until you see what this phone can do.
Have a look!
Have a look!
Monday, January 08, 2007
Just finished
Knights of the Black and White
by Jack Whyte
(Book one of trilogy)
It is 1088. While many French nobles continue their occupation of a violently hostile England, one young knight, Hugh de Payens, is inducted into a powerful secret society in his father’s castle in Anjou. The Order of Rebirth in Sion draws its membership from the ranks of some of France’s most powerful families, with only one son from each generation eligible to be selected, and its members’ loyalty to the ancient brotherhood transcends loyalty to both Church and state. When the new Pope calls for knights to join his Crusade to redeem the Holy Land, Hugh is commanded by the Order to go along and finds himself in hellish battle in Jerusalem.
Sickened by the slaughter of innocents and civilians and appalled by the savagery of his fellow Christians, Hugh appeals to the Order to allow him and a few of the brotherhood to follow a different path. Determined to remain true to their own beliefs, they become the Poor Fellow Soldiers of Christ, a unique order of fighting monks, and use the skills honed in battle to defend and protect pilgrims on the road to Jerusalem. But the Order has a different plan, and soon the brethren are charged with an outlandish and dangerous task—a seemingly impossible mission to uncover a treasure hidden in the very center of Jerusalem, a treasure that might not only destroy the Crusader kingdom of Jerusalem but also threaten the fabric of the Church itself.
Jack Whyte's insight, descriptions of events and people, and explanations of historical facts set the perfect mood for this time period.
I've read all of Jack Whyte's books and they are written in a similar fashion. All are recommended!
by Jack Whyte
(Book one of trilogy)
It is 1088. While many French nobles continue their occupation of a violently hostile England, one young knight, Hugh de Payens, is inducted into a powerful secret society in his father’s castle in Anjou. The Order of Rebirth in Sion draws its membership from the ranks of some of France’s most powerful families, with only one son from each generation eligible to be selected, and its members’ loyalty to the ancient brotherhood transcends loyalty to both Church and state. When the new Pope calls for knights to join his Crusade to redeem the Holy Land, Hugh is commanded by the Order to go along and finds himself in hellish battle in Jerusalem.
Sickened by the slaughter of innocents and civilians and appalled by the savagery of his fellow Christians, Hugh appeals to the Order to allow him and a few of the brotherhood to follow a different path. Determined to remain true to their own beliefs, they become the Poor Fellow Soldiers of Christ, a unique order of fighting monks, and use the skills honed in battle to defend and protect pilgrims on the road to Jerusalem. But the Order has a different plan, and soon the brethren are charged with an outlandish and dangerous task—a seemingly impossible mission to uncover a treasure hidden in the very center of Jerusalem, a treasure that might not only destroy the Crusader kingdom of Jerusalem but also threaten the fabric of the Church itself.
Jack Whyte's insight, descriptions of events and people, and explanations of historical facts set the perfect mood for this time period.
I've read all of Jack Whyte's books and they are written in a similar fashion. All are recommended!
Wednesday, January 03, 2007
I love broadband!
Thank God for TSN's broadband option which enabled me to watch the World Junior Hockey Championships on my computer from the comfort of my office. Canada beat USA 2-1 in a highly entertaining, seven-round shootout. In my opinion, the States outplayed Canada and had better scoring chances but Canada's goalie, Carey Price, played a solid game. The Canadian hero was Jonathan Toews who scored three times in the shootout; all of them highlight-reel goals.
Canada will play the winner of the Sweden-Russia semi-final for the championship on Friday afternoon at 1:30.
Thank you TSN!
Canada will play the winner of the Sweden-Russia semi-final for the championship on Friday afternoon at 1:30.
Thank you TSN!
Tuesday, January 02, 2007
Just finished
Here's a list of some books that I've recently read.
- David Wells: Perfect I'm not
- Eats, Shoots & Leaves
- *The World is Flat
- *The Know-it-all
- Glory Road
- A Long Way Down
- London
- Wake Up, Sir!
- *A Cook's Tour
- CSS Web Design for Dummies
- Yzerman: The Making of a Champion
- The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time
- *JPod
* recommend
I'm currently reading book one of the trilogy titled Knights of the Black & White. Review to follow once I'm done.
Who's better? Lefties or righties?
I did some research to compare who are better hockey players; left-handed or right-handed shooters. I myself shoot left. This is what I came up with.
top 20 point leaders of all time:
• 12 shoot left -- 8 shoot right
top 20 goal scorers of all time:
• 8 shoot left -- 12 shoot right
top 20 assist leaders of all time:
• 11 shoot left -- 9 shoot right
top 20 playoff point leaders of all time:
• 12 shoot left -- 8 shoot right
top 15 penalty leaders of all time:
• 8 shoot left -- 7 shoot right
So, what does this tell you? I don't know either but it can sure start a great debate over a few pints!
top 20 point leaders of all time:
• 12 shoot left -- 8 shoot right
top 20 goal scorers of all time:
• 8 shoot left -- 12 shoot right
top 20 assist leaders of all time:
• 11 shoot left -- 9 shoot right
top 20 playoff point leaders of all time:
• 12 shoot left -- 8 shoot right
top 15 penalty leaders of all time:
• 8 shoot left -- 7 shoot right
So, what does this tell you? I don't know either but it can sure start a great debate over a few pints!
Cramps!
I'm totally dejected! Today was the first time that I couldn't finish my 25-minute run since I started this past June. Ten minutes into my run, I was attacked by severe cramps in my right side. I tried running and then walking through the pain but to no avail. I had to stop halfway through.
I'm hoping that it was the week and a half of debauchery ... the holidays are a fantastic time to eat, drink and be lazy. I'm back at the gym Thursday and hope the cramps that attacked me are on permanent vacation.
I'm hoping that it was the week and a half of debauchery ... the holidays are a fantastic time to eat, drink and be lazy. I'm back at the gym Thursday and hope the cramps that attacked me are on permanent vacation.
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