þÿ<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> <html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> <head> <meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html;charset=utf-8" /> <meta name="generator" content="RapidWeaver" /> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="../../rw_common/themes/-MultiPlasticPaper/styles.css" /><link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="../../rw_common/themes/-MultiPlasticPaper/css/skin/color2.css" /><link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="../../rw_common/themes/-MultiPlasticPaper/css/sidebar/right.css" /><link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="../../rw_common/themes/-MultiPlasticPaper/css/title/title2.css" /><script type="text/javascript" src="../../rw_common/themes/-MultiPlasticPaper/javascript.js"></script> <title>Personal</title> %user_javascript% </head> <body class="blog-archive-background"> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.haloscan.com/load/merryfield"></script> <div class="blog-archive-headings-wrapper"> <div class="blog-archive-month">Personal</div> <div class="blog-archive-link"><a href="../blog.html">Blog</a></div> </div> <div class="blog-archive-entries-wrapper"> <div id="unique-entry-id-38" class="blog-entry"><h1 class="blog-entry-title"><a href="45e739153acbf45c01c2108e9b3be283-38.html" class="blog-permalink">And to finally put this ol' girl to bed...</a></h1><div class="blog-entry-date">Friday, April 16, 2010 </div><div class="blog-entry-body"><span style="font:12px Hiragino Kaku Gothic Pro, Osaka, MS PGothic, sans-serif; ">I'm officially retiring this here blog. It's a pity really, that I can't commit to something as simple as a personal blog, but I haven't, and she's withering (or truly, is already withered) and it's time to put her out of her misery. <br /><br />Things left unaccomplished...<br /><br />1. Completing my Honeymoon Journal. Maybe someday, though three years after the fact makes it less exciting than it really ought to be.<br />2. Completing more book reviews. Alas. I'm just not a critic.<br />3. Posting some actual writing. <br /><br />However, something that was actually accomplished...<br /><br />1. I started my own photography blog. (Yippee!)<br /><br />As part of my ongoing quest for professional photographer status, I am retiring the sad-sack addition to my personal website that was supposed to be my professional photography website, and started last month my new, official, truly representative of me blog/photography website. This WILL be updated more regularly (promise!) though will contain less personal debris than what I've been doing here. <br /><br />The road goes ever on and on, as someone said once. Come and visit me. Update your RSS accordingly.<br /><br /></span><span style="font:12px Hiragino Kaku Gothic Pro, Osaka, MS PGothic, sans-serif; "><a href="http://www.inthemomentphotography.ca" rel="external">www.inthemomentphotography.ca</a></span><span style="font:12px Hiragino Kaku Gothic Pro, Osaka, MS PGothic, sans-serif; "><br /><br />Thanks, for whoever hasn't deleted this blog from their reader yet. Much appreciated.<br /><br />~ Jayson</span><div class="blog-entry-comments"><a class="blog-comment-link" href="javascript:HaloScan('rw_unique_entry_id_38_page4');"><script type="text/javascript">postCount('rw_unique_entry_id_38_page4');</script></a> | <a class="blog-trackback-link" href="javascript:HaloScanTB('rw_unique_entry_id_38=page4');"><script type="text/javascript">postCountTB('rw_unique_entry_id_38_page4'); </script></a></div></div></div><div id="unique-entry-id-37" class="blog-entry"><h1 class="blog-entry-title"><a href="467a1d04e9ff5ee91c1b0ad60ac6234f-37.html" class="blog-permalink">In honor and respect for Battlestar Galactica</a></h1><div class="blog-entry-date">Saturday, March 21, 2009 </div><div class="blog-entry-body"><span style="font:12px Hiragino Kaku Gothic Pro, Osaka, MS PGothic, sans-serif; ">Yeah, so it's been a while. So sue me.<br /><br />Last night (and last week as well, to a certain degree) I witnessed the greatest moment on television that I have yet encountered - the second part of a 3 hour conclusion to Battlestar Galactica. I have rarely been so fulfilled by a finale episode, so emotional, so joyous and sad and energetic and despondent. It was an episode that captured everything that was good about the series, every character note that made it compelling, every action scene that eve made my heart skip a beat, and distilled it down into a three-hour span of television that was the most fitting send-off for a series I love that I have ever seen.<br /><br />If you don't know ANYTHING about the reimagined Battlestar Galactica series, please, </span><span style="font:12px Hiragino Kaku Gothic Pro, Osaka, MS PGothic, sans-serif; "><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battlestar_Galactica_(2004_TV_series)" rel="self">get caught up</a></span><span style="font:12px Hiragino Kaku Gothic Pro, Osaka, MS PGothic, sans-serif; ">. I'll wait.<br /><br />Four or five years ago, I don't really remember any more, my friend Jeff hectored me into watching a new science fiction show that he was really enjoying. I resisted, having images of Lorne Greene running through my mind. Cheesy sci-fi doesn't really push my buttons any more, and what could be more cheesy than Battlestar? I was wrong. So very wrong, and that summer I got caught up on the first season that I had mostly missed, and have not missed an episode since. There is a depth and reality to the characters in this series that very few shows on TV can match (Mad Men is one of them, and mirrors this series in interesting ways character-wise), an allowance for them to be flawed and heroic and terrible within a setting I respond strongly to as a science fiction fan, while never losing sight of the human element of the show. It tackled issues in such depth and breadth that is stands as a strong testament to the story telling ability of this medium, the long-form dramatic series, accomplishing things that even the greatest of movies could not due to their length. Battlestar is, in a sense, the greatest 80-hour movie I have ever seen (since we tend to limit profound viewing experiences to the movies). It is what kept me coming back to the well time and time again, and now that the well has been paved over and put into mothballs, television is lesser as a medium in my eyes.<br /><br />In the realm of finale episodes, viewers are generally disappointed more often than not. These three hours were about everything that makes Battlestar great - a terrific set-up hour, a thrilling hour of action and visual effect execution at a level scarcely seen outside of the Skywalker ranch, and a perfect, jewel-like hour, elegiac in tone, allowing us to witness the closure of character arcs in a satisfying and beautiful way. I can not suggest this series on DVD enough to those who haven't watched it.<br /><br />Really, go and get the DVD's. People will chuckle when the see them on your shelf, but they do not know, and having watched the series yourself, you WILL know and will be richer for it.<br /><br />~ Jayson</span><div class="blog-entry-comments"><a class="blog-comment-link" href="javascript:HaloScan('rw_unique_entry_id_37_page4');"><script type="text/javascript">postCount('rw_unique_entry_id_37_page4');</script></a> | <a class="blog-trackback-link" href="javascript:HaloScanTB('rw_unique_entry_id_37=page4');"><script type="text/javascript">postCountTB('rw_unique_entry_id_37_page4'); </script></a></div></div></div><div id="unique-entry-id-36" class="blog-entry"><h1 class="blog-entry-title"><a href="c13ae6b1452e8043ec66479c7fc8852a-36.html" class="blog-permalink">5 minutes of Youtube Awesomeness</a></h1><div class="blog-entry-date">Saturday, November 22, 2008 </div><div class="blog-entry-body"><span style="font:12px Hiragino Kaku Gothic Pro, Osaka, MS PGothic, sans-serif; ">Just quick note: one of my favorite moments from this past summers Edmonton Folk Music Festival (which was my first) was on a session on Sunday featuring Serena Ryder, Outlaw Social, and Luis Emilio Rios, when the lead singer of Outlaw Social put Serena on the spot and asked her to play a song she didn't know very well. She accepted, struggled for a minute or so, then absolutely launched into it. The strength of this performance is one of the reasons I consider buying one of her albums on a regular basis (they aren't up to her live performances, in my opinion, but I like supporting talented artists).<br /><br />Anyways, in the glory of our connected society, someone ended up capturing this moment on film and provided it to the masses via Youtube, and now I'm here, providing it to you. Enjoy.<br /></span><br /><span style="font:10px 'Lucida Grande', LucidaGrande, Verdana, sans-serif; "><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/GkqAw_kGYPQ&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/GkqAw_kGYPQ&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object></span><span style="font:12px Hiragino Kaku Gothic Pro, Osaka, MS PGothic, sans-serif; "><br /></span><span style="font:12px Hiragino Kaku Gothic Pro, Osaka, MS PGothic, sans-serif; "><br />~ Jayson</span><div class="blog-entry-comments"><a class="blog-comment-link" href="javascript:HaloScan('rw_unique_entry_id_36_page4');"><script type="text/javascript">postCount('rw_unique_entry_id_36_page4');</script></a> | <a class="blog-trackback-link" href="javascript:HaloScanTB('rw_unique_entry_id_36=page4');"><script type="text/javascript">postCountTB('rw_unique_entry_id_36_page4'); </script></a></div></div></div><div id="unique-entry-id-30" class="blog-entry"><h1 class="blog-entry-title"><a href="47778c64edc0c38123412e82912de8fe-30.html" class="blog-permalink">My day as a spare part</a></h1><div class="blog-entry-date">Sunday, March 16, 2008 </div><div class="blog-entry-body"><span style="font:12px Hiragino Kaku Gothic Pro, Osaka, MS PGothic, sans-serif; ">So I received an email a while back from CB Casting through the Running Room, asking for extras in a tv show that could help with a running scene they were staging. Like any good cat, I let curiosity get the better of me and sent in a picture along with a little bit of personal info. I wasn't called for that scene in particular, but I was contacted a week later to appear in a few other scenes, if I could be free all day on either Thursday or Friday the 13th & 14th of March. Intrigued, I took the full day off on Friday and thought I'd try my hand at the thespians' art. <br /><br />The quick summary is, it's more boredom than excitement and more waiting than anything else. <br /><br />The long story is why I've got my own blog, though. I never received my call time until 9AM on Friday, and I wasn't due on set until 3:30 that afternoon - so I relaxed and enjoyed not being in the office for a while. Then, I packed the requested 3-5 outfits for the two different scenes I was scheduled to be in. So, 6-10 outfits, plus outerwear, footwear & accessories equals more than two full sized suitcases full of stuff. I schlepped it all deep into St. Albert, out near the botanical gardens. Carrie (the casting director for extras on this project) told be where to be and who to speak to, and after I got there I chatted with the 4 other people whose call time was the same as mine. Eventually someone from wardrobe showed up and reviewed what we'd each brought, and an outfit was chosen for our first scene. Then we all got changed, went through hair and makeup, and then were shuttled over to the neighbourhood where filming was taking place.<br /><br />In the Kingwood area of St. Albert (I think) there's a whole crescent blocked off, and two whole houses taken over by filming equipment and film crew. It was a little surreal, and I felt an awful lot like a little toy poodle, all dressed up and completely underfoot while the crew ran around getting things set up. We received a brief tour, met three other extras who had an earlier call time than we had, and then were shuttled off to the basement of one of the houses to wait until we were needed. This was about 5PM.<br /><br />At 8PM, still unused and unfilmed (indeed, we never left the basement), we were shuttled back to the first place we had all met, called the "circus" in industry lingo, apparently. It was dinner, or as everyone referred to it, lunch. I dunno, maybe these people all keep weird hours. Anyways, we met another 6 extras called in for that evening's filming, and then the lot of us extras sat around and waited until the cast & crew had all eaten. Only after everyone else was finished were we allowed to feed ourselves. It was strange - everyone else seemed to have a terrific sense of camaraderie, everyone enjoying working together, except where it came to us. No one was particularly interested in us, or paid much attention to us, except for the fabulous Production Assistant assigned to us (Bree Dreger) and the others who made sure our hair, makeup, and wardrobe were as good as could be. Finally around 9:15 we had dinner, ate our fill, and then were shepherded back to the set.<br /><br />By now, mother nature decided to begin snowing with real intent to blanket the city. We extras went pretty much right to work, filming a bit of a search scene, marching up and down the street carrying flashlights and improvised weapons (shovels, golf clubs, umbrellas) while supposedly looking for the main character. We went up and down that street probably a dozen times, in different groupings, different paces, different angles, until the directors were finally happy with what they'd received. I tried hard to look stern and take it seriously, but I'm not entirely certain the other extras all did. Oh well - there's a reason they're all extras rather than actors, at least those who weren't out on a lark like I was. After they'd finished with the large scale scenes, I volunteered to film a few smaller scenes with just 5 other extras while the rest went back to change for the next scene; a dinner party. This was more fun, since we were working slightly closer with actual professional camera-people and directors, rather than being lost in a large flock of extras, and I think we did a good job.<br /><br />Of course, this extra filming meant I didn't have time to change for the next scene, which was the one I was most excited about. I wanted to get all dressed up, put on a suit and tie and be seen in actual proper lighting rather than lit by silhouette in the snowy street. Regardless, I was sent back to the basement for another hour while they finished the party scene, most of which they had shot last night. I learned the shots they were making Friday were only outdoor shots, looking into the house. I shrugged and relaxed and chatted with my fellow extras a little more. They wrapped the extras around 12:30, and we were hustled back to the circus and signed out by 12:45. By now the roads were about 10cm deep in snow, and the drive home was long and veeeery slow.<br /><br />What show was it that was being filmed, I'm sure you've been asking yourself, and you know what? I'll tell you, because I'm actually pretty interested in this one. The series is called "Fear Itself", a new horror/thriller anthology by NBC. It's being made in the tradition of The Twilight Zone and Alfred Hitchcock Presents (hence the anthology format, where each episode is a freestanding story unto itself). The series will bring together quite a bit of top-flight talent, including writers, directors, & major actors (let's drop some names here - John Landis, Mary Harron, Brandon Routh, Elizabeth Moss, Joe Gangemi, Stephen Niles, plus many more). The episode I was in starred Brandon Routh, who played Superman in the most recent Superman movie, and was directed by Ms. Harron, director of American Psycho. It was called, at least preliminarily, "Community", and the series as a whole should begin broadcast sometime this summer - May 29th is that the press stuff says.<br /><br />And now, back to the short story - I had a good time, met some pretty cool people, and I'd certainly entertain the idea of doing the whole extra thing again. Plus - keep your eyes peeled for me this summer, coming to the small screen in a living room near you! I'm the guy in a tan sweater, black jacket & red scarf, with no hat or toque on. I'm also carrying a blue snow shovel.<br /><br />~ Jayson<br /></span><div class="blog-entry-comments"><a class="blog-comment-link" href="javascript:HaloScan('rw_unique_entry_id_30_page4');"><script type="text/javascript">postCount('rw_unique_entry_id_30_page4');</script></a> | <a class="blog-trackback-link" href="javascript:HaloScanTB('rw_unique_entry_id_30=page4');"><script type="text/javascript">postCountTB('rw_unique_entry_id_30_page4'); </script></a></div></div></div><div id="unique-entry-id-26" class="blog-entry"><h1 class="blog-entry-title"><a href="1e0b25c75c069e190f696abebbaee846-26.html" class="blog-permalink">James Brown never had it this mediocre</a></h1><div class="blog-entry-date">Tuesday, January 22, 2008 </div><div class="blog-entry-body"><img class="imageStyle" alt="panic-on-funkotron" src="page4_blog_entry26_1.jpg" width="430" height="320"/><br /><br /><span style="font:12px Hiragino Kaku Gothic Pro, Osaka, MS PGothic, sans-serif; ">That's kind of how I've been feeling lately... welcome to Planet Funkotron, land of those who are either too funky for their own good, or those who aren't accomplishing a whole lot. Lump me in that second group - other than school work, I haven't written a bloody thing in weeks. No need to panic, though, 'cause everything's gonna be alright. Guy's writing a new book, so there's things to be happy about in the world.<br /><br />I've stopped really truly worrying about my horrid lack of posting. It's like that friend you know you should call more often but you haven't in a long time and now it's been even longer and you really should just call them but you never do. I've resigned myself to not being a regular blog updater, and am happy to keep my own blog in a state of semi-existence. I think I read somewhere that there are </span><span style="font:12px Hiragino Kaku Gothic Pro, Osaka, MS PGothic, sans-serif; "><a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/6178611.stm" rel="external">200 million dead blogs out there</a></span><span style="font:12px Hiragino Kaku Gothic Pro, Osaka, MS PGothic, sans-serif; ">. Mine isn't quite dead yet.<br /><br />Some quick tidbits that are niggling in my brain...<br /><br />1. My wife is awesome. Seriously. I've got 40 inches of LCD that arrived Christmas morning to prove that assertion, and I'll challenge anyone who tries to convince me otherwise.<br /><br />2. If you haven't had a chance to see </span><span style="font:12px Hiragino Kaku Gothic Pro, Osaka, MS PGothic, sans-serif; "><a href="http://www.primermovie.com/" rel="external">Primer</a></span><span style="font:12px Hiragino Kaku Gothic Pro, Osaka, MS PGothic, sans-serif; "> yet, I highly suggest it. So does my main man </span><span style="font:12px Hiragino Kaku Gothic Pro, Osaka, MS PGothic, sans-serif; "><a href="http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20041028/REVIEWS/40920013/1023" rel="external">Roger Ebert</a></span><span style="font:12px Hiragino Kaku Gothic Pro, Osaka, MS PGothic, sans-serif; ">.<br /><br />3. I added a new very short story to the "Prose" section of the site, way down at the bottom of that short list of dead stories. It's called </span><span style="font:12px Hiragino Kaku Gothic Pro, Osaka, MS PGothic, sans-serif; "><a href="../../Writing/Prose/page21/page21.html" rel="external" title="Solomon&apos;s Tale">Solomon's Tale</a></span><span style="font:12px Hiragino Kaku Gothic Pro, Osaka, MS PGothic, sans-serif; ">. I've got a few semi-live ones out running the submissions circuit right now (one to Ellery Queen, one to Apex SF&H), and when I've declared them dead, I'll post them as well.<br /><br />4. Did you catch it above? Guy Gavriel Kay has began writing a new novel, which is good news the kind of good news that brightens my whole life. Actually, Guy's books makes me feel horribly inadequate, but I do so love them to little biddy pieces. Speaking of which, I received a complete set of new GGK books for Christmas as well, all with new fancy trade paperbacks. Except Ysabel, that is. And Last Light of the Sun. All the rest, though, as mine were getting a little worn and dog eared. So, if you're counting at home, that's four copies of The Fionavar Tapestry in our house.<br /><br />5. I will be continuing my Honeymoon Journal some day. That sad little (5) in the sidebar really irks me.<br /><br />As a final note, I'd like all you men out there to keep my poor little dog in your thoughts and prayers this weekend. He'll be visiting the vet on Friday to have his balls removed. Poor little bugger.<br /><br />Oh, and if you're having a tough time getting access to my blog through your RSS reader, please drop me an email so I can try and figure it out for you. I've got a few (which means more than two! I KNOW!) comments that it can't be updated through RSS, and I'd like to solve this problem for people if I can.<br /><br />~ Jayson</span><div class="blog-entry-comments"><a class="blog-comment-link" href="javascript:HaloScan('rw_unique_entry_id_26_page4');"><script type="text/javascript">postCount('rw_unique_entry_id_26_page4');</script></a> | <a class="blog-trackback-link" href="javascript:HaloScanTB('rw_unique_entry_id_26=page4');"><script type="text/javascript">postCountTB('rw_unique_entry_id_26_page4'); </script></a></div></div></div><div id="unique-entry-id-22" class="blog-entry"><h1 class="blog-entry-title"><a href="5fc79bc6b403503e3f3d2bb89ca49af4-22.html" class="blog-permalink">Advice</a></h1><div class="blog-entry-date">Monday, October 15, 2007 </div><div class="blog-entry-body"><span style="font:12px Hiragino Kaku Gothic Pro, Osaka, MS PGothic, sans-serif; ">Please spay and neuter your pets. There's a story to go with this plea, but I thought I'd start with it.<br />&nbsp;<br />I was leaving school and heading back to my car when I saw a little cat scamper from under a tree to behind the wheel of an SUV. It really wasn't much more than a kitten, not small and baby-sized, maybe 4 to 6 months old. It still had the big kitten head and big eyes, and was such a nice mix of orange and tan stripes. It really was a cute cat.<br />&nbsp;<br />Well, it was scared out of it's wits, I'm pretty sure. It hid behind the tire and stared out at me. I tried to approach him carefully, but he just ran off. I tried to follow as best I could, but the poor thing just kept getting scared by things as it padded through the fallen leaves in the parking lot. Another cat, this one larger and obviously more streetwise, hissed at it and the kitten scampered under a tree. It had no collar or tags on, and successfully eluded me for five minutes. I'm not sure if it was a stray, or had wandered away from it's home and couldn't find its way back, or if it knew its way back but couldn't find his way across the&nbsp;118 Ave&nbsp;again. I eventually gave up trying to corner him and went to my car to drive home. The last time I saw him he was sitting next to a newspaper box, eyes wide as his head jerked left and right, watching cars zoom back and forth. My heart broke for that poor little cat, and it bothered me a lot the whole way home.<br />&nbsp;<br />Far too many animals (especially cats) are put down each day at the Edmonton Humane Society. Many more are either killed by other animals, are run over by a car, or simply die from neglect, hunger, and the elements. I don't know what fate this kitten will meet - maybe its owner was out walking the neighbourhood as I watched that scared little guy. Given that it didn't have a collar or tag, I doubt it, though. Maybe it would find its way to some kindly back yard where someone would take it in for the night before taking it to the SPCA. Maybe they would take it in forever and give it a good home. More likely, that poor cat is going to die. Die unwanted and abandoned and alone. Perhaps I'm anthropomorphizing a bit here, but I challenge anyone who has owned a pet&nbsp;to deny that they have emotions akin to our own - the desire to belong to a family, to be loved, to feel safe. There are just too many domestic animals in the world though,&nbsp;for all the people that want to have one to give that love and attention to. There's no need for your cat to have kittens, or your dog to have puppies (unless you are specifically breeding purebred animals, in which case you're probably more responsible about your pet ownership). There's no need for you to give away kittens "free to a good home" thinking that your responsibility ends there. You are indirectly responsible for all of those kittens that get lost or are given away, or throw out into the street when they aren't wanted any longer. There's simply no need for it.<br />&nbsp;<br />Please, please. Have your pets spayed or neutered.<br /><br />~ Jayson</span><div class="blog-entry-comments"><a class="blog-comment-link" href="javascript:HaloScan('rw_unique_entry_id_22_page4');"><script type="text/javascript">postCount('rw_unique_entry_id_22_page4');</script></a> | <a class="blog-trackback-link" href="javascript:HaloScanTB('rw_unique_entry_id_22=page4');"><script type="text/javascript">postCountTB('rw_unique_entry_id_22_page4'); </script></a></div></div></div><div id="unique-entry-id-21" class="blog-entry"><h1 class="blog-entry-title"><a href="721f371581d7eff8537e900c0345153c-21.html" class="blog-permalink">Is this what having kids is like?</a></h1><div class="blog-entry-date">Tuesday, October 02, 2007 </div><div class="blog-entry-body"><span style="font:12px Hiragino Kaku Gothic Pro, Osaka, MS PGothic, sans-serif; ">Live with the dog (whose name is Jasper, though Zragothrab the Galaxy Destroyer was a close second) is a long stream of highs and lows. He's damn cute, fun, lovable, and a responsibility that I enjoy taking a hand in. Of course, he's also a veritable urine factory, likes to chew on things (nothing destroyed so far, a testament to our watchful eyes) and I'm stuck with the overnight pee shift, which means that every night I get up at 3AM to take him out for a pee, and then again at 6AM for the morning, to try and wear him out before he goes back into the kennel for the day. Lindsay gets the lunch and after school responsibilities.<br /><br />Still, he's cute. I think that'll trump my lack of sleep for awhile.<br /><br />Other than him, life has been busy. Skating with the Advanced team has been taxing. I would have thought that running three times a week almost all summer would have put me into better shape for skating, but, of course, the muscle groups at work are entirely different. So, I'm the slowest person, as per usual, except that it's slightly less embarrassing now, 'cause I'm being beat by real athletes, not just 8 year old kids without a fear of speed and crashing. Yeah, I know, woe is me.<br /><br />Sorry for the disjointed post.... NaNoWriMo is starting soon, so my ability to think coherently is going to be usurped by whatever novel I set off after this month. I've got three ideas that I can't quite decide between:<br /><br />1. A kind of literary tale of a man who is haunted by dreams of a boat sinking off the Labrador coast. Actually, the story is about his wife, who follows him doggedly up and down that barren landscape as he tried to unravel his dreams and the wreckage he sees.<br /><br />2. A more lighthearted sci-fi tale of two orphans who were rescued by a pirate/salvage ship, and raised by an old curmudgeon of a captain who thinks he is more pirate than he really is. The two orphans have various light-hearted and exciting adventures in the various ports they find themselves in. <br /><br />3. A noir style story about a man who is on his honeymoon in Paris and is captured by some sort of extra-governmental agency and questioned about his wife and their activities in Paris. It's a bit of a mind bender, and difficult to sum up inn a few sentences. Let's just say that as he is questioned, his impressions of what his wife was up to start to change, subtly at first, and he can't tell if the changes are real, or if they are suggestions planted by this questioner.<br /><br />Most likely, it'll be none of the above, but those are the thoughts currently circling the drain.<br /><br />~Jayson</span><div class="blog-entry-comments"><a class="blog-comment-link" href="javascript:HaloScan('rw_unique_entry_id_21_page4');"><script type="text/javascript">postCount('rw_unique_entry_id_21_page4');</script></a> | <a class="blog-trackback-link" href="javascript:HaloScanTB('rw_unique_entry_id_21=page4');"><script type="text/javascript">postCountTB('rw_unique_entry_id_21_page4'); </script></a></div></div></div><div id="unique-entry-id-20" class="blog-entry"><h1 class="blog-entry-title"><a href="6f242ad547fae84f1fb397ea2b7ae5ae-20.html" class="blog-permalink">Back from the dead, and this time, with friends!</a></h1><div class="blog-entry-date">Wednesday, September 19, 2007 </div><div class="blog-entry-body"><span style="font:12px Hiragino Kaku Gothic Pro, Osaka, MS PGothic, sans-serif; ">Morning everyone. No, I'm not dead, though I do need to throw back my site's shutters and dust off my ethernet port - life got busy and kicked my butt most certainly. That, and I know I'm behind and not finished with the Honeymoon Journal, but the further behind I got, I couldn't bring myself to post about anything else, and I didn't want to continue transcribing my journal out of hand-written notebooks any longer.<br /><br />Anyways, enough bellyaching from me. I'm posting today because something momentous has happened around our household: Lindsay and I are getting a puppy. We went and visited the litter last night and picked out our favorite, and we pick him up on Friday. He's 3/4 Shih tsu, 1/4 Scottish Terrier, and cute as a button. Of course, you'll all want to see a picture, so of course, I shall oblige (puppy pictures must be a good way of making up for the long absence).<br /><br /></span><img class="imageStyle" alt="IMG_0005_2" src="page4_blog_entry20_1.jpg" width="480" height="640"/><br /><br /><span style="font:12px Hiragino Kaku Gothic Pro, Osaka, MS PGothic, sans-serif; ">Now here's the part we need some help with - a name. We're still deciding between a few, but I thought I'd throw it out to whoever still has my site in their RSS reader for an opinion. Even one vote counts! Here are the options....<br /><br />London<br />Jersey<br />Micah<br />Amos<br /><br />Anyways.... I'm back!<br /><br />~ Jayson</span><div class="blog-entry-comments"><a class="blog-comment-link" href="javascript:HaloScan('rw_unique_entry_id_20_page4');"><script type="text/javascript">postCount('rw_unique_entry_id_20_page4');</script></a> | <a class="blog-trackback-link" href="javascript:HaloScanTB('rw_unique_entry_id_20=page4');"><script type="text/javascript">postCountTB('rw_unique_entry_id_20_page4'); </script></a></div></div></div><div id="unique-entry-id-14" class="blog-entry"><h1 class="blog-entry-title"><a href="3fe41c28d115b3790104fd244dca8a67-14.html" class="blog-permalink">And hello again!</a></h1><div class="blog-entry-date">Sunday, July 29, 2007 </div><div class="blog-entry-body"><span style="font:12px Hiragino Kaku Gothic Pro, Osaka, MS PGothic, sans-serif; ">Well, we're back! Actually we were back in Edmonton on Wednesday, but between relaxing, getting organized, and reading the seventh Harry Potter book (excellent!) I've been neglecting my blog.<br /><br />I kept a journal while we were on holidays, and I'm going to be converting it to digital on the computer and out of the notebooks I filled up, so I'll try to post them in here. I don't know if the day-by-day ramblings of us on holidays are of much interest to anyone other than myself, but I'll be putting them here for posterity's sake.<br /><br />It's nice to be home.<br /><br />~ Jayson</span><div class="blog-entry-comments"><a class="blog-comment-link" href="javascript:HaloScan('rw_unique_entry_id_14_page4');"><script type="text/javascript">postCount('rw_unique_entry_id_14_page4');</script></a> | <a class="blog-trackback-link" href="javascript:HaloScanTB('rw_unique_entry_id_14=page4');"><script type="text/javascript">postCountTB('rw_unique_entry_id_14_page4'); </script></a></div></div></div><div id="unique-entry-id-13" class="blog-entry"><h1 class="blog-entry-title"><a href="89a5e0cc22dccb7daf207e7f62fac5e9-13.html" class="blog-permalink">A good-bye of sorts...</a></h1><div class="blog-entry-date">Wednesday, July 04, 2007 </div><div class="blog-entry-body"><span style="font:12px Hiragino Kaku Gothic Pro, Osaka, MS PGothic, sans-serif; ">Damn.... almost two whole weeks since I last wrote. In my defense, they've been very hectic weeks without a lot of home computer time.<br /><br />1. I finally finished assembling my fence, at least in terms of main structure. The walls are up, the gates are closed, the yard is on lock down. There are still a few cosmetic bits of trim to add, as well as a second coat of paint, but in the main, she is complete. <br /><br />2. I am down to 203 lbs. Between running twice a week (up to 11km these days) and dryland training with the skating club, I'm in pretty decent shape. I'm destined for the 190-195 range before I'm quite satisfied - I figure at that point, between the lower weight and increased fitness, I should be a much improved skater come September when the season starts.<br /><br />3. I submit my first story last week. I did get a little time on the computer, I suppose. A few critiques from online friends and a few late nights agonizing over my word count - I was determined for get from 5,300 to 4,800 but only ended up at 4,990 - I mailed it off to a local magazine. Here's hoping!<br /><br />Okay, now, after all of that, the good-bye. Lindsay and I have been planning our honeymoon - 20 nights in Europe. The plane leaves tomorrow the 4th at 6:45PM, and we spend 4 nights in Barcelona, then embark on a 12 night cruise around the Mediterranean. We'll be making stops in Nice, Florence, Rome, Mykonos, Ephesus, Santorini, Athens, Naples, before arriving back in Barcelona. Then, we hop a plane to London for 4 nights to stay with our friend Lisa, and see the sights. Lindsay has scheduled time for Dirty Dancing: The Musical. I'm heading on a day trip out to Stonehenge. We'll see who has a better time. We're back in E-town on the 25th.<br /><br />Anyways, long story short, I'll be going silent again, but not without a decent reason this time! I plan on keeping a daily journal while we're gone, so I'll be sure to post my impressions when we get back.<br /><br />Be well everyone!<br /><br />~ Jayson</span><div class="blog-entry-comments"><a class="blog-comment-link" href="javascript:HaloScan('rw_unique_entry_id_13_page4');"><script type="text/javascript">postCount('rw_unique_entry_id_13_page4');</script></a> | <a class="blog-trackback-link" href="javascript:HaloScanTB('rw_unique_entry_id_13=page4');"><script type="text/javascript">postCountTB('rw_unique_entry_id_13_page4'); </script></a></div></div></div><div id="unique-entry-id-10" class="blog-entry"><h1 class="blog-entry-title"><a href="a367490d071ac7422f34544132fff327-10.html" class="blog-permalink">My Day as a Grade 2 Teacher</a></h1><div class="blog-entry-date">Tuesday, June 12, 2007 </div><div class="blog-entry-body"><span style="font:12px Hiragino Kaku Gothic Pro, Osaka, MS PGothic, sans-serif; ">No, I haven't decided to head back to school to try and become a teacher, but I did use up a day in lieu and went to work with Lindsay this morning to give her a hand around her classroom and help her get caught up on things for the end of the year. Contrary to popular opinion, June is not an easy month for teachers - quite the opposite, it is actually the busiest month of the whole school year. There are usually field trips planned due to the promise of good weather, year end parties to throw, there are report cards that need to be completed, assessment performed on all of the children and getting those that are behind on their work all caught up. Plus, regular life tends to kick into high gear in June, with yard work, barbecues, both Mother's and Father's Day in close proximity to each other.... long story short, June is a difficult month for a teacher, and I decided to hop in and lend a hand.<br /><br />So, we arrived first thing in the morning and congregated in the staff room (I KNOW! I got into the staff room and I wasn't even in trouble!) with some of the other teachers. They sure can be quite the chatty flock of birds, I tell you. Then the bell rang and class started. I made my way to the back of the classroom while Lindsay ran through her normal morning routine - collecting permission slips and order forms sent home the previous day. Once the day actually got into full swing, I was given my task: helping the grade 2 kids make their Father's Day presents, which was a nice sturdy coffee mug with a painted hand print on the side of it. I spent the morning chatting with her kids one by one and painting their hand before smushing it into the side of a coffee mug. All in all, the project turned out very well, and everyone commented on how well the project turned out. I have the distinct feeling that working in an elementary school must be a very nurturing environment - either that or everyone else was too kind to tell me the cups looked like Rorschach blots. After I was finished with this and cleaned up, it was recess and the kids went out into the blustery, miserable day.<br /><br />I haven't had recess in years upon years, and... well, it's just a glorified coffee break. I do enjoy the idea of everyone taking coffee at the same time. When I drywalled, we all took lunch and coffee at the same time in the same place, and it made for quite the social event. This was much the same. I know a few of Lindsay's coworkers, so we all sat and chatted some more. This was certainly a recurring theme from today. Surprisingly, elementary teachers (even Catholic ones) have quite the potty mouth on them sometimes. I think it's kinda funny.<br /><br />After recess we spent an hour and a half teaching the children on how to build a Powerpoint presentation. Yes, these are 7 year old children. I never once used powerpoint until I was in my twenties. How times change. Some of them picked it up amazingly quick, given the idiosyncrasies of Powerpoint. Some of them (like the boy who preferred to handle the mouse with two hands at all times) required a little more coaching. They were all quite enthusiastic about adding animations to their slides. I don't think I've ever quite seen people smile while creating in Powerpoint, but had this been a commercial, Microsoft and their whole marketing department couldn't have scripted it better. Some of the quickest kids had a chance to dabble with a very snazzy program called </span><span style="font:12px Hiragino Kaku Gothic Pro, Osaka, MS PGothic, sans-serif; "><a href="http://www.ambientdesign.com/artrage.html" rel="external" title="ArtRage">ArtRage</a></span><span style="font:12px Hiragino Kaku Gothic Pro, Osaka, MS PGothic, sans-serif; "> - a painting program aimed at children but with a surprisingly deep set of tools and a nifty graphical look. Simon - you might keep it in mind for Declan; there's a free demo to try, and he'll likely run across it in school some day. <br /><br />Navigating the staff room during lunch was like heading upstream into a herd of wildebeest. All the teachers were there, and everyone was jockeying for a seat. I was seated, as was the norm for today, at the end of a table with my back to the dishwasher. I felt perpetually underfoot, but that was likely my residual reticence to actually be present in the staff room. My soul tells me it is verboten, but I was seated there anyways, munching on my sandwich. The conversations continued, and lunch included a dessert brought by a parent that horribly resembled green, pink and white testicles. They tasted much better than they looked.<br /><br />The rest of the afternoon was spent helping the kids complete an acrostic poem on sunflowers while Lindsay taught them about a science project they were working on. This is actually the content they were going to apply to the Powerpoint presentation we worked on in the morning. I took the kids two at a time and helped them type out their poems. One of the levels of hell is watching a child type. I kid you not. Something that would have taken any adult with the most basic keyboarding skills mere moments took twenty minutes - I could walk back and forth between the computer lab and the classroom and some of the kids might have only typed a word or two. Some were better than others (the two-handed mouser actually typed at a decend clip) but there were a few that redefined glacial. Websters? I have a new picture to send to you. Eventually, the ice receded and the day ended. Note to self - Grade 2 moms can be hawt.<br /><br />So perhaps my role was more of a teacher's assistant rather than a teacher. It was still a pretty good use of a day. The kids were all pretty good kids, and one of the little girls in the class drew me a picture during lunch. It'll be coming with me to work to hang next to my desk. Thanks Natalie.<br /><br />~ Jayson</span><div class="blog-entry-comments"><a class="blog-comment-link" href="javascript:HaloScan('rw_unique_entry_id_10_page4');"><script type="text/javascript">postCount('rw_unique_entry_id_10_page4');</script></a> | <a class="blog-trackback-link" href="javascript:HaloScanTB('rw_unique_entry_id_10=page4');"><script type="text/javascript">postCountTB('rw_unique_entry_id_10_page4'); </script></a></div></div></div><div id="unique-entry-id-8" class="blog-entry"><h1 class="blog-entry-title"><a href="90eecd09977fe05c678f7a1ec3710bab-8.html" class="blog-permalink">Why isn't it raining?</a></h1><div class="blog-entry-date">Monday, June 04, 2007 </div><div class="blog-entry-body"><span style="font:12px Hiragino Kaku Gothic Pro, Osaka, MS PGothic, sans-serif; ">I'm feeling strangely melancholy this evening. I'm sitting in the dark trying to read International Business powerpoint slides - I've got a final exam tomorrow, and another on Thursday which should be in and of itself enough to quash the spirit of even the most stalwart among us. No, that's not it. It might be the music. An evening comprised of Portishead, Kate Walsh, and Rachels would make most people pensive, I believe. The heat is probably contributing, too. I'm not a heat person. See previous entry for details, if you must.<br /><br />I'm just feeling a bit at loose ends, I think. Life has been busy lately, but not with fun and interesting things. Running two nights, school two nights, dryland training one night, and the remaining time off is spent working in the yard. Or at work, which isn't helping much. I think I need a bloody holiday. Good thing there's one coming up - 30 days & counting.<br /><br />Maybe I need to write more too. Oh well. After finals.<br /><br />~ Jayson</span><div class="blog-entry-comments"><a class="blog-comment-link" href="javascript:HaloScan('rw_unique_entry_id_8_page4');"><script type="text/javascript">postCount('rw_unique_entry_id_8_page4');</script></a> | <a class="blog-trackback-link" href="javascript:HaloScanTB('rw_unique_entry_id_8=page4');"><script type="text/javascript">postCountTB('rw_unique_entry_id_8_page4'); </script></a></div></div></div><div id="unique-entry-id-7" class="blog-entry"><h1 class="blog-entry-title"><a href="179fb5d9ceae1370c36b2ab6160e7615-7.html" class="blog-permalink">So fresh & so clean</a></h1><div class="blog-entry-date">Friday, June 01, 2007 </div><div class="blog-entry-body"><span style="font:12px Hiragino Kaku Gothic Pro, Osaka, MS PGothic, sans-serif; ">Mmmm, yum. New version of Rapidweaver (the software I built and maintain my website with). Up to 3.6, the first paid upgrade in awhile. If you're a Mac user and have a desire for a webpage of your very own, go grab it. It'll make you feel good inside.<br /><br />Speaking of fresh and clean, the yard is mowed, and the water is on. Anyone in and around Edmonton is feeling the heat right now, and I'm not feeling quite as fresh and clean any more. I'm not a heat person - I can handle it, but between heat and bitter cold, I'll complain about the heat each and every time. When it's cold, you can always put more clothes on to be warm. When it's 30 degrees Canadian outside, there's just no excape without air conditioning.<br /><br />Also on the fresh and clean theme, the chapter one rewrite is going well. I'm realizing I'm going to have to basically rewrite both the first chapter and significantly shuffle around events between one and two, but all is right in the world. I have a plan, and it shall come to fruition in due course. I figure another week or two of editing and rewriting, then I'll find myself two or three people I know who are very close readers, and that I can trust. I've got a few in mind, but if there is anyone outthere that is willing to take a close look at a relatively short manuscript an offer sage advice and concise critiques, let me know. Those select people will have the pleasure of my work for the whole long month of July whilst I flit around the Mediterranian. </span><div class="blog-entry-comments"><a class="blog-comment-link" href="javascript:HaloScan('rw_unique_entry_id_7_page4');"><script type="text/javascript">postCount('rw_unique_entry_id_7_page4');</script></a> | <a class="blog-trackback-link" href="javascript:HaloScanTB('rw_unique_entry_id_7=page4');"><script type="text/javascript">postCountTB('rw_unique_entry_id_7_page4'); </script></a></div></div></div><div id="unique-entry-id-5" class="blog-entry"><h1 class="blog-entry-title"><a href="a03b84e7aa50116ec6deb6a32725cb12-5.html" class="blog-permalink">Things I've learned today</a></h1><div class="blog-entry-date">Monday, May 28, 2007 </div><div class="blog-entry-body"><span style="font:12px Hiragino Kaku Gothic Pro, Osaka, MS PGothic, sans-serif; ">1. fartlek (f&auml;rt'lk) n.&nbsp;&nbsp;An athletic training technique, used especially in running, in which periods of intense effort alternate with periods of less strenuous effort in a continuous workout.<br /><br /> - I really do not suggest performing one of these abominations unless your coach is a kind-hearted soul and structures it in a moderate way, or you truly wish to have your heart explode from your chest and berate you in front of your friends. I just kept thinking to myself, "I will be in better shape for skating next year, I will not let the junior high kids skate circles around me any longer..."<br /><br />2. My health coverage does not cover Hep A/B/C inoculations. Damn you, Sunlife! *shakes fist wearily*<br /><br />3. I know how I need to rewrite the first chapters of No Threat to make it more immediate. Remove the whorehouse, supplant with a particularly brutal delivery. A little more action closer to the front is never a bad thing. Hell, even I was bored by the opening chapters of my own damn book.<br /><br />4. A Booster Juice, while having the nutrition of a full meal, does not fill the tummy quite like mom's roast beef with potatoes. Damn you, healthy eating! *shakes fist hungrily*<br /><br />That's it. I'm off to bed, maybe read a bit. I picked up The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova the other day while waiting at the doctors office. Thus far (and I'm still less than 100 pages in) I'm enthralled. It is so choice. If you have the means, I highly recommend picking one up.<br /><br />~ Jayson</span><div class="blog-entry-comments"><a class="blog-comment-link" href="javascript:HaloScan('rw_unique_entry_id_5_page4');"><script type="text/javascript">postCount('rw_unique_entry_id_5_page4');</script></a> | <a class="blog-trackback-link" href="javascript:HaloScanTB('rw_unique_entry_id_5=page4');"><script type="text/javascript">postCountTB('rw_unique_entry_id_5_page4'); </script></a></div></div></div><div id="unique-entry-id-2" class="blog-entry"><h1 class="blog-entry-title"><a href="c2e7d10cbb47d413390939cd5d70da09-2.html" class="blog-permalink">I wish I was cool like Kirk Douglas</a></h1><div class="blog-entry-date">Sunday, May 13, 2007 </div><div class="blog-entry-body"><span style="font:12px Hiragino Kaku Gothic Pro, Osaka, MS PGothic, sans-serif; ">I stayed up late last night watching Spartacus. The movie might be dated, the music a little too boisterous and distracting, and history might not have been well served, but damn if Kirk Douglas isn't a bloody paragon of manhood. Cool, collected, conflicted, in love, devoted to his wife, with an appreciation for art, and despite his capacity for violence a distaste for it.<br /><br />As per usual for me, little things like a movie will send me to Wikipedia hungry for information. It seems Spartacus was more of a pirate than the moral character proposed in the movie, and Kirk Douglas is every bit the moral character he portrayed in the movie - he was instrumental in bringing down the blacklist in Hollywood by forcing Spartacus director Stanley Kubrick to recognize the then blacklisted Dalton Trumbo as the screenwriter. <br /><br />My hat goes off to Mr. Issur Danielovitch Demsky.<br /><br />~ Jayson</span><div class="blog-entry-comments"><a class="blog-comment-link" href="javascript:HaloScan('rw_unique_entry_id_2_page4');"><script type="text/javascript">postCount('rw_unique_entry_id_2_page4');</script></a> | <a class="blog-trackback-link" href="javascript:HaloScanTB('rw_unique_entry_id_2=page4');"><script type="text/javascript">postCountTB('rw_unique_entry_id_2_page4'); </script></a></div></div></div><div id="unique-entry-id-1" class="blog-entry"><h1 class="blog-entry-title"><a href="5f8fad3ddc60e20fbf7fd0492b262e27-1.html" class="blog-permalink">An introduction of sorts....</a></h1><div class="blog-entry-date">Friday, May 11, 2007 </div><div class="blog-entry-body"><span style="font:12px Hiragino Kaku Gothic Pro, Osaka, MS PGothic, sans-serif; ">I've spent more time than I think is entirely necessary thinking about this post. My first blog post, in my first blog ever. Is there something important about this? Am I leaping into modern society? Once the CEOs of large companies have taken to something that I haven't, I think I fully qualify as out-of-date, much as I might try to argue the opposite. I still resist Facebook, I dismiss MySpace, and am only slightly more drawn to blogging sites like Blogger or Livejournal et al. I think, though, that I shall remain here on a website of my own creation, in a blog under my own power, and we'll see if my second way will work. <br /><br />So, in the spirit of our constantly connected culture, I'm currently sitting at my computer in my underwear (boxer brief, but of course) with Kate Walsh playing in the background (a British songstress, not Addison, you Grey's addicts), while Lindsay is in the shower in the next room. If I don't get a move on, I think I might be a little late for work, and no breakfast to boot. Oh well. All work & no breakfast makes Jay an efficient worker bee.<br /><br />By the way... welcome to my site/blog. I'm glad you could make it.<br /><br /> ~ Jayson</span><div class="blog-entry-comments"><a class="blog-comment-link" href="javascript:HaloScan('rw_unique_entry_id_1_page4');"><script type="text/javascript">postCount('rw_unique_entry_id_1_page4');</script></a> | <a class="blog-trackback-link" href="javascript:HaloScanTB('rw_unique_entry_id_1=page4');"><script type="text/javascript">postCountTB('rw_unique_entry_id_1_page4'); </script></a></div></div></div> </div> </body> </html>