So I leave my old job as a small cog in a vast machine.
I stop blogging.
I let the hosting for the site expire.
You think you're out... and then they pull you back in again.
A lot has happened in the past year. Maybe some of it should be told...
So I log into Blogger.com and what the hell do you know but my account still works! So I cough up a few bucks and restore the site. I used a template since the original HTML I created would need to be seriously overhauled to work with some of the neat new features. I'll likely redesign it soon. Right now I just need to get the kinks out. Blogger has really developed over the last year and there are a lot of new and keen features that will make it easier to update the site even while I'm on the road with only my trusty Sidekick II. Stay tuned.
Thursday, November 11, 2004
Wednesday, March 05, 2003
The usual suspects
From the left Devin (Big D) Bryan McPhail (Sparkles) Me (the wookie) Dale Gantz (Dirty) Ron Wynn (Ronsil Donsil) Branden Campbell (Seinfeld) and Lynn Greenfeather
It is very likely that I will miss some or all of these people.
It is very likely that I will miss some or all of these people.
Monday, March 03, 2003
Sweet Realease.
Yeah, so I'm FINALLY unemployed. At LAST. I thought I would be trapped counting parts and sweeping up a goddamned warehouse until the end of March. My last day at work was friday, although 'work' by this time has become a very very loose term. I deleted the last of any evidence of software piracy and first person shooters off my computer and basically waited for them to check off that I didn't steal anything. After that, it was off to the bar. I won't bore you with the details yet. I have WAY too much shit to do before departing for Forida. I'll post some pics here tomorrow. Peace.
Sunday, March 02, 2003
Friday, December 27, 2002
Wednesday, December 11, 2002
Departure...
Today is the day. The final head count is eight. Ed and Duffy are already 'In country' as the special ops people say. I have not received any contact from them yet. I can only hope their cover hasn't been blown. But they knew the risks. I bought a new coat, because I am a gear WHORE. I needed one though, and after some actual haggling at Wilsons I got a good price.
With luck I will get a chance to meet up with both a programmer I have been conversing with and some members of the local SCA group. My right foot has been acting up again at exactly the wrong time. It annoys me. Early reports are that 'The Two Towers' will be great. Of this I have no doubts. Now we just need to keep the rest of this trip as cool. Heather actually asked Rossana is we'd get a chance to eat 'Real pub food'. That's like asking if you'll get a chance to real 'Real Fast food' if you visit America. Me? I'm bringing Tabasco. I've eaten Shepards pie. It leaves much to be desired. On the other hand there is plenty of Indian food places (a sort of payback for a hundred years of British Colonialism).
The clock has actually stopped moving. I wait for what seems like an eternity.... and then it ticks off another second. This is gonna be a long day.
With luck I will get a chance to meet up with both a programmer I have been conversing with and some members of the local SCA group. My right foot has been acting up again at exactly the wrong time. It annoys me. Early reports are that 'The Two Towers' will be great. Of this I have no doubts. Now we just need to keep the rest of this trip as cool. Heather actually asked Rossana is we'd get a chance to eat 'Real pub food'. That's like asking if you'll get a chance to real 'Real Fast food' if you visit America. Me? I'm bringing Tabasco. I've eaten Shepards pie. It leaves much to be desired. On the other hand there is plenty of Indian food places (a sort of payback for a hundred years of British Colonialism).
The clock has actually stopped moving. I wait for what seems like an eternity.... and then it ticks off another second. This is gonna be a long day.
Tuesday, October 15, 2002
Over there... over theeeeeeere...
London, the frightened city. A city that has no idea what's coming. There are 10 of us. Ugly Americans, every one. Our cover story is that we're visiting to see the next Lord of the Rings movie. But we've got seven days to get into trouble. If the world can be made in six days, we can damn well make England regret allowing us in the country in three. This is the first time my wife and I have travelled with a group. I know half of these people, the other half come from god-knows-where. If this all goes to shit I will NEVER live this down. My wife will be able to hold this over me for eternity and a month. It won't matter what great idea I come up with.
"Honey, I have an ideas for bringing peace to the middle-east"
"Is it like your brilliant idea of going to London with a bunch of people?"
You can see where this could be bad for me.
"Honey, I have an ideas for bringing peace to the middle-east"
"Is it like your brilliant idea of going to London with a bunch of people?"
You can see where this could be bad for me.
Monday, July 08, 2002
And so it begins...
The 2002 Ren Season has started. Great weather, new booth. Too bad no one showed up. Oy. At least next weekend is Celtic Weekend, traditionally a rockin time.
Thursday, March 28, 2002
Wednesday, February 20, 2002
Photographic Evidence
London and Istanbul pics are UP! I will have the complete and sordid tale of this trip available here soon. Check the pics
Wednesday, May 09, 2001
Okay, I got the pics back and as I suspected, the film ones are much better than the digital, but I haven't given up on the technology, it will continue to improve and it saved us money since we haven't printed any of the 120+ digital pics yet.
Images from Venice are Here
Images from Rome and Pompeii are Here
Images from Venice are Here
Images from Rome and Pompeii are Here
Friday, May 04, 2001
Okay, it'll take a while to get some pics up, the film ones will be done saturday. In the mean time I wanted to put some thoughts about Italy into the ether. These follow no coherent structure:
Food: Unless you want to spend a lot of money, the food in Italy is so-so. You can actually spend a lot of money and still get so-so food, its a crap shoot. If you don't want to spend a lot your choices are limited. Pizza are and Sandwiches. Thats it. There are NO Taco Bells in Italy. In fact, any ethnic food you find has a strong Italian slant to it. Pizzas are thin crust and wanting for toppings but are of good size and are cheap. Sandwiches are ham and cheese, no matter what its say it is. It is ALWAYS ham and cheese. It seems that the only meat in the country is ham.
Driving: Italians know how to drive. Really. They drive like maniacs, but they know what they are doing. I can only guess that the bad drivers are simply killed by their own ineptitude early on. A Darwinian solution to a problem that has plauged our contry. They have a car there called Smart, check it out at www.smart.com. I wish we had these here, they are well suited to Italy, where driving space is limited and gas is real expensive.
Weather: Nice
Clothing: Fashionable
Train System: Even the Italians don't understand it, but once you are on a train, things are pretty good.
Catholicism: Every few blocks it cities, there a small shrines. They are unassuming and humble. Old, but never forgotten. There are coins and candles in front of the faded images of the Madonna or Jesus. The churches are nice. They feel secure and reverent, not like the glittering, tacky "Crystal Cathedrals" here. Some of these churches were around when this whole "Jesus Cult" thing started. Saw a lot of priests, nuns and monks in Rome, they seemed to be having a fun time as tourists in their very own Christian Theme Park.
Mass Transportation: In Rome, it transports masses of masses. Packed full, unable to breathe, stifling. The system is good, is based on the honesty system, its just overburdened.
Food: Unless you want to spend a lot of money, the food in Italy is so-so. You can actually spend a lot of money and still get so-so food, its a crap shoot. If you don't want to spend a lot your choices are limited. Pizza are and Sandwiches. Thats it. There are NO Taco Bells in Italy. In fact, any ethnic food you find has a strong Italian slant to it. Pizzas are thin crust and wanting for toppings but are of good size and are cheap. Sandwiches are ham and cheese, no matter what its say it is. It is ALWAYS ham and cheese. It seems that the only meat in the country is ham.
Driving: Italians know how to drive. Really. They drive like maniacs, but they know what they are doing. I can only guess that the bad drivers are simply killed by their own ineptitude early on. A Darwinian solution to a problem that has plauged our contry. They have a car there called Smart, check it out at www.smart.com. I wish we had these here, they are well suited to Italy, where driving space is limited and gas is real expensive.
Weather: Nice
Clothing: Fashionable
Train System: Even the Italians don't understand it, but once you are on a train, things are pretty good.
Catholicism: Every few blocks it cities, there a small shrines. They are unassuming and humble. Old, but never forgotten. There are coins and candles in front of the faded images of the Madonna or Jesus. The churches are nice. They feel secure and reverent, not like the glittering, tacky "Crystal Cathedrals" here. Some of these churches were around when this whole "Jesus Cult" thing started. Saw a lot of priests, nuns and monks in Rome, they seemed to be having a fun time as tourists in their very own Christian Theme Park.
Mass Transportation: In Rome, it transports masses of masses. Packed full, unable to breathe, stifling. The system is good, is based on the honesty system, its just overburdened.
Wednesday, May 02, 2001
Every single goddamn plane after the first outta Cleveland has been late. Every one. I realize this as I sit in an unfinnished microiterminal in Toronto. Why am I waiting? Because as we are about to take off, there is a problem, we have to go back and get another plance because this one is broken. Jesus!
Another hour delay. But Air Canada comes through and we get a plane, board it and go. Get picked up by Ed at the airport in his stunning new Cranberry (another word for purple) PT Cruiser.
It's late, only TGIFridays is open, I order the biggest burger they can serve by law. I enjoy it. I enjoy having my iced tea refilled over sixteen times. I enjoy the fries and the company. It is nice to be home. After some regaling we get home to a cat that actually seems happy to see us. I shower and fall into a coma. omorrow is work. I hope I remember where it is...
Another hour delay. But Air Canada comes through and we get a plane, board it and go. Get picked up by Ed at the airport in his stunning new Cranberry (another word for purple) PT Cruiser.
It's late, only TGIFridays is open, I order the biggest burger they can serve by law. I enjoy it. I enjoy having my iced tea refilled over sixteen times. I enjoy the fries and the company. It is nice to be home. After some regaling we get home to a cat that actually seems happy to see us. I shower and fall into a coma. omorrow is work. I hope I remember where it is...
Tuesday, May 01, 2001
Last day in Italy...
Find a newsstand with English papers and mags,
Find a great Restaurant with good prices and service (crap)
Find metro stops and short cuts that might have saved up 2 to 30 hours of walking (double crap)
Lost mail I have been trying to send since Venice (F%ck)
Am being charged 150 lire per MINUTE at this internet point (double f&ck)
We fly out today, all packed with no where to go since it is a major holiday here. Oh well, we finally got the tv to work in our room and can watch CNN. Maybe the riots have started in London.
Oh year, went to the Vatican Museums yesterday, but that bit of hate filled commentary will have to wait until I get home and can posy without being robbed blind.
Pax Uscita (Pack is outta here)
Find a newsstand with English papers and mags,
Find a great Restaurant with good prices and service (crap)
Find metro stops and short cuts that might have saved up 2 to 30 hours of walking (double crap)
Lost mail I have been trying to send since Venice (F%ck)
Am being charged 150 lire per MINUTE at this internet point (double f&ck)
We fly out today, all packed with no where to go since it is a major holiday here. Oh well, we finally got the tv to work in our room and can watch CNN. Maybe the riots have started in London.
Oh year, went to the Vatican Museums yesterday, but that bit of hate filled commentary will have to wait until I get home and can posy without being robbed blind.
Pax Uscita (Pack is outta here)
Sunday, April 29, 2001
Its now the end of two very long days. Yesterday we took our first package tour to Pompeii. This was a little bit of hell, from the terrible english spoken by our first guide to the lack of any exploration time in this massive city. You could easily spend three days in Pompeii and not see it all. Amazing place. We did meet two great Aussies however. Cattle Ranchers on a three MONTH vacation. Great people.
Today was a visit to the Appian Way, the mother road in and out of ancient Roma. This is actually a picture perfect countyside. I would love to live in such an area. (The Appian Road was also where all the slaves in Sparticus rebellion were cucified, they went on for many miles) We visited the Catacombs where some 500,000 early christians were buried. A nice Scotsman took us about, my only gribe is that the tour was too short, there are something like 5 kilometers of tunnels running all about and in every direction. Super cool and creepy.
Then we hopped the lido train out of town to the old port city of Ostia. This is another huge city, nit as well preserved as Pompeii but everybit as facinating by the fact that trees and vines grow over about half of the ruins. One can (and we did) get lost among the hundreds of tiny roads, allys, baths, temples and apartment complexes. We even poken around in a few places we werent supposed to but Ostia isnt the hotspot that Pompeii or Herkulaenium is.
TOmorrow is (da da dummmm) the Vatican. It is f£cking huge so we will only be able to se a part of it. We also hope to view an armory nearby. I must go now, I am tired from the Appian way and must find pizza of Chinese food to sustain me. Tuesday is our return. Bummer.
Today was a visit to the Appian Way, the mother road in and out of ancient Roma. This is actually a picture perfect countyside. I would love to live in such an area. (The Appian Road was also where all the slaves in Sparticus rebellion were cucified, they went on for many miles) We visited the Catacombs where some 500,000 early christians were buried. A nice Scotsman took us about, my only gribe is that the tour was too short, there are something like 5 kilometers of tunnels running all about and in every direction. Super cool and creepy.
Then we hopped the lido train out of town to the old port city of Ostia. This is another huge city, nit as well preserved as Pompeii but everybit as facinating by the fact that trees and vines grow over about half of the ruins. One can (and we did) get lost among the hundreds of tiny roads, allys, baths, temples and apartment complexes. We even poken around in a few places we werent supposed to but Ostia isnt the hotspot that Pompeii or Herkulaenium is.
TOmorrow is (da da dummmm) the Vatican. It is f£cking huge so we will only be able to se a part of it. We also hope to view an armory nearby. I must go now, I am tired from the Appian way and must find pizza of Chinese food to sustain me. Tuesday is our return. Bummer.
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