052 - Day Five, Six, Seven

Day five was fun. I arrived at work an hour and a half early (when rides are offered, you don't really want to push your luck). This allowed me the opportunity to sit down and have breakfast with a coworker. Subway breakfasts have become boring ever since they stopped actually preparing eggs and stopped carrying round 4" buns; they're microwave-ready egg patties leave me with an underwhelming 'meh'. I learned that there was freezing rain going on, so thankfully another coworker offered me a ride home.

On Day Six of this wondrous OC Transpo bus strike, I did the inevitable: I walked to work. With a car, there are half a dozen different routes to take to get there, and two buses (that take the same basic route). That said, there's no convenient way to actually walk there, not without having to overshoot and circle back, or walking from point A to point B to point C to the Destination. It's all very awkward, and a lot of it has to do with how poorly planned out the mall and its immediate surroundings were. I opted to use a bunch of side streets that looked via Google Earth to be the best path to take. Had it not been winter, I'm sure there are other shortcuts that could have been explored, but snow limits one's ability to explore. As does time, and the need to actually have energy to function for the following eight hours.

I also defiantly walked past a "do not walk here" sign on the transitway and walked straight through the station, in the middle of the road. It's not like there are any buses around to be delayed or hit me, right?

What worked for me was that the temperature was not only above zero, but edging toward double digits. Winter boots kept my feet (mostly) dry as all that snow we've been up to started going the way snow does when its warm. Had it been colder, or windy, it might have been hell. Luckily, all I really had to deal with was the splashing caused by vehicles thanks to the watery state of the roads. One driveway I saw during my journey was less a driveway and more a pond.

You also notice in the winter that most of these side streets don't actually have sidewalks.

Today, I went to pay for my winter semester. The credit card company is probably happy now that I owe them money. I feigned happiness to the woman at the Registrar's office that I would be getting lots of reward points, kicking myself slightly for not going with the not-so-free credit card plan that rewards me more points for every dollar I spend.

My little cousin drove me, since she had an appointment at the school. It's moments like that where you realise that the little girl you perceive is actually almost 18, is driving by herself, and is planning to move into a house with a bunch of friends. We talked about drinking and driving and drugs and boyfriends. Very surreal.

Her appointment turns out would last the whole evening, so I walked home rather than wait an hour for a friend to pick me up. I might have waited had I remembered that they day before, snow was melting left, right, and centre, while today it was comfortably below zero. The whole bike path was ice. Yay for winter boot traction!

One week later, I must admit that with a bit of luck and wonderful people patiently dealing with my frequent requests for rides, the bus strike hasn't been too bad. Sure, I still have some Christmas shopping to do that I haven't done, and I haven't had the freedom to go and do things, but I'm still getting to school and work as needed. The two head cheeses behind this kerfuffle still aren't bending to meet one another at some reasonable medium. Last I heard, there's talk of possibly talking again "before Christmas". Here's to another week of getting around how I have been: one day at a time.

051 - Day 3, 4

I went to Cornwall (city south of Ottawa, on the Ontario-New York border) to make sure a window was installed at my friend's house. Aside from a brief visit to Niagara falls in the early 90s, this is the closest I have ever been to the US. It took about an hour and a half to get there, and all I could think was "in an hour and a half, I could almost get from home to Carleton University, and back by bus and O-Train". Or not, since it was the third day of the strike.

While there, my friend's dad and I begun work on a project that we have. A while back, I may have hinted at something cool I was working on. My friend's dad writes lots of articles about Nepal. What I had done for his birthday was edit and compile a number of them and make them into a book, using Blurb software. The end result was very good. We've decided to use it as a starting point to refine the book and make it sellable. We worked a bit on it, changing a few things here and there. We would have worked more, but the house was cold, so we headed back home. When we got back, I made arrangements to get to work the next day.

The Book

Luckily Prashanta and Prabin agreed to take me to work, though we did arrive a little bit late. The one thing I love about going to work every day is that you get to see the changes that occur. Because I hadn't been there in almost three days, there was a lot to take in: things get moved, things are gone, there are new things, someone changes his or her hair. I don't know what it would be like to be gone for a week. Or more! Someday, I'll have to take a trip somewhere and find out. I left work early just because there wasn't a whole lot to do. It's proving pretty rough being at retail in a prime holiday shopping season when inventory levels are low. It really becomes a box of chocolates when you throw in a transit strike and weather that can change on a dime.

Fortunately, Prashanta was able to pick me up when I was done. I'm kinda looking forward to the time when I actually walk from home to work, or vice versa. I just want to complain about having had to walk all that. Of course, I think I would want to wear a sandwich board telling those who pass me about my wonderful love for the City and the transit union. I also can't wait for the Internet to evolve to the point where sarcasm is clearly shown as it is when spoken.

I did play a bit of Metroid Prime with a 12-year old. I absolutely love that game - up until the last region, Phazon Mines. Tallon, Magmoor, and Phendrana are all spectacular levels with so much to discover. I could play that first half of the game over and over and still enjoy the story, the art style, the enemies and bosses... it's that last part of the game that ruined it for me. Replaying that 6-year old game (!!!!) really stirred my desire to continue playing Metroid Prime 3 for Wii. I'll get to playing games when I have the time.

049 - Day One

I've decided that I would like to blog everyday. It's not the first time I've said that I'll do that, but now I have a reason. Ottawa is currently in a public transportation work stoppage. In other words, the buses are on strike. OC Transpo is on strike. If you're keeping score, we're two weeks away from Christmas and dead in the middle of exam season.

My mom has never been able to drive, so the bus has been my primary means to move about the city for school, work, shopping, socialising, entertainment, and on occasion, sleep. This strike is going to make it extremely difficult for me to make it to work, even though I don't live all that far from where I need to get five days a week. It's not within walking distance, but it doesn't take all that long in a vehicle. If this work strike lasts nearly as long as the last one did - 24 days in 1996 - then I'll be walking to school, which is a decent 40-minute walk, at best when bike paths are used. I don't think those get ploughed in the winter. And even worse, I know there are others who are far more inconvenced, to use a euphamism, that I.

Yesterday, the union head of OC Transpo drivers, André Cornellier, made a few appearances in the media. CTV here, here, and on the radio here. I understand the bus driver's position and that they have been without a contract for a long time now, but Cornellier's demeanour and utter lack of respect (or the show thereof) for the public certainly didn't get me to sympathize. I doubt that he garnered any support from us public types.

That isn't to say that the city isn't to blame, either. It's only more recently that I've started to develop an understanding of municipal politics. And it's in that time that I've learned that Ottawa's city-level politics is ridiculous. Mostly, I'm disappointed and borderline frustrated that there has been near zero progress on improving rapid transit and light rail in the city since the O-Train launched six or seven years ago. Every week, some new figure proposes a new plan that will save time and money compared to the current plan, which nobody seems to want to get behind. And the plan that was in place a few years back was grounded, even though we still had to pay for the breached conracts that were in place. Isn't it better to pay for something rather than pay for nothing? It's not like the expanded O-Train line wouldn't have been beneficial; it would have been much more useful than what it is now. It's being in love (or, at least being married to) the status quo that really annoys me, and our councillors aren't willing to flirt with change, let alone make it their misteress (or mister.... whatever the male equivalent is. Cabana boy?).

This, of course, brings me back to the transit strike. I don't see either side offering a comprimise anytime soon. The union is too obsessed with getting more sick days and a flexable scheduling system (which has its own flaws... ask anyone who has ever not had a bus come), and the city is too busy trying to get the public on its side by saying, "we're offering them tons of money in these 'hard economic times'." The drivers and the public seem to be stuck inbetween.

One thing that I found surprising is that the union (or whoever it was) isn't allowing for more school buses to be on the road. The schoolboard hatched a plan to get more buses to pick up some fo the students that use OC Transpo to get to school - but if they do that, then they "cannot guarantee [that] school [areas] won't be picketed." Kids should be in school. They need to be in school. It's ridiculous that they would rather use kids by disrupting schools and keeping the kids from being on time than being coopoerative on such a simple level. I'm sure parents appreciate the extra headache in the morning.

Day one isn't a problem. Despite the big snowstorm that we just had, finding rides to and fro isn't too hard for a day or two - at least for me. At least for now. My friend's father drove me to work where I am now, blogging. One thing has changed significantly between the last strike 12 years ago and now: the Internet. With people being so connected, especially here in Ottawa, it's so much easier to find rides. There are easily a dozen websites and Facebook groups offering to connect people for carpools and rideshare initiatives. The safety and reliability of such proposals have yet to be tested in such dire situations, but it would be amazing if through these efforts, people managed to find their once stranger neighbours who work or commute in the same direction or to the same areas and formed new friendships - or at least new carpooling buddies. That's what community should be about. Frankly, that's what Ottawa should be about. As much as I'd love to see bus ridership increase (I would love to not have the service on my three routes reduced), I would also love to see the Transit people, as well as the City people, realise that they in fact do need us as much as we need them.

045 - I think I'm Going to Need a Bigger Box

The new TV season has kicked off with a pretty epic set-up for Heroes' third season, as well as a nice start to Big Bang Theory's second. I love when shows don't pick up right where they left off, but that's often hard to do when the vast majority of 'em have cliffhanger season finales. Heroes cheated a bit last year by throwing you a few months after the events of the season 1 finale, and then taking a later episode to answer 'how did they get here?" Those are perfectly exciting. I expect a similar filler this year too, at least on a couple of storylines. Up next: Dexter, Californication, Chuck, Pushing Daisies, Corner Gas, and Little Mosque on the Praries, though I have no idea when that one starts - or where I"m goig to find the time to watch all of those. Despite my crazy-expensive cable package, torrents and my PSP may become my best friends.

In the meantime, I need to prepare a presentation of sorts for work. There's a staff meeting this weekend, and I get to discuss, well... magic. I do have a basic guide form which to work, but I hope I'll have the time to really add my own perspective to it, if at all possible.

One big accomplishment I accomplished earlier this week: I finished ripping all of my music to my computer - that's about 220 cds! I've never had such instant access over my entire library (including songs downloaded form iTunes, Puretracks, and other less legitimate sources). I just have to decide what to do with it all. Twenty-five gigs of music might merit the purchase of an iPod, not because I don't have a fabulous mp3 player already (8 Gig Creative Zen Microphoto), but because I use iTunes anyway, and I need something bigger so that I don't have to pick and choose. Apple did just release a cooler, cheaper 32-Gig iPod Touch - but it's still over $400. Maybe after Christmas...

042 - Buck 65 Concert, Photoshop Experiments

I like concerts. There's something about live music, being in front of the people who make said music, being surrounded by people who are equally (or more) into the music than you are... something about that whole process that makes the music exciting. In contrast, I don't really like live concerts on cd. There are a few exceptions (Great Big Sea's Road Rage, for example), but the music without the atmosphere is only half the experience. Recently, I saw Buck 65 at the Bronson Centre, with Skratch Bastid and Cadence Weapon. It was a good show despite the mediocre sound and audience-not-at-capacity. Even though the venue is seated (it's an ancient high school auditorium), I still found myself standing by the stage. My ears aren't particularly happy when that happens, but it's worth it.

It's even better when you get a few good shots. My battery life was limited (and died eventually), so I enjoyed the music rather than try to capture it. I wasn't particularly happy, but it was a good concert!

Michele accompanied me to the concert. A few days later, we had some work-related adventures including a trip to our offsite via OC Transpo and a trip to the mall's garbage and recycling facilities. I like adventures, even the ordinary, ordinarily boring ones.

On another note, I've decided that I should probably learn how to use Photoshop. I have such a powerful tool sitting on my computer, and the most I use it for is resizing pictures. Today,I experimented with smoothing out skin tones, leaning how to, as Nelly Furtado would put it, "Make it look whiter than it seems / Paint me over with your dreams." Not that I'm looking for a job over at Maxim or Cosmo or anything...

Before (click to enlarge)


After (click to enlarge)

Just don't show her, because I might get hit. Or worse.

036 - It's a faaaaaaake!

Photos: Hannah Montana mannequin, parking lot at night

What a day indeed! In one mail-checking session, I received money from the government, a notice of bankruptcy and a call for objections for the sale of Disney Store by Hoop Retail, and a letter from Japan. The latter has amazingly colourfully cute stationary! It feels as if it's a letter right out of Animal Crossing, sans exotic furniture present. Oh I really want some exotic furniture! I also reinflated my purple yoga ball thinking maybe I can sit on it when I play videogames in my room. I tried it out by playing some Beautiful Katamari. Man, that game is trippy! I don't know how to roll properly, so I don't end up with big Katamari balls, leaving the King of the Cosmos pretty bummed.

My room is also almost 100% tidy! I will take pictures when it's sunny. I'm out of room for DS games and cds. Uhoh!

Deep Space Nine's season six In the Pale Moonlight is probably the greatest hour (well, 44 minutes) of Star Trek. It's captivating storytelling. If anyone decides to ever make, or even pitch a new Trek series in the future, they absolutely have to watch and learn from DS9 because it has it all: drama, sci-fi, homages, relevance, comedy, consequences, villains with depth, multi-faceted main characters that grow, likable and useful satellite characters, romance (well, pretty good romance for sci-fi), even music moments. It's hard to believe that it ended almost ten years ago.

I think I need to get me some tarps, some lights, and an external flash for my camera... I'm starting to feel inspired to try new things with my photography. Also a blow torch and some peanut butter.

035 - Tetrachloromethanedoesn't extinguish the passion for poetry

The past five days of work have been crazy. And filled with... work, but still fun. Between the pancake plush, vanilla cake, pants-dropping poems, wonder weiners, garbage, coins, cameras, oranges, pineapple princesses, and yes, even Lion King 1/2... it'll be nice to take a couple of days to not work - and work on school work. Is it next week yet?

Other than that, I've bought games that I haven't (and won't, for a week anyway) play: Beautiful Katamari and Tomb Raider Anniversary - both of which I for a good deal on. My Spanish is improving, possibly. At least, I'm learning words. I guess sentences are the next hurdle.

Pictures: toppled public garbage, mall, vanilla cake wit Buzz and Woody.

Oh, and the Title goes out to Ricky P for a job well done.

031 - Beauty, Beast, and Mrs. Pot

Photos could be summed up with one phrase: Again with the eye pictures!

So I was thinking today about the words "once" and "ounce". They're so similar in appearance and lettering, but they sounds very different from one another. A linguist could probably tell you that the words are very dissimilar with the parts of the mouth and throat used to pronounce them, all because of one letter. Think of the difference U can make. It would be borderline remarkable if the English language didn't resemble what would result if you left a four-year old in a white room with a bucket of chocolate and a fresh set of Crayola markers. Or crayons.

Happy Easter!

I've managed to stuff all kinds of things into this long weekend: Smash Bros., babysitting, work, movies, and television shows. Some of these activities overlap. Weeds is a great show. I might dare to say fantastic. After watching the first season on a couple of sittings, I might have to buy it and the second season to add to my scifi-heavy tv-dvd collection. And third, and fourth apparently. And I've watched Pirates I, II, and III (minus the first hour for which I fell asleep). They don't wow and amaze me, but it is a fun ride while it lasts (the latter one lasts too long, i fear). My cousins are entertaining. And Smash Bros is grand.

Oh yes, and I've been watching Star Trek The Original Series Remastered Season One. I hadn't seen much of the original show, so the polished episodes and new, yet still retro effects are fun for me. Plus, it's a great way to examine just how television had changed in 40 years, everything from how people act to camera angles... I was telling my mom the other day how in the 50-minute episode The Enemy Within, Kirk's captain's log tell you right from the start what's happened - a doppleganger of sorts was created by a transporter accident, unbeknownst to anyone. If that were made today, that fact would be the big twist that you've been trying to figure out (or had figured out a good 25 minutes ago, depending on the writing and direction quality) that gets resolved in the last 5 minutes of the 42-minute episode. Huh.

The Children's Place announced recently (link) that as part of their effort to "strengthen" their "core business", they are exiting the Disney Store retail space. The Walt Disney Company might purchase back 2/3 of those stores. Interesting news indeed. I'm not yet sure what it means, but I'd love to work for a huge multimedia beast with it's hands in the gaming industry. And maybe I should dust off (well, figuratively. computer files don't really get dusty. Though maybe they should... maybe in MAC OS XI) my resume.

And I think maybe, if it's possible, I've had too many cupcakes today.

028 - Gay Sex? Here?

Being off school has made me more susceptible to staying up late. Fortunately all the full times-esque hours is keeping me in a relatively healthy check. I'm learning that working retail around Christmas is pretty brutal. Friday was massively busy, but I wasn't on the sales floor.

Not to mention keeping up with all the sales promotions!

Yes, this is a skimpy update. I'll make more soon, though.

Photos: Nightmare Before Christmas figurines, sunrise, icicles, bus station.

027 - Ho Ho Hold the payments!

School is done for yet another term! I celebrated this crowning achievement by cleaning my room. It was in dire need of a garbage bag and a bottle of Febreeze, or something to freshen things up. It's almost the way I like to keep it. I can't wait until we have little robots that know how you like your room and their task is to keep it tidy for you. And if it encounters something it doesn't know, it sends you a text message asking you what to do. Kinda reminds me of Wall-e to some extent.

Today, I used a fandangled piece of plastic to pay for things without money. I think young whippersnappers (wow, I love how my spell check knows what a whippersnapper is, but not fandangled) of today call a credit card. It doubles as a Student Price Card (Canadian retail discount card for students). At Yogen Früz, I saved 28 cents (10%) only to have to pay a 25-cent debit transaction fee. In a world of plastic, I need to learn to keep actual money on me. Actually, I find it interesting that the rate at which the government issues money is constant with the economy. People aren't necessarily using less coins and bills, even with things like credit and debit cards being so commonplace.

I bought my mom's Christmas present today. Shh, don't tell her. Funny thing is that she never uses the internet, let alone read my blog (and especially my livejournal), so I can post everything she's getting right here and she'd never know. Hahahaha.

Joseph Mallozzi also disappeared off the face off the Earth. I blame Replicators. Or rabbid Carson Beckett fans. Nah, Beckett fans wouldn't hurt a turtle... it's the Elizabeth Weir fans that did it. If only I had a secret cache of weapons that I could use to rescue him... Nah, I'll leave the hero work up to his pugs.

Chances are none of you understood that last paragraph. Except Cat.

Now I'm working a lot, which means I'll have some more money with which to do random things. Haven't thought that part through yet. Guests are so entertaining sometimes! There should be a blog for Disney Store stories. I'd definitely contribute. Unless it's against store policy. i don't see why it would be, but you never know. Maybe I'll read through that again sometime.

Pictures: Christmas present, cousin (forgive the compression, they aren't on flickr)

025 - Home Stretch, Snow Fall

Building Christmas


Shirley Temples


Fried Art


1408. Scary. OooOOoOO.


Long line of laptops.


Creative foot positioning


Guitar Hero is a game for "everyone"... but song on their slowest setting sound terrible.


The snow is falling!


A made a snowman in 2 minutes at Cat's suggestion.


The random snow-dirt on the bus reminds me of Santa's sleigh.


That is a sidewalk.


William Shatner is everywhere...


Pirates lamp. Expensive. Not for me.


Naturally, light bulb is not included.

Winter seems to be here. I was sceptical after the first bit of snow that we got, but since then, we've received a fair amount. Probably the same amount that we had by February last year. Then again, last year was a bit lacking in the whole frozen precipitation department. I just want the snow to be sticky enough to start sculpting!

School-wise, I'm in the home stretch. By this time next week, this first term of the new program will be behind me. To prepare for exams, I'm not working from Saturday through Tuesday, but I'm picking up those lost hours throughout the rest of next week. Talk about busy! As friends slowly flock back from various areas, I hope to have some fun.

Until then, I have things to finish. Still. I just thought I would update with some pictures. I have no idea where I found time to upload the pictures. But hey, don't complain!

024 - Snow on roads, snow in globes

I'm a year older, according to the tradition of stating one's age based on the whole number of years one has been alive. What happened to being "six and a half!" Somehow, that sounds really odd when you're become a twentysomething. Or does it also sound odd as a teen? "I'm 15 and a half!"... Maybe it works if you're looking for a job, otherwise, it's not as impressive.

I've also had next to no time to do anything! School, work, sleep, with the occasional meal take up the bulk of my time. It recently dawned on me that there's only a week left of school before exams, and two weeks before I'm finished for the term. Scary. This new program that I'm in seems to focus more on assignments and getting things done throughout the week, something that has thrown me off. I'm so used to the bulk of the marks going to midterms, finals, and lab work. Not so this time around. Because of this, I don't know how I'm going to fare when it comes to overall marks. We'll see!

I have so little time that I'm barely 40 stars into Super Mario Galaxy. Galaxy is such a fun game; it's the perfect blend of old nostalgia love and newness. The music is completely awesome. The levels are very interesting - smaller, but the whole game is made up of dozens and dozens of different ones. And Mario skates and axles in a way that's sure to make Elvis Stojko jealous. This game continues to surprise and amaze me.

Winter has arrived early! For the past few years, we've been lucky to get snow by Christmas, however there's already been a few decent snow days so far, and no real sign that it won't stay. Does that mean we're in for a long winter? I just want to make a snowman. Maybe I'll try making a wintery - albino Pikachu.

Last Friday was a big sale day at work. Being an American company, we celebrate black Friday, the biggest shopping day of the year. It was busy and packed in the store all day. It was so much fun, in the sense that you get to see all kinds of people taking advantage or slashed prices, but it was so busy that you don't get much time to talk to anyone, let alone sell them Ratatouille banks for only $1.99. In contrast, when I was at work on Tuesday, there weren't many people in the store at all. I had time to test out these cam-mounted RC cars (well, one is actually Cars, one is actually Cinderella's carriage) by driving them outside the store, into the food court. If only I could use time like that to do random assignments.

Pictures: Halloween at the chiropractor, snow, snow and dome, smiling newlywed, giant pooh, Ben and the Giant pooh, Mickey snowglobe.

023 - Philosophy Builds Confidence

Photos: Waiting at a bus stop for a bus that never came, pocket devices, usb, vie morte, renewing health card, downtown Ottawa, philosophy builds confidence.

Where does time go? The year is almost over, the month is almost over, the day is winding down, and I can't say that I've had any time to do that which I need: school assignments, mostly. What I want? I want to watch the Heroes episode that I missed, I want to play DDR and Super Metroid and Metroid Prime 3. Instead, my gaming is relegated to portable bliss in 10-minute intervals. Guess I can't complain because the new Phoenix Wright is... well, like the previous two. And I love it. Zelda Phantom Hourglass was a mixed bag for me. Loved the controls, not so much the lack of game. Maybe it was just too short.

On the plus side, I did work more than was expected over the past few days. It's a fun time to be doing shipment because we are still getting in all the new stuff for the holidays. I must have moved 300 snow globes easy. Why? Come spend $75 at Disney Store and find out... And I love kids. As you can imagine all kinds of kids end up at the Disney Store.

However, the best encounter this past week took place at another store. This little girl was walking all funny in an aisle that I had just entered, and she half walked into me, half pushed me. Her mom told her to watch where she was going and whatnot, when the girl said, "hey you!" I responded with an enthusiastic, "hi!" She began a conversation. So I conversed. We talked about Halloween mostly, and how she's going to be a pumpkin. Cutest kid ever.

Oh, and I spent 10 minutes trying to sing Barenaked Ladies' Another Postcard karaoke-style. It's not easy.

021 - A Month in a post

Christmas displays at the beginning of September


I'm on a bus that was so late that the next bus was right behind us. And that guy thought I was taking his picture.


It's a little known scientific fact that the sun can push the clouds away.


My cousin footballing.


A bunch of kids footballing.


The dark side of the mall.


Who is Mang?


I buy Dasani Lemon water every time I work.


THE UGLY DOME! It looks half decent in this shot, though.


A vending machine that doesn't believe in junk food.


Squirt and me.


Military style! I'm sooo into The Jungle Book right now.


Miracle photo, perhaps? It's just a plain reflection off a window!


Out with work friends, bowling.


Bowling crazy!


Then some of us went to play pool.


Pool partners.

This past weekend, I went out with some coworkers for a night of bowling and pool. It took me so long to get to bowling (missing a bus, missing a stop, being at the wrong stop, etc) that I didn't get to bowl much. A few people let me take a frame here and there. By the time I got there, they were in the second game, where everyone was bowling backwards, bouncing off the bumper rails. I go up to the line, turn around, and bounce the ball hard against the rail. Bounce, Bounce, Bounce, STRIKE! Everyone, myself included, was a little amazed by that action. I got up again a bit later. Bounce, Bounce, Bounce, STRIKE! I'm better bowling backwards than I am bowling normally!

I can't remember how pool went just because we often switched partners and whatnot, but it was crazy fun. And that once, I sunk the 8-ball too early.

018 - How far could a Klingon hit a golf ball?

I am famous. The following photo that I took a year ago has made its way to the Cheap Eats Ottawa blog:

You can even see Sebastian's shirt to the far right! It isn't the first time that a picture of mine has been used here and there, but aside from a time when I had stuff up on the Capital Music Hall's website (which apparently has changed how its photos are displayed), this is the most prominent display ever.

Thursdays are proving to be long days for me, including early morning class, afternoon class, and work in the evening. Today being Thursday means that my day will be super long. All summer, I would stay up so late - at times until the sky would brighten; the combination of school and work has pushed my internal clock back into the Eastern Standard timezone. It's unbelievable to people who know me when I mention that I'm in bed sometimes while still in the 10th hour of the evening.

I can rest assured that by next week, once I get a heavier homework and whatnot, I'm going to have very little, if any spare time. Maple Story might suffer the most since I'm 700 zombie mushroom kills away from attaining level 30, which is possibly where the game gets more exciting. Given the chance to earn imaginary mesos versus Canadian dollars (which is quite close with the American dollar. Why aren't videogame prices dropping? Super Mario Galaxy should be $49.99!), I would do with the latter.

One of the things I was looking to achieve for this term was to feel more focused. I think I'm definitely on track to achieve this. Especially when I have side projects with Prashanta's father.

Speaking of which, he had me make a couple of posters for upcoming conferences that the Canada Forum for Nepal will be hosting. I'll put them here because I realise I don't do that often enough.

The first one was based heavily on the one that someone else created last year. It just have more colour and has a cleaner look about it.

The second poster is for the broader conference that's going on. It was originally designed as a teaser poster, given that no information about the conference (ie speakers) had been determined, but I stuck with it.

This is the design that I originally wanted. The flat and bold colours and font choice gave a bit of a classic poster style. The background used to be brighter and more off-red, but it had to be changed to bring out more contrast.

Apparently, the powers that be didn't like the red, citing that it was too representative of a revolution, despite the fact that red is a dominant colour in the Nepal flag. In order to please, a blue version came about. The colour didn't match well with the original direction that I wanted, so I went ahead and changed up the background, making it a bit more interesting with a graded effect, and extruded blocks.

Lastly, a gray scale version was made fro printing reasons, though I still need to work on a higher-res version so that the print versions look reasonably nice. After all that, I think this version has some class to it. I need to think about using black and white more often.

Feel free to check out either of these events when they happen!

014 - Claire Bennet should be the newest Disney Princess

My lack of updates lately have less to do with a lack of excitement than it does me avoiding my computer for anything other than basic email. My computer has to die. It's already dead. I'm typing on an undead laptop, running Windows Zombie. There might be a silver bullet labelled "reformat" in it's future... or would that be more of a "bring me to life" pill, akin to Viagra? Do silver bullets even stop zombies, or is that more of a werewolf kinda thing? Either way, my computer has to be fixed soon, or I'll become even more crazy.

In fact, there's been much excitement on my end since my last update. So much so that I can't put too many things on at once, your browser might explode. Like mine does! First things first, I started working part-time at the Disney Store (note the lower-case "the"; it isn't "The Disney Store," it's "Disney Store"). Someone, after a summer of joblessness, has hired me just as the fall swing of things start up. But so far, I'm really enjoying it. The store itself is really busy, and has all kinds of Disney goodness, but I'm picking it all up really quickly (I now know all my Disney Princesses). SO yeah, it's busy and a lot of work, but pretty fun. You hear horrors in retail, but this seems to be pretty horror-free. Though there was the one time i set off an alarm by opening the emergency door in the back. Haha. Oops.

I'll keep it through the fall and do the whole job and school thing that I've been avoiding forever and ever. And if I survive the Christmas shopping season, then I can handle anything. Maybe. Just don't cut my arm or anything... that would hurt. I'm not a cheerleader or anything...

Which of course brings me to my newest DVD acquisition: Heroes season 1. Sooooo good. Rewatching the earlier episodes is a bit of a treat since you get to notice all the little things you missed the first time around. And by you, I mean me. I'm disappointed in the episode commentaries and the cheesy mind reader game, but the deleted scenes are a treat. I really can't wait until season 2.

That is all for now because I have to go.