OK, so I've seen the film that made all those best of '07 lists: No country for old men.
It was good, although I'm not completely happy with the ending. That is, it seems there's a loose end or two that could have been tied up. I'm just asking for a little more resolution, Mr. Coen & Coen.
Interesting to see Tommy Lee Jones not playing the bad/kickass character. But, boy, there sure is a badass character in this film. Whoo-eee. The guy who was putting that other guy through the wood chipper at the end of Fargo don't got nuthin' on the badass in this flick. Nuthin', I say, nuthin'.
Not a flick for the feint of heart.
December 29, 2007
December 28, 2007
The best films of the year
Well, it's almost the end of the calendar year, so people are putting out lists trying to tell you what the best of 2007 was for films, books, political protests, toy recalls, or whatever. I've looked at four lists of films, and it's interesting how little overlap there is between them.
The lists are: Alison Gilmour's in the Winnipeg Free Press, The Globe and Mail's, The National Post's (which tries to make it a best 11, rather than 10, but 11 is just a bunch of runners up of what isn't in the top 10), and the JAM list from Canoe's website (i.e., the Sun chain of newspapers).
Only one film is on all of them: No country for old men. There are two films that appear on three of the lists: Juno and Away from Her (Gilmour didn't include either of those; perhaps Juno was excluded from her list as it's only now opening in Winnipeg).
Only five others are on two of these lists: Ratatouille, Knocked Up, Once, Zodiac, and Eastern Promises.
Thus, of the 40 films on these lists (41 really as Gilmour puts Knocked Up and Superbad as one item on her list), only 8 are duplicates. That's quite a divergence of opinion. But then how many films come out in a year?
There's, say, at least 3 major releases each week, and more than that if all films are included. Thus, if we take it to be 5 films a week, then we're talking over 250 films a year, of which 10 are being selected for the "best of" list. So maybe it's not so surprising to see little convergence in the lists, especially when one considers that there's likely a desire to be at least a little different from others/standard opinion when creating the list. Thus, in a situation where there's a choice between two films, the more idiosyncratic choice may be chosen more often than not.
Of all the films on the lists, I've only seen one of them: Michael Clayton, which I quite liked (it was on the JAM/Canoe list). It was suspenseful; you always had the feeling that something was just about to happen, and sometimes it did, and sometimes it didn't. And it ended well.
I did see some films this year - like The Bourne Ultimatum, but apparently few - well, one - of the Best of 2007. C'est la vie.
The lists are: Alison Gilmour's in the Winnipeg Free Press, The Globe and Mail's, The National Post's (which tries to make it a best 11, rather than 10, but 11 is just a bunch of runners up of what isn't in the top 10), and the JAM list from Canoe's website (i.e., the Sun chain of newspapers).
Only one film is on all of them: No country for old men. There are two films that appear on three of the lists: Juno and Away from Her (Gilmour didn't include either of those; perhaps Juno was excluded from her list as it's only now opening in Winnipeg).
Only five others are on two of these lists: Ratatouille, Knocked Up, Once, Zodiac, and Eastern Promises.
Thus, of the 40 films on these lists (41 really as Gilmour puts Knocked Up and Superbad as one item on her list), only 8 are duplicates. That's quite a divergence of opinion. But then how many films come out in a year?
There's, say, at least 3 major releases each week, and more than that if all films are included. Thus, if we take it to be 5 films a week, then we're talking over 250 films a year, of which 10 are being selected for the "best of" list. So maybe it's not so surprising to see little convergence in the lists, especially when one considers that there's likely a desire to be at least a little different from others/standard opinion when creating the list. Thus, in a situation where there's a choice between two films, the more idiosyncratic choice may be chosen more often than not.
Of all the films on the lists, I've only seen one of them: Michael Clayton, which I quite liked (it was on the JAM/Canoe list). It was suspenseful; you always had the feeling that something was just about to happen, and sometimes it did, and sometimes it didn't. And it ended well.
I did see some films this year - like The Bourne Ultimatum, but apparently few - well, one - of the Best of 2007. C'est la vie.
December 26, 2007
Holidays
Stuck close to home the last couple of days. Was over next door for drinks on Xmas eve, and then went across the street for Xmas dinner last night.
It was all good, but maybe the highlight was playing pool last night across the street. I played really well. Had a run of seven balls in the middle of one snooker game, and sunk 4 or 5 in a row to end off another snooker game.
During that latter run, there was a shot that I had to reach way down the table for. One of the other players asked if I needed the reach, and I said "no," making the shot right afterwards.
Being able to reach way down the table and make a shot is one of the interesting by-product skills of pool that I've noticed get better over time. You see people who haven't played a lot of pool try those kinda shots, and they're so shaky on them that they can barely hit the ball, let alone sink it.
Yet, as you continue to try those shots, you find that you progressively get better. Becoming a bit calmer despite being all stretched out. Able to hold it all together, if only for the couple of seconds needed to make the shot.
It's those little improvements that make games/sports so fun.
It was all good, but maybe the highlight was playing pool last night across the street. I played really well. Had a run of seven balls in the middle of one snooker game, and sunk 4 or 5 in a row to end off another snooker game.
During that latter run, there was a shot that I had to reach way down the table for. One of the other players asked if I needed the reach, and I said "no," making the shot right afterwards.
Being able to reach way down the table and make a shot is one of the interesting by-product skills of pool that I've noticed get better over time. You see people who haven't played a lot of pool try those kinda shots, and they're so shaky on them that they can barely hit the ball, let alone sink it.
Yet, as you continue to try those shots, you find that you progressively get better. Becoming a bit calmer despite being all stretched out. Able to hold it all together, if only for the couple of seconds needed to make the shot.
It's those little improvements that make games/sports so fun.
December 23, 2007
Oww! - Update
Just in from shoveling a bit of snow, a couple of cms fell overnight. And my shoulder/back feels fine. There's almost no pain in any movement.
I'm happy, but could someone explain this to me?
I'm happy, but could someone explain this to me?
Oww!
My right shoulder is killing me. Well, it's not the shoulder, really. It's in my back on the right. The stupid cause of it - I think - is reading in bed.
It began on Tuesday morning, and Monday night I'd read in bed for about an hour, during which I mostly supported my weight on my right arm. I think that led to the knot that's in my back right/neck area. And does it produce some sharp pains! Ouch!
Now, I've had this sort of thing before, and normally it goes away in a day or so. But not this time. It did seem to be getting better on Wednesday and Thursday, but then seemed worse on Friday.
Friday morning, I go to my chiropractor for my normal appointment, and he does a few things. And it seems worse in the afternoon. So, I book a massage, and that helps. For a while. But in the evening it comes back about as bad.
On Saturday, I'm still hurting. But I know I need to get out and get a few things before Christmas comes. And it's snowed a few inches, so I need to shovel before getting out.
The shoveling doesn't hurt, actually, so I get that all done and go out to get a few things. When I get home I'm feeling better than I'd felt in days, which is strange - but good. I don't know if it was getting the muscles warm from the exercise of shoveling that did it, or what.
It's now Sunday morning, and again it's painful. Not as painful as previously, but the same pains are there. It hurts when I'm getting up, turning my head to the right and moving it forward/down.
Hopefully, this too will pass.
It began on Tuesday morning, and Monday night I'd read in bed for about an hour, during which I mostly supported my weight on my right arm. I think that led to the knot that's in my back right/neck area. And does it produce some sharp pains! Ouch!
Now, I've had this sort of thing before, and normally it goes away in a day or so. But not this time. It did seem to be getting better on Wednesday and Thursday, but then seemed worse on Friday.
Friday morning, I go to my chiropractor for my normal appointment, and he does a few things. And it seems worse in the afternoon. So, I book a massage, and that helps. For a while. But in the evening it comes back about as bad.
On Saturday, I'm still hurting. But I know I need to get out and get a few things before Christmas comes. And it's snowed a few inches, so I need to shovel before getting out.
The shoveling doesn't hurt, actually, so I get that all done and go out to get a few things. When I get home I'm feeling better than I'd felt in days, which is strange - but good. I don't know if it was getting the muscles warm from the exercise of shoveling that did it, or what.
It's now Sunday morning, and again it's painful. Not as painful as previously, but the same pains are there. It hurts when I'm getting up, turning my head to the right and moving it forward/down.
Hopefully, this too will pass.
December 21, 2007
Appropriation Art
I heard the bit on appropriation art today on Q, and I'm confused. This bit focussed on a current exhibit at the Guggenheim on Richard Prince's work, which Jim Krantz claims is too much like his work. Jian Ghomeshi talked to Krantz and as well as an art professor about this issue.
Ghomeshi asked the art professor if he were to go into a gallery today photograph a few things and present them as his own - as appropriation artists have done through the years, would that be art. She replied no, it wouldn't, and seemed to offer a "been there, done that" rationale for why not.
But isn't art supposed to about creating something that's timeless? If it could be art 100 years ago (or 30 or so to go back to the beginning of Richard Prince's career), it should still be art now. That is, a "been there, done that" argument should not be relevant to the evaluation of something as art.
Following this reasoning, either going out and photographing art in a gallery (i.e., engaging in the rephotographing process) this weekend is art now just as Richard Prince's work has been over the last 30 years, or it's not. I don't think there's a defensible middle ground here. And on that basis, it seems that appropriation artists are more akin to copycats than they are to creators.
It's not that we can't look on objects/images produced with non-artistic intentions (or at least not entirely artistic intentions) as art. We can, and certainly there are objects/images that have great artistic value. I can think of some recent exhibits at the Winnipeg Art Gallery that fall into this category, where in one case images from old Eaton's catalogues and the related (non-catalogue) work of those who produced the catalogues were displayed and another case where commercial glassware was displayed.
In both instances - the catalogue images and the glassware - items were produced for non-artistic reasons. Yet I'm willing to call the products art.
I also think I have to disagree that truth isn't an issue here. If I see one of the images that Mr. Krantz originally photographed and Mr. Prince has rephotographed, how am I to know whose work it is? And given that the image seems to have been created twice, is there a definitive answer to that question? Isn't that an important question? I think it is, but that the rephotographing makes any answer ambiguous.
And that's not good.
Ghomeshi asked the art professor if he were to go into a gallery today photograph a few things and present them as his own - as appropriation artists have done through the years, would that be art. She replied no, it wouldn't, and seemed to offer a "been there, done that" rationale for why not.
But isn't art supposed to about creating something that's timeless? If it could be art 100 years ago (or 30 or so to go back to the beginning of Richard Prince's career), it should still be art now. That is, a "been there, done that" argument should not be relevant to the evaluation of something as art.
Following this reasoning, either going out and photographing art in a gallery (i.e., engaging in the rephotographing process) this weekend is art now just as Richard Prince's work has been over the last 30 years, or it's not. I don't think there's a defensible middle ground here. And on that basis, it seems that appropriation artists are more akin to copycats than they are to creators.
It's not that we can't look on objects/images produced with non-artistic intentions (or at least not entirely artistic intentions) as art. We can, and certainly there are objects/images that have great artistic value. I can think of some recent exhibits at the Winnipeg Art Gallery that fall into this category, where in one case images from old Eaton's catalogues and the related (non-catalogue) work of those who produced the catalogues were displayed and another case where commercial glassware was displayed.
In both instances - the catalogue images and the glassware - items were produced for non-artistic reasons. Yet I'm willing to call the products art.
I also think I have to disagree that truth isn't an issue here. If I see one of the images that Mr. Krantz originally photographed and Mr. Prince has rephotographed, how am I to know whose work it is? And given that the image seems to have been created twice, is there a definitive answer to that question? Isn't that an important question? I think it is, but that the rephotographing makes any answer ambiguous.
And that's not good.
December 18, 2007
Music Notes on Paste Sampler 38
I've been digging Paste magazine since I first picked it up a couple of years back. It's from Georgia, and comes with a sampler CD. Generally, I like the selection of songs on the CDs, and this month's collection is a good one. Let me give you an idea of what's on it.
It opens with 100 Days, 100 Nights by Sharon Jones and The Dap Kings, and that has a soaring vocal, almost gospel like. The sort of thing you might expect to hear from Shirley Bassey.
Track two is by Londoner Kate Nash. Foundations is a song about a bad relationship done in a sing/speak style that is very charming with Nash's British accent and good pop music. I'd like to hear more of her.
Third up is Homer Hiccolm and The Rocketboys with Do I Wake or Sleep? It's a song where the tempo varies: it starts strong and then slows down for the first verses, and speeds up again for the chorus. Repeat as necessary.
The fourth track is I'll Follow You Tonight, which is a quiet song riding on the strong voice of Anna Ternheim.
Milton & The Devils Party's Have to Have Everything is an uptempo pop song that I quite like. It reminds me of the kind of college rock I heard on WPGU in Chambana back in the late 80s and early 90s. You know, a guitar band with melodic vocals. Who doesn't like that?
On track six, The Opposite of Hallelujah, Jens Lekman has a very airy vocal - like Morrisey perhaps? But it's a musically happy song despite have a negative sounding - yet so true, chorus of "You don't know what I'm going through."
Die Alone by Ingrid Michaelson is track 7. It starts quietly and then soars off. It's a good song about the fear that you might die alone, and I can relate to that.
Is that a banjo that I hear on the beginning of track 8: Front Row at The Fashion Show by Jonathan Rundman? This is a nice narrative number about, well, being in the front row of a fashion show. It's a slow song, but the lyrics are strong, so it works for me. I'd be happy to hear more of Rundman.
Mother Sun Star by Mar is track 9, and it's another slow, soaring song that's fine in its own way.
Track 10 is a great uptempo number that was the sort of thing that I wanted to hear from Me'Shell Ndegocello when I saw her in Paris a few years back. But she didn't play things like The Sloganeer: Paradise, which is too bad, 'cause this is great.
Track 11 is by Liam Finn, who is the son of Neil Finn (Crowded House). Second Chance is a poppy number that's fine, but not really weighty enough for me.
The Cornflakes Song is track 12, and it rides the vocal of singer/songwriter Dick Prall.
The Sadies' The Trial is next up for track 13. It's a nice song with a rolling country feel.
It sounds like there's more banjo kicking off Days by She Is So Beautiful / She Is So Blonde, which is track 14. But this song doesn't make a big impression with me.
Track 15 is more to my liking. It's I Call On You by The Trolleyvox, who use a guitars and a nice female vocal to propel this uptempo pop/rock number.
To me Wedding Crows by The Josh Davis Band on Track 16 has a Nickelback-ish feel to it; not that there's anything wrong with that. Well, OK, maybe there is. I make this analogy, because the singing is sometimes that forced soaring kind of vocal that NB would use. Also, there is a quiet/loud repeat as necessary structure to this song.
The second Canadian artist (The Sadies were the first) on this sampler appears at track 17: Serena Ryder with Brand New Love. I'm not quite digging this number, which is a slow one with acoustic guitar, after a few listens. So it goes.
The sampler ends with three Christmas songs, as it's that time of year. There's Love Came Down at Christmas by Jars of Clay and Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas done well by Bebo Norman. But the strongest track is It really Is (A Wonderful Life) by Mindy Smith.
What a great voice Smith has! The track on the sampler is from a Christmas album (entitled My Holiday) she's put out that Paste rates as 4 stars. Not having many (any?) Christmas records, I'm thinking hers would be a good one to pick up for this, or any, holiday season.
Of course, you really need to go out and pick up the current issue of Paste and have a listen to all these songs for yourself.
Let me know if you do.
It opens with 100 Days, 100 Nights by Sharon Jones and The Dap Kings, and that has a soaring vocal, almost gospel like. The sort of thing you might expect to hear from Shirley Bassey.
Track two is by Londoner Kate Nash. Foundations is a song about a bad relationship done in a sing/speak style that is very charming with Nash's British accent and good pop music. I'd like to hear more of her.
Third up is Homer Hiccolm and The Rocketboys with Do I Wake or Sleep? It's a song where the tempo varies: it starts strong and then slows down for the first verses, and speeds up again for the chorus. Repeat as necessary.
The fourth track is I'll Follow You Tonight, which is a quiet song riding on the strong voice of Anna Ternheim.
Milton & The Devils Party's Have to Have Everything is an uptempo pop song that I quite like. It reminds me of the kind of college rock I heard on WPGU in Chambana back in the late 80s and early 90s. You know, a guitar band with melodic vocals. Who doesn't like that?
On track six, The Opposite of Hallelujah, Jens Lekman has a very airy vocal - like Morrisey perhaps? But it's a musically happy song despite have a negative sounding - yet so true, chorus of "You don't know what I'm going through."
Die Alone by Ingrid Michaelson is track 7. It starts quietly and then soars off. It's a good song about the fear that you might die alone, and I can relate to that.
Is that a banjo that I hear on the beginning of track 8: Front Row at The Fashion Show by Jonathan Rundman? This is a nice narrative number about, well, being in the front row of a fashion show. It's a slow song, but the lyrics are strong, so it works for me. I'd be happy to hear more of Rundman.
Mother Sun Star by Mar is track 9, and it's another slow, soaring song that's fine in its own way.
Track 10 is a great uptempo number that was the sort of thing that I wanted to hear from Me'Shell Ndegocello when I saw her in Paris a few years back. But she didn't play things like The Sloganeer: Paradise, which is too bad, 'cause this is great.
Track 11 is by Liam Finn, who is the son of Neil Finn (Crowded House). Second Chance is a poppy number that's fine, but not really weighty enough for me.
The Cornflakes Song is track 12, and it rides the vocal of singer/songwriter Dick Prall.
The Sadies' The Trial is next up for track 13. It's a nice song with a rolling country feel.
It sounds like there's more banjo kicking off Days by She Is So Beautiful / She Is So Blonde, which is track 14. But this song doesn't make a big impression with me.
Track 15 is more to my liking. It's I Call On You by The Trolleyvox, who use a guitars and a nice female vocal to propel this uptempo pop/rock number.
To me Wedding Crows by The Josh Davis Band on Track 16 has a Nickelback-ish feel to it; not that there's anything wrong with that. Well, OK, maybe there is. I make this analogy, because the singing is sometimes that forced soaring kind of vocal that NB would use. Also, there is a quiet/loud repeat as necessary structure to this song.
The second Canadian artist (The Sadies were the first) on this sampler appears at track 17: Serena Ryder with Brand New Love. I'm not quite digging this number, which is a slow one with acoustic guitar, after a few listens. So it goes.
The sampler ends with three Christmas songs, as it's that time of year. There's Love Came Down at Christmas by Jars of Clay and Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas done well by Bebo Norman. But the strongest track is It really Is (A Wonderful Life) by Mindy Smith.
What a great voice Smith has! The track on the sampler is from a Christmas album (entitled My Holiday) she's put out that Paste rates as 4 stars. Not having many (any?) Christmas records, I'm thinking hers would be a good one to pick up for this, or any, holiday season.
Of course, you really need to go out and pick up the current issue of Paste and have a listen to all these songs for yourself.
Let me know if you do.
December 14, 2007
Living up to the reputation
I've just finished The Soccer War by Ryszard Kapuscinski, a Polish journalist who died recently. He was a foreign correspondent for the Polish news agency from the late 1950s to 1980.
I'd heard great things about him from talk about his most recent book, Travels with Herodotus which might have come out posthumously - or at least posthumously in English. People were saying Kapuscinski was the best journalist author ever, which is high praise, and these were CBC types who don't throw around the superlatives lightly.
But after reading The Soccer Wars - indeed, while reading it, I can see why Kapuscinski is so well regarded. This is a book mainly focussing on Kapuscinski's time in Africa from the late 50s to the mid 70s, but there is some discussion of central America from which the book's title comes.
There are several interesting insights. Here's a cute story, not so much an insight, but as it's winter and I'm Canadian, I'm putting this in:
(Kapuscinski did manage to convince a UN official to help them, but only with a 'you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours' argument)
This was an excellent book, and I'm going to read his others.
I'd heard great things about him from talk about his most recent book, Travels with Herodotus which might have come out posthumously - or at least posthumously in English. People were saying Kapuscinski was the best journalist author ever, which is high praise, and these were CBC types who don't throw around the superlatives lightly.
But after reading The Soccer Wars - indeed, while reading it, I can see why Kapuscinski is so well regarded. This is a book mainly focussing on Kapuscinski's time in Africa from the late 50s to the mid 70s, but there is some discussion of central America from which the book's title comes.
There are several interesting insights. Here's a cute story, not so much an insight, but as it's winter and I'm Canadian, I'm putting this in:
'They have snow there,' Kwesi said. Kwesi worked in town. Once, at the cinema, there was a movie with snow. The children applauded and cried merrily, 'Anko! Anko!' asking to see the snow again. The white puffs fell and fell. Those are lucky countries, Kwesi said. They do not need to grow cotton; the cotton falls from the sky. They call it snow and walk on it and even throw it into the river.One apt insight Kapuscinski states regards United Nations personnel. He suggests they are pretentious, as they have a global perspective and as such look down on all local affairs. This is mentioned in the context of Kapuscinski trying to get out of Congo when his life - and the lives of a couple of Czechoslovakian journalists - were at risk. The UN officials weren't too interested in helping Kapuscinski, as they didn't want to take sides in the local affairs, even if doing so might save the lives of innocent lives. Sound familiar?
(Kapuscinski did manage to convince a UN official to help them, but only with a 'you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours' argument)
This was an excellent book, and I'm going to read his others.
December 13, 2007
Premier League victory!
I beat Michael Mclean yesterday in our Premier League competition, which helped my team win the money this week. We play in teams of 4 with each week's winners getting $10 each. It's our second team win in a row.
This was a cross over week, with the 1 seeds playing the 2s and vice versa (similar for the 3s and 4s). Mike's a 1 and I'm a 2, so I got a 3 point spot in the first game. With my captain Jen's advice, I tried drive serving as I had on the weekend down in Grand Forks.
It worked well, as I built a big lead - 10-0, and although Mike got several points, I held on to win that game - 15-9, I think. That meant I didn't get the 3 point spot in game two. And my serving wasn't quite as good in that game. We were still close, but Mike won 15-10, to force a tie-breaker.
Before the tie-breaker, Jen suggested sticking with a drive Z and occasional drive to the right for serves, as my drive serve to the left was coming off the side wall and Mike was killing it every time. The plan worked, and I got to match point at 10-7.
At that point, I'd served once for the match, and didn't close it. So, on the second attempt, I hit a drive serve left, and it hit the crack for an ace serve to close it out. Woo hoo!
This was a cross over week, with the 1 seeds playing the 2s and vice versa (similar for the 3s and 4s). Mike's a 1 and I'm a 2, so I got a 3 point spot in the first game. With my captain Jen's advice, I tried drive serving as I had on the weekend down in Grand Forks.
It worked well, as I built a big lead - 10-0, and although Mike got several points, I held on to win that game - 15-9, I think. That meant I didn't get the 3 point spot in game two. And my serving wasn't quite as good in that game. We were still close, but Mike won 15-10, to force a tie-breaker.
Before the tie-breaker, Jen suggested sticking with a drive Z and occasional drive to the right for serves, as my drive serve to the left was coming off the side wall and Mike was killing it every time. The plan worked, and I got to match point at 10-7.
At that point, I'd served once for the match, and didn't close it. So, on the second attempt, I hit a drive serve left, and it hit the crack for an ace serve to close it out. Woo hoo!
December 11, 2007
A breath of fresh air
We had a new kid at our junior racquetball lessons today. Harrison's his name, and what a breath of fresh air he is.
I've been helping coach these kids for the past few months, and I've gotten to the point where I've realized that things would be so much better - no, no, SO MUCH better - if the kids were either paying attention to what we were saying to them or seemed interested in being there.
I'm not asking for both, you understand. Not being greedy here. But trying to work with kids who aren't paying attention to you and don't seem motivated for being there can be frustrating.
Harrison both wants to be there and pays attention to what you're saying. What a joy! And it looks like he has some skills to boot. He's hitting the ball OK right from the start. Blow me over with a feather.
He's coming back next week for our last class before Christmas break, and I'm thinking that if he attends lessons after Christmas, he'll be better than the kids who have been here for the last couple of years by the time spring comes around.
I couldn't be happier.
I've been helping coach these kids for the past few months, and I've gotten to the point where I've realized that things would be so much better - no, no, SO MUCH better - if the kids were either paying attention to what we were saying to them or seemed interested in being there.
I'm not asking for both, you understand. Not being greedy here. But trying to work with kids who aren't paying attention to you and don't seem motivated for being there can be frustrating.
Harrison both wants to be there and pays attention to what you're saying. What a joy! And it looks like he has some skills to boot. He's hitting the ball OK right from the start. Blow me over with a feather.
He's coming back next week for our last class before Christmas break, and I'm thinking that if he attends lessons after Christmas, he'll be better than the kids who have been here for the last couple of years by the time spring comes around.
I couldn't be happier.
December 9, 2007
Champion! Finally!
I won Men's A at this year's Happy Joe's racquetball tournament down in Grand Forks. I'd entered A about 5 or so times previously without winning, but came through this year.
I played well in my matches, especially serving. In the final, I hit a drive Z serve to the left on the first serve of the match, and my opponent, Dan Rohrbach, blew it up - skipped the ball big time. So, I thought let's try that again. It was effective, and the only serve I hit in game one, except for one drive to the right side.
I also played in 35+, where I lost in the semi-finals to Bill Webb. I wasn't drive serving that well in the first game of that match, so in game two I switched to doing a lob serve to the left (Webb's backhand), which worked well. However, in the tie-breaker I didn't make any shots at all, and the couple or so times I got to serve my Webb hit the lob serve out of the air to get the rally going. I lost that one 11-0. Ouch.
But I'm happy with the Men's A title.
I played well in my matches, especially serving. In the final, I hit a drive Z serve to the left on the first serve of the match, and my opponent, Dan Rohrbach, blew it up - skipped the ball big time. So, I thought let's try that again. It was effective, and the only serve I hit in game one, except for one drive to the right side.
I also played in 35+, where I lost in the semi-finals to Bill Webb. I wasn't drive serving that well in the first game of that match, so in game two I switched to doing a lob serve to the left (Webb's backhand), which worked well. However, in the tie-breaker I didn't make any shots at all, and the couple or so times I got to serve my Webb hit the lob serve out of the air to get the rally going. I lost that one 11-0. Ouch.
But I'm happy with the Men's A title.
November 30, 2007
One of those clubs you want to belong to
Just finished the much feted memoir The Film Club by David Gilmour. It's good, though not quite the SHAZAM! kind of book that it seemed some were claiming.
Story is that Gilmour pulls, no pardon, allows his son to drop out of school at age 16 on the conditions that he doesn't get involved in drugs and watches three movies a week with him.
Gilmour describes the three-ish years that the club continues for: what movies are watched and why, and what is going on in his son's life and his own.
It's well written, and interesting in that neither Gilmour or son have the kind of life that I've had. It's always curious to hear of how others are shuffling along this mortal coil.
Perhaps you need a sampling of the movies that were watched at The [Gilmour] Film Club. They include American Graffiti, Annie Hall, The Bicycle Thief, Breakfast at Tiffany's, Bullitt, Chungking Express, Crimes and Misdemeanors, Dirty Harry, Duel, The Exorcist, The 400 Blows, The Friends of Eddie Coyle, The Godfather, Get Shorty, High Noon, A Hard Day's Night, Ishtar, The Last Detail, The Late Show, Mean Streets, Murmur of the Heart, On the Waterfront, Psycho, The Shining, Showgirls, To Have and Have Not, True Romance, and Volcano: An Inquiry into the Life and Death of Malcolm Lowery, among many others.
November 28, 2007
Speechless, The Prize
Watched Speechless, the romantic comedy starring Michael Keaton and Geena Davis as two political speech writers who hook up during a campaign - initially not knowing that they are working for the opposite sides.
It's pretty good, for a romantic comedy. I saw it when it came out, which was about 1990, but hadn't seen it since.
It might be Christopher Reeves last walking role, as he plays Davis's one time fiancee who's a hot shot foreign correspondent come to win her back.
Also watched The Prize, which is a Paul Newman movie, in which he plays the Nobel Prize for literature winner. It's set in Stockholm with the plot line that the Soviets want to kidnap one of the other winners, who had been working in the USA, so they can get him to work for them.
Newman is a bit of a buffoon - a reputation for being a drunken womanizer, who's stumbling about and isn't believed by the authorities when he begins to see that things are not right in Sweden. Also, he complains of not selling enough books, and supporting himself by writing detective novels under a pseudonym.
It's an entertaining enough film, but another example of how different films are made then versus now in terms of the camera shots and all that.
It's pretty good, for a romantic comedy. I saw it when it came out, which was about 1990, but hadn't seen it since.
It might be Christopher Reeves last walking role, as he plays Davis's one time fiancee who's a hot shot foreign correspondent come to win her back.
Also watched The Prize, which is a Paul Newman movie, in which he plays the Nobel Prize for literature winner. It's set in Stockholm with the plot line that the Soviets want to kidnap one of the other winners, who had been working in the USA, so they can get him to work for them.
Newman is a bit of a buffoon - a reputation for being a drunken womanizer, who's stumbling about and isn't believed by the authorities when he begins to see that things are not right in Sweden. Also, he complains of not selling enough books, and supporting himself by writing detective novels under a pseudonym.
It's an entertaining enough film, but another example of how different films are made then versus now in terms of the camera shots and all that.
November 26, 2007
Waiting 'til next year
*sigh*
Us Winnipeg Blue Bomber fans will have to wait until next year for a Grey Cup championship, as our team lost to those nasty Saskatchewan Roughriders, 23-19, on Sunday.
It was a good game, and could have gone either way. Ryan Dinwiddie was in at quarterback for us, and he did OK I thought, for someone who was starting his first CFL game ever (might as well start at the top, eh? it'll be a bit downhill from here though). Our number 1 QB and nominee for league MVP, Kevin Glenn, broke his left arm in the previous playoff game, so he was out for this one.
Dinwiddie finished up that game, a win over the Toronto Argonauts last week, and got the start this week. He did make some mistakes: 3 interceptions and a fumble, but the mistakes weren't of the "What the hell were you thinking?!?" variety. More like little errors.
Sadly, one of those errors, an interception, got run back for a TD, and the fumble led to a field goal, so the Roughies got 10 points off our turnovers. They turned the ball over a couple of times too, but no points directly resulted from them.
I found the play calling to be questionable, as we didn't give the ball to our star running back, Charles Roberts, enough times. He got in the first quarter, and a bit in the fourth quarter, but not much in the second or third quarters. Also, it seemed Dinwiddie was being asked to throw the ball longer than we typically have this year. Some short 8-12 yard passes might have been better.
The pass calling might have been justified by the scouting report that the Saskatchewan defense was weak - relatively - in the secondary.
Our defense played well. Quite a bit of pressure on Kerry Joseph, the league's MVP, who produced their only big plays in the first half by scrambling out of the pocket to run the ball for large gains. He made a couple of medium size completions in the second half, but that was about it for their offense.
We also did fine on special teams, with Troy Westwood having a good game, punting very well and hitting both of the field goals he attempted.
So, it was a good effort, where we just didn't get the one or two breaks necessary to come out on top. The saddest result from this is that our star receiver Milt Stegall, the CFL's career touchdown leader, will likely end his career without a championship ring, as the Grey Cup was probably his last game. He's been threatening retirement for about three years now, but I think this will be it for him.
Stegall's had a great career, and will surely be missed if he does decide to pack it in.
If only he could have gone out with the cup.
*sigh*
Us Winnipeg Blue Bomber fans will have to wait until next year for a Grey Cup championship, as our team lost to those nasty Saskatchewan Roughriders, 23-19, on Sunday.
It was a good game, and could have gone either way. Ryan Dinwiddie was in at quarterback for us, and he did OK I thought, for someone who was starting his first CFL game ever (might as well start at the top, eh? it'll be a bit downhill from here though). Our number 1 QB and nominee for league MVP, Kevin Glenn, broke his left arm in the previous playoff game, so he was out for this one.
Dinwiddie finished up that game, a win over the Toronto Argonauts last week, and got the start this week. He did make some mistakes: 3 interceptions and a fumble, but the mistakes weren't of the "What the hell were you thinking?!?" variety. More like little errors.
Sadly, one of those errors, an interception, got run back for a TD, and the fumble led to a field goal, so the Roughies got 10 points off our turnovers. They turned the ball over a couple of times too, but no points directly resulted from them.
I found the play calling to be questionable, as we didn't give the ball to our star running back, Charles Roberts, enough times. He got in the first quarter, and a bit in the fourth quarter, but not much in the second or third quarters. Also, it seemed Dinwiddie was being asked to throw the ball longer than we typically have this year. Some short 8-12 yard passes might have been better.
The pass calling might have been justified by the scouting report that the Saskatchewan defense was weak - relatively - in the secondary.
Our defense played well. Quite a bit of pressure on Kerry Joseph, the league's MVP, who produced their only big plays in the first half by scrambling out of the pocket to run the ball for large gains. He made a couple of medium size completions in the second half, but that was about it for their offense.
We also did fine on special teams, with Troy Westwood having a good game, punting very well and hitting both of the field goals he attempted.
So, it was a good effort, where we just didn't get the one or two breaks necessary to come out on top. The saddest result from this is that our star receiver Milt Stegall, the CFL's career touchdown leader, will likely end his career without a championship ring, as the Grey Cup was probably his last game. He's been threatening retirement for about three years now, but I think this will be it for him.
Stegall's had a great career, and will surely be missed if he does decide to pack it in.
If only he could have gone out with the cup.
*sigh*
November 23, 2007
What kind of monster am I?
| You Are a Witch (or Warlock) |
 You are deviously brilliant and a perfect manipulator. You somehow always end up getting what you want - without anyone knowing you're working behind the scenes. Crafty and cunning, you can work your way out of any jam. And it's easy for you to get people to do what you want, whether you're working for good or evil. Your greatest power: Mind control Your greatest weakness: Making people your puppets You play well with: Ghosts |
November 22, 2007
The man you don't want to be today is...
... Steve McClaren, as the English football team officially failed to qualify for the 2008 European Championships on Wednesday. As head coach, or manager as they like to say for footy teams, McClaren will likely take the blame for the failure and may well be out of a job only a year after taking over from Sven Goren Erikkson, who I have to say I liked - although many didn't.
Say what you will about Sven, he did get England into all the relevant competitions - European Championships and World Cup, and then always past the first round.
In reading about the match on the Beeb sports site, I came across two funny quotes.
One was the answer to a question put to Peter Crouch, the tall striker for England and Liverpool.
Q: What would you be if you weren't a footballer? A: A virgin.
The other was English (and Liverpool) midfielder Steven Gerrard's response to being asked what his favorite cheese was. He said "I dunno... melted cheese."
Say what you will about Sven, he did get England into all the relevant competitions - European Championships and World Cup, and then always past the first round.
In reading about the match on the Beeb sports site, I came across two funny quotes.
One was the answer to a question put to Peter Crouch, the tall striker for England and Liverpool.
Q: What would you be if you weren't a footballer? A: A virgin.
The other was English (and Liverpool) midfielder Steven Gerrard's response to being asked what his favorite cheese was. He said "I dunno... melted cheese."
November 11, 2007
Brilliant coaching!
I was out in Brandon this weekend facilitating a racquetball coaching clinic. There were three participants in the clinic - sorta small really, and Ron was there too overseeing my facilitating.
On Saturday, Ron is trying to demonstrate how a coach needs to get his players moving when asking them to do a drill or practice. He's got us using our left hands to hit the ball so as to simulate us playing like beginners.
Greg is having some trouble hitting ceiling balls with his left hand, and Ron asks us what Greg should be doing differently. I've seen how Greg's got his elbow against his body when he's preparing to hit the ball, which is not allowing him to swing freely and hampering his racquet preparation.
So, I go to Greg and push his elbow away from his body, so that his upper arm is now parallel with the floor. I ask him to take a couple of practice swings with that as the starting point.
Then he tries to hit a ceiling ball again. And he does it successfully!
I am brilliant!
On Saturday, Ron is trying to demonstrate how a coach needs to get his players moving when asking them to do a drill or practice. He's got us using our left hands to hit the ball so as to simulate us playing like beginners.
Greg is having some trouble hitting ceiling balls with his left hand, and Ron asks us what Greg should be doing differently. I've seen how Greg's got his elbow against his body when he's preparing to hit the ball, which is not allowing him to swing freely and hampering his racquet preparation.
So, I go to Greg and push his elbow away from his body, so that his upper arm is now parallel with the floor. I ask him to take a couple of practice swings with that as the starting point.
Then he tries to hit a ceiling ball again. And he does it successfully!
I am brilliant!
October 29, 2007
Is this 1919 or 2007?
I'm not a strong union supporter. I feel that if employers act reasonably - which is in their best interest - then there isn't likely to be any need for a union. The days of unreasonable employers is gone.
Or so I'd like to think. But then I see something like this, and I think we're in 1919 all over again.
And this is from an academic institution! WTF.
Or so I'd like to think. But then I see something like this, and I think we're in 1919 all over again.
And this is from an academic institution! WTF.
October 22, 2007
A fine day for sports
Congratulations to Mike Weir and David Nalbandian for their victories on Sunday.
As a Canadian, I was very happy to see Weir win another golf tournament. He hadn't won one since 2004, so it had been a while. But after playing well in The President's Cup earlier this month, he added a few more tournaments to his schedule to end the season. Clearly, it was a good idea.
I was also happy to see Nalbandian beat Roger Federer at the Madrid Masters tennis tournament. I have nothing against Federer and nothing in particular in favour of Nalbandian. But I'm of the belief that it's boring when one person or team wins too much in a sport.
Federer is the king of the tennis world with people talking of how he might be the best ever. Even better is that he seems like a quality guy all around. Never getting upset or too full of himself. A class act as they'd say.
Nevertheless, I think it's good if he loses every once in awhile. And this week it was Nalbandian, who got his first championship of the season and first ATP Masters title ever in the most unlikely of manners. Nalbandian had to defeat the top three players in the world to take the title.
In the quarters, he beat number two Rafael Nadal and then number three Novak Djokovic in the semis before offing Federer, the world number one. It even seemed unlikely that he'd do so after the first set, which Federer won 6-1 in about 30 minutes.
But Nalbandian came back by breaking Federer's serve in his first service game of the second set and didn't look back to win the match 1-6, 6-3, 6-3.
The unlikely is an inherent attaction of sports, and when it's diminished - that is, when the outcome seems likely - a sport's attractiveness suffers. Of late, I've begun to think that the English Premier League is losing some of its attractiveness, because the last few years it has seemed so likely that the 'big four clubs' - Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal, and Liverpool - would be on top at season's end, and only their ordering was in doubt (i.e., who'd be 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th).
That kind of certainty is boring and unattractive. It makes the EPL look like the Italian league, and no one wants that.
As a Canadian, I was very happy to see Weir win another golf tournament. He hadn't won one since 2004, so it had been a while. But after playing well in The President's Cup earlier this month, he added a few more tournaments to his schedule to end the season. Clearly, it was a good idea.
I was also happy to see Nalbandian beat Roger Federer at the Madrid Masters tennis tournament. I have nothing against Federer and nothing in particular in favour of Nalbandian. But I'm of the belief that it's boring when one person or team wins too much in a sport.
Federer is the king of the tennis world with people talking of how he might be the best ever. Even better is that he seems like a quality guy all around. Never getting upset or too full of himself. A class act as they'd say.
Nevertheless, I think it's good if he loses every once in awhile. And this week it was Nalbandian, who got his first championship of the season and first ATP Masters title ever in the most unlikely of manners. Nalbandian had to defeat the top three players in the world to take the title.
In the quarters, he beat number two Rafael Nadal and then number three Novak Djokovic in the semis before offing Federer, the world number one. It even seemed unlikely that he'd do so after the first set, which Federer won 6-1 in about 30 minutes.
But Nalbandian came back by breaking Federer's serve in his first service game of the second set and didn't look back to win the match 1-6, 6-3, 6-3.
The unlikely is an inherent attaction of sports, and when it's diminished - that is, when the outcome seems likely - a sport's attractiveness suffers. Of late, I've begun to think that the English Premier League is losing some of its attractiveness, because the last few years it has seemed so likely that the 'big four clubs' - Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal, and Liverpool - would be on top at season's end, and only their ordering was in doubt (i.e., who'd be 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th).
That kind of certainty is boring and unattractive. It makes the EPL look like the Italian league, and no one wants that.
October 3, 2007
Mediocre day at golf
I was mediocre on the links today. Shot 51. It was disappointing after last week when I hit the ball really well off the tee, although I wasn't so good around or on the green, so I was only two shots better than today.
But I did win two holes last week, one with a birdie. This week, I had a chance to win a hole, but my second putt that was going straight for the hole jumped off line and rolled by. And I was long enough to get on the last green, but was just a bit off line so no money chance there.
Not sure how many more golf days there will be this year, but it was a lovely day to play today. Heck of a lot of leaves on the ground though, making it difficult to find your ball sometimes.
But I did win two holes last week, one with a birdie. This week, I had a chance to win a hole, but my second putt that was going straight for the hole jumped off line and rolled by. And I was long enough to get on the last green, but was just a bit off line so no money chance there.
Not sure how many more golf days there will be this year, but it was a lovely day to play today. Heck of a lot of leaves on the ground though, making it difficult to find your ball sometimes.
September 16, 2007
Words played
Words played in Scrabble game (and points):
Fawn (20), Teen (28), Done (18), Vowel (22), Tuba (15), Genes (30), Facts (27), Iota (18), Yeti (21), Mica (18), Zoa (34), Bits (30).
Fawn (20), Teen (28), Done (18), Vowel (22), Tuba (15), Genes (30), Facts (27), Iota (18), Yeti (21), Mica (18), Zoa (34), Bits (30).
September 13, 2007
Recovering
Came down with a cold last week. When I get a sore throat, it usually leads to a cold. I had a sore throat last Thursday, and Friday night my nose was running like a tap. Stayed in on the weekend, convalessing. Felt better by Monday, although I'm still somewhat stuffed up and dry coughing some. Sigh.
August 30, 2007
Here in Ottawa
I'm in Ottawa this week visiting relatives, primarily related to the 'Gordie Gras' event that my cousin-in-law Gord puts on every year on Labour Day weekend. Basically, it's a crawfish cookout.
But I'm also catching up with some other folks. I saw Kaveh for the first time in years last Sunday. He's doing well, married with a cute little boy, working as a doctor here, but may be moving to Toronto.
Today I was out golfing with Michael, my former student. We were over in Quebec at the Champlain course in Aylmer. It was good. Shot 113, which is a little higher than I would have liked, but fine. Average last year was 108, so was a bit off that. Rental clubs, and an unfamiliar layout may have played a role in that, as I hit at least 3 approach shots over the green: oops!
Michael's so funny, 'cause he hits a bad shot or can't find his ball and whines for 5 or 10 min, and then pulls a miraculously good shot out of his ass, and giddy with glee. I just shake my head at it all.
Mostly here, I've been hanging out with relatives though, which has been fun. More of that to come, as some more cousins arrive tonight or tomorrow for the big feast that's going to happen on Saturday.
But I'm also catching up with some other folks. I saw Kaveh for the first time in years last Sunday. He's doing well, married with a cute little boy, working as a doctor here, but may be moving to Toronto.
Today I was out golfing with Michael, my former student. We were over in Quebec at the Champlain course in Aylmer. It was good. Shot 113, which is a little higher than I would have liked, but fine. Average last year was 108, so was a bit off that. Rental clubs, and an unfamiliar layout may have played a role in that, as I hit at least 3 approach shots over the green: oops!
Michael's so funny, 'cause he hits a bad shot or can't find his ball and whines for 5 or 10 min, and then pulls a miraculously good shot out of his ass, and giddy with glee. I just shake my head at it all.
Mostly here, I've been hanging out with relatives though, which has been fun. More of that to come, as some more cousins arrive tonight or tomorrow for the big feast that's going to happen on Saturday.
August 18, 2007
Shooting my age
Well, after shooting a 61 on Wednesday, I had my best day ever at the Canoe Club today, as I shot 41. I was out with Jen and Trish. The difference today was no driving mistakes, and good chipping around the green. I also putted pretty well. Couple of one putts. I suggested that Trish should come out more often, if I'm going to play this well when she's around.
I parred three holes, the 3rd (a par 4), the 5th and 8th (both par 3s). Those last two were successful up and downs, as I didn't drive any greens today. Thus, I didn't win any of the holes against Jen, as we played our dollar a hole challenge on the par threes. She got on the first green, but missed the par putt. After we both didn't get on the second, she hit it on - and close! - on the 8th and got it. We both missed out on number 9.
It's pretty funny that I can hit 61 one day and a few days later get a 41. I'm hoping that my days are mostly in the 41 range in the future.
I parred three holes, the 3rd (a par 4), the 5th and 8th (both par 3s). Those last two were successful up and downs, as I didn't drive any greens today. Thus, I didn't win any of the holes against Jen, as we played our dollar a hole challenge on the par threes. She got on the first green, but missed the par putt. After we both didn't get on the second, she hit it on - and close! - on the 8th and got it. We both missed out on number 9.
It's pretty funny that I can hit 61 one day and a few days later get a 41. I'm hoping that my days are mostly in the 41 range in the future.
August 16, 2007
Golf Extraordinary and Not So Much
I'm reading Extraordinary Putting by Fred Shoemaker. He wrote Extraordinary Golf an excellent book that I read several years ago. It's a SHAZAM! kind of book that I would recommend to anyone regardless of whether they are into golf or not.
Extraordinary Putting is also good. The thrust of each book is to try and shift your perceptions of what's going on so as to create extraordinary performances, or experiences from which performance can flow.
After reading some of the book, I went out to the practice putting green to try some of the exercises. In one, Shoemaker suggests putting to a long target - the flagstick on its side, or a driver laid out, and putting to that from about 6 feet. After doing that a few times, you are to shift to hitting to the cup.
I try this out. I hit to my driver that I've laid out on the green, and hit it every time. It's an easy task, which is the point. It's hard not to hit the driver. So I switch to putting to the cup from about 6 feet.
My focus is on trying to see the after image of the ball. Shoemaker suggests trying to see this image as the first task in the book. If you stare at the ball for a bit, and then move it but not your eyes, you'll see an after image of the ball. It's sorta cool, but easier to get if the weather is sunny. (it was a bit mixed when I was out trying this).
So that's what I'm trying to do in putting to the cup. I haven't done anything special in trying to line up the putt, just sort seeing it in my peripheral vision. I putt my three balls.
Clunk, clunk, clunk, they all go in the hole. I am stunned. Take 'em out and try again, because, hey, that could have been a fluke. Clunk, clunk, go the first two, and the third just slides by the cup. Wow.
It's amazing! There's definitely something to the method, although the rest of my putting practice wasn't quite as impressive. It's harder to get this to translate to putts from farther distance.
You'd think this would spell great things for my Wednesday golf outting. Well, yesterday at the Canoe Club I shot ... 61. A pretty bad day, although I did shot 61 earlier this year too. My putting was OK, though not great, but I only hit about 1 in 4 shots well. Not sure what was up, because I've been pretty good the last couple of weeks.
Ah well. If I can put some more of the extraordinary suggestions into play, then things should come around.
Extraordinary Putting is also good. The thrust of each book is to try and shift your perceptions of what's going on so as to create extraordinary performances, or experiences from which performance can flow.
After reading some of the book, I went out to the practice putting green to try some of the exercises. In one, Shoemaker suggests putting to a long target - the flagstick on its side, or a driver laid out, and putting to that from about 6 feet. After doing that a few times, you are to shift to hitting to the cup.
I try this out. I hit to my driver that I've laid out on the green, and hit it every time. It's an easy task, which is the point. It's hard not to hit the driver. So I switch to putting to the cup from about 6 feet.
My focus is on trying to see the after image of the ball. Shoemaker suggests trying to see this image as the first task in the book. If you stare at the ball for a bit, and then move it but not your eyes, you'll see an after image of the ball. It's sorta cool, but easier to get if the weather is sunny. (it was a bit mixed when I was out trying this).
So that's what I'm trying to do in putting to the cup. I haven't done anything special in trying to line up the putt, just sort seeing it in my peripheral vision. I putt my three balls.
Clunk, clunk, clunk, they all go in the hole. I am stunned. Take 'em out and try again, because, hey, that could have been a fluke. Clunk, clunk, go the first two, and the third just slides by the cup. Wow.
It's amazing! There's definitely something to the method, although the rest of my putting practice wasn't quite as impressive. It's harder to get this to translate to putts from farther distance.
You'd think this would spell great things for my Wednesday golf outting. Well, yesterday at the Canoe Club I shot ... 61. A pretty bad day, although I did shot 61 earlier this year too. My putting was OK, though not great, but I only hit about 1 in 4 shots well. Not sure what was up, because I've been pretty good the last couple of weeks.
Ah well. If I can put some more of the extraordinary suggestions into play, then things should come around.
August 14, 2007
Tennis and Tom
Watched a bit of TV this afternoon in my lazy hazy summer mode. First round of the Roger's Cup women's tennis event from TO was on, and it was a dramatic match. Canadian Stephanie Dubois was playing veteran Ai Sugiyama of Japan.
I tuned in during set two, with Sugiyama having won the first set in a tie-break. But Dubois is pushing her in set two, and eventually gets a service break to win it and force a tie-breaking third set.
In that third set, Dubois breaks Sugiyama's serve in game one, holds serve herself, then breaks again in game three. With a three game, two service break, lead, you'd think it was all over. But this is sports, folks.
Sugiyama digs in, and shows why she's still number 27 in the world at age 32, as she gets one service break back in game four. Then she holds serve, and breaks Dubois's serve again. Now, on serve, Sugiyama holds to go up 4-3, and again breaks Dubois, who is twelve years her opponent's junior, isn't even ranked in the top 100.
Sugiyama serves for the match at 5-3, but Dubois breaks her serve! The Canadian then holds serve to tie the match at 5 games all. Then she breaks Sugiyama for an opportunity to serve for the match, and Dubois closes it out, winning 6-7 (5), 6-4, 7-5. Amazing stuff.
In between games and some points, I'm flipping over to some sort of concert film with Stompin' Tom Connors filmed at the Horseshoe Tavern, which I was at way back in the early '90s with my buddy Jeff seeing The Northern Pikes.
The film is crazy fun, because it was shot in about 1975 I'm guessing. There's stubby beer bottles on the tables - Labatt 50 no less, and people smokin' up a storm, including Tom himself between songs. Moreover, they also intersperse some of the songs with footage to compliment the tune.
So, there's some snowmobile footage for a snowmobile song, the collecting of Irish Moss by folks on horseback along the beach of PEI for the tune Irish Moss, and Tom in pursuit of a never seen woman by various means of transport, including canoe - this is Canada, eh? - for a song about a girl. And an animated bit too. It's totally crazy.
I watched the credits, which rolled by with Tom walking off into the sunset guitar slung over his back and someone else singing about how Stompin' Tom's a friend of his, but they didn't indicate when the film was made or who was singing the song that played during the credits.
Who says there's nothing on daytime TV?
I tuned in during set two, with Sugiyama having won the first set in a tie-break. But Dubois is pushing her in set two, and eventually gets a service break to win it and force a tie-breaking third set.
In that third set, Dubois breaks Sugiyama's serve in game one, holds serve herself, then breaks again in game three. With a three game, two service break, lead, you'd think it was all over. But this is sports, folks.
Sugiyama digs in, and shows why she's still number 27 in the world at age 32, as she gets one service break back in game four. Then she holds serve, and breaks Dubois's serve again. Now, on serve, Sugiyama holds to go up 4-3, and again breaks Dubois, who is twelve years her opponent's junior, isn't even ranked in the top 100.
Sugiyama serves for the match at 5-3, but Dubois breaks her serve! The Canadian then holds serve to tie the match at 5 games all. Then she breaks Sugiyama for an opportunity to serve for the match, and Dubois closes it out, winning 6-7 (5), 6-4, 7-5. Amazing stuff.
In between games and some points, I'm flipping over to some sort of concert film with Stompin' Tom Connors filmed at the Horseshoe Tavern, which I was at way back in the early '90s with my buddy Jeff seeing The Northern Pikes.
The film is crazy fun, because it was shot in about 1975 I'm guessing. There's stubby beer bottles on the tables - Labatt 50 no less, and people smokin' up a storm, including Tom himself between songs. Moreover, they also intersperse some of the songs with footage to compliment the tune.
So, there's some snowmobile footage for a snowmobile song, the collecting of Irish Moss by folks on horseback along the beach of PEI for the tune Irish Moss, and Tom in pursuit of a never seen woman by various means of transport, including canoe - this is Canada, eh? - for a song about a girl. And an animated bit too. It's totally crazy.
I watched the credits, which rolled by with Tom walking off into the sunset guitar slung over his back and someone else singing about how Stompin' Tom's a friend of his, but they didn't indicate when the film was made or who was singing the song that played during the credits.
Who says there's nothing on daytime TV?
August 13, 2007
Show cancelled - ARRGH!
I got notice today that the Wilco show that was to happen Wednesday here in Winnipeg has been cancelled. Going on their website, it states that one of the guitarists has the chicken pox (no, I'm not making that up), and their shows in Winnipeg and Duluth had to be cancelled.
The Duluth show is rescheduled to early September with tickets for the cancelled show honored for that gig. But the only word on the Winnipeg show is that they'll try to do one in 2008. Ticketmaster is to credit my credit card.
But this is really annoying because of how good my seats were for Wednesday. Here's the deal.
I heard about the show before tickets went on sale, and asked my friend Susan if she wanted to go along. She said "sure." "OK, so I'll get tickets, maybe even a pre-sale thing." "Oh," said Susan, "don't go for the Folk Fest pre-sales. They aren't good." "Really?" "Really. Don't do it." "Umm, ok."
That was news to me, but I trust her judgment. My friend Jen had also sent me a different pre-sale thing - House of Blues - as she's on that mailing list and knew I was interested in Wilco.
As a test, I tried both pre-sales to see what I could get for seats. They yielded the same results. Initially, it was row 18 on the main floor. Pretty good I thought. If it was just me, I might have gone for that. But Susan's instruction was clear.
Next day I try again, and now the pre-sales are in the balcony, and not even the first row there. Hmm, I think to myself. Have I made a mistake by not buying in earlier? I still hold out.
Actual day of sale comes around, and at the opening time - 10 AM - I'm on line buying tickets. Ticketmaster does its little search for the "Best Available" seats, and comes back with a response: row 1.
Yes, the First Row! Off to one side, but still the Frist Row! I've never been in the first row for a show.
And now with the cancellation of the concert, I still won't be.
Roger, Wilco, over and out.
The Duluth show is rescheduled to early September with tickets for the cancelled show honored for that gig. But the only word on the Winnipeg show is that they'll try to do one in 2008. Ticketmaster is to credit my credit card.
But this is really annoying because of how good my seats were for Wednesday. Here's the deal.
I heard about the show before tickets went on sale, and asked my friend Susan if she wanted to go along. She said "sure." "OK, so I'll get tickets, maybe even a pre-sale thing." "Oh," said Susan, "don't go for the Folk Fest pre-sales. They aren't good." "Really?" "Really. Don't do it." "Umm, ok."
That was news to me, but I trust her judgment. My friend Jen had also sent me a different pre-sale thing - House of Blues - as she's on that mailing list and knew I was interested in Wilco.
As a test, I tried both pre-sales to see what I could get for seats. They yielded the same results. Initially, it was row 18 on the main floor. Pretty good I thought. If it was just me, I might have gone for that. But Susan's instruction was clear.
Next day I try again, and now the pre-sales are in the balcony, and not even the first row there. Hmm, I think to myself. Have I made a mistake by not buying in earlier? I still hold out.
Actual day of sale comes around, and at the opening time - 10 AM - I'm on line buying tickets. Ticketmaster does its little search for the "Best Available" seats, and comes back with a response: row 1.
Yes, the First Row! Off to one side, but still the Frist Row! I've never been in the first row for a show.
And now with the cancellation of the concert, I still won't be.
Roger, Wilco, over and out.
August 11, 2007
In the garden by the front door
Took some pics of the plants near by front door. The first is the view from the front steps.
Lamium is the low white and green leafed plant, which is spreading quite a bit. It looks fine though, and in the spring it has nice yellow flowers. Joe Pye is the tall plants behind the lamium with flat topped aster to the right. The blue flowered plants are Balloon Flowers, and their flower is quite striking.
There are some hostas in there too, although I think I need to move them as they're getting crowded out by the lamium. You can hardly see them. Celendine poppy is the name of the plants with little yellow flowers that are also spreading about.
This is fireweed, which is to the left of the sidewalk in the first photo. I'd like to make a little sitting area at this point, so I'm probably going to move these plants in the fall.
There's some Philadelphia Fleabane at the front of this part of the garden by the evergreen tree. It's a nice little plant.
These are tall coneflowers that are near the front of the yard - in the background of the first photo. They are quite tall - over four feet, and seem to spreading a bit too, which in this case is a good thing indeed. Colourful and long lasting blooms. I'm putting some more of them elsewhere in the yard.
Lamium is the low white and green leafed plant, which is spreading quite a bit. It looks fine though, and in the spring it has nice yellow flowers. Joe Pye is the tall plants behind the lamium with flat topped aster to the right. The blue flowered plants are Balloon Flowers, and their flower is quite striking.
There are some hostas in there too, although I think I need to move them as they're getting crowded out by the lamium. You can hardly see them. Celendine poppy is the name of the plants with little yellow flowers that are also spreading about.
This is fireweed, which is to the left of the sidewalk in the first photo. I'd like to make a little sitting area at this point, so I'm probably going to move these plants in the fall.
There's some Philadelphia Fleabane at the front of this part of the garden by the evergreen tree. It's a nice little plant.
These are tall coneflowers that are near the front of the yard - in the background of the first photo. They are quite tall - over four feet, and seem to spreading a bit too, which in this case is a good thing indeed. Colourful and long lasting blooms. I'm putting some more of them elsewhere in the yard.
August 10, 2007
On the eve of the new Premiership Season
I hope that all this season's matches are as entertaining as this one.
Will Moby Dick be next?
I finished Garcia's Heart yesterday. It's a novel by Liam Durcan, an acquinatance of mine from undergrad. We had a good friend in common, Darren, who neither of us has talked to in awhile. I came across the book by reading a bit in the paper how this guy name Liam was going to have a reading at McNally-Robinson.
I thought "hey, I know I guy named Liam. He was in med school and had moved to Montreal." I didn't know his last name, but the paper indicated that this Liam was the same guy: a doctor from Winnipeg, now living in Montreal. So, I went to the reading, and it was him.
So, I bought Liam's novel, which signed for me. It's good. The story is of a doctor who travels to The Hague to attend the war crimes trial of the man who inspired him to go into medical school. The narrator chose to go into brain research rather than medical practice, but then left his university research job to start up a company that uses his research techniques to analyze how people make decisions by means of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI in the research lingo).
The book raises a number of interesting issues, including: how can a seemingly good man have done bad things? can fMRI determine how people make bad decisions, that is decisions that have bad consequences for others? and how can things known now effect how we feel about what's happened in the past?
And this is the second book that mentions Moby Dick as a significant feature in the text. The Bone series did also. So, I'm wondering: should I read Moby Dick next?
I thought "hey, I know I guy named Liam. He was in med school and had moved to Montreal." I didn't know his last name, but the paper indicated that this Liam was the same guy: a doctor from Winnipeg, now living in Montreal. So, I went to the reading, and it was him.
So, I bought Liam's novel, which signed for me. It's good. The story is of a doctor who travels to The Hague to attend the war crimes trial of the man who inspired him to go into medical school. The narrator chose to go into brain research rather than medical practice, but then left his university research job to start up a company that uses his research techniques to analyze how people make decisions by means of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI in the research lingo).
The book raises a number of interesting issues, including: how can a seemingly good man have done bad things? can fMRI determine how people make bad decisions, that is decisions that have bad consequences for others? and how can things known now effect how we feel about what's happened in the past?
And this is the second book that mentions Moby Dick as a significant feature in the text. The Bone series did also. So, I'm wondering: should I read Moby Dick next?
August 8, 2007
Great book
Read another great graphic novel yesterday. Michel Rabagliati's Paul has a summer job is a story a young man who's dropped out of school after grade 11 due to conflict with the principal and a teacher who've shafted him on a project. Paul's been working a week at a job that's not all he thought it would be, when he gets a call to work at a summer camp.
Paul accepts and his experiences at the camp are those that serve to form as a basis for the rest of his life. It's a really well done story drawn in black and white. It ends with Paul reminising (sp?) on that summer done with a tie in back to that summer that's then long ago. I can't describe how it ties back without giving it away, but it's really well done.
Rabagliati has a couple of other books involving the Paul character. If they are anywhere near as good as Paul has a summer job, they would be well worth checking out.
Paul accepts and his experiences at the camp are those that serve to form as a basis for the rest of his life. It's a really well done story drawn in black and white. It ends with Paul reminising (sp?) on that summer done with a tie in back to that summer that's then long ago. I can't describe how it ties back without giving it away, but it's really well done.
Rabagliati has a couple of other books involving the Paul character. If they are anywhere near as good as Paul has a summer job, they would be well worth checking out.
August 6, 2007
What sport's all about
So, I'm on the couch with the Rogers Cup on the tele and Garcia's Heart in hand (novel by Liam Durcan, who's an acquaintance of mine now living Montreal) for the commercials. Guillermo Canas is playing Paul-Henri Mathieu, and Canas - seeded 17th while Mathieu is unseeded - is doing well.
Canas looks strong. He gets up a break in the first set and wins it. Then he breaks Mathieu in game one of set two, and then does so again in game three. It's 4-0 in the second and looks like it'll be a short night.
And then Mathieu holds serve. And then he breaks Canas. Holds serve again, and breaks again. All of a sudden it's 4-4, and game on - as the Brits would say.
Back and forth they go for a couple more games until Canas is serving to stay in the set at 5-6. Mathieu breaks Canas's serve for the third time that game to win the set: 7-5 - a set he had no business winning, and forces a tie-breaking third set.
It only gets weirder from there. The wheels fall off completely for Canas, as Mathieu continues to roll, who wins set three 6-0 to take the match. Mathieu won 13 of the last 14 games! It was an unbelieveable come back. The kind that would be unbelieveable in a movie.
And this is what makes sport so compelling.
Canas looks strong. He gets up a break in the first set and wins it. Then he breaks Mathieu in game one of set two, and then does so again in game three. It's 4-0 in the second and looks like it'll be a short night.
And then Mathieu holds serve. And then he breaks Canas. Holds serve again, and breaks again. All of a sudden it's 4-4, and game on - as the Brits would say.
Back and forth they go for a couple more games until Canas is serving to stay in the set at 5-6. Mathieu breaks Canas's serve for the third time that game to win the set: 7-5 - a set he had no business winning, and forces a tie-breaking third set.
It only gets weirder from there. The wheels fall off completely for Canas, as Mathieu continues to roll, who wins set three 6-0 to take the match. Mathieu won 13 of the last 14 games! It was an unbelieveable come back. The kind that would be unbelieveable in a movie.
And this is what makes sport so compelling.
August 2, 2007
Sporty Wednesday
Had my best round ever at the Canoe Club on Wednesday. Shot 43, and my previous best was 45. Birdied the second hole for the first time ever. Going 5 and 4 for 9 after two holes makes it easier to shoot a good score than being 21 after two holes as I was a couple weeks back.
Didn't win any money, although I did par one of the par threes. Jen swept the week, which is the first time she's done that. She did it even after missing a chance to score on the first par 3. And she'd been complaining about how much Wednesdays were costing her, but she paid for her round this week, or rather we paid for her round.
Then last night I played doubles racquetball with Jim, Gus and Doug, and we had really competitive games. Gus and I won the first match, 2 games to 1, then they won the second match 2-0, 16-14 in game two, and they also won the last match 2-1, with a 12-10 win in game 3 where we had a 10-4 (2?) lead. All the games were pretty close. I felt myself cramping up some in the last game, so I don't think I could have played more. But playing for over 2 hours is enough.
Didn't win any money, although I did par one of the par threes. Jen swept the week, which is the first time she's done that. She did it even after missing a chance to score on the first par 3. And she'd been complaining about how much Wednesdays were costing her, but she paid for her round this week, or rather we paid for her round.
Then last night I played doubles racquetball with Jim, Gus and Doug, and we had really competitive games. Gus and I won the first match, 2 games to 1, then they won the second match 2-0, 16-14 in game two, and they also won the last match 2-1, with a 12-10 win in game 3 where we had a 10-4 (2?) lead. All the games were pretty close. I felt myself cramping up some in the last game, so I don't think I could have played more. But playing for over 2 hours is enough.
July 27, 2007
Quote of the day
The true enemies of the novel were plot, character, setting and theme. - John Hawkes
Quoted by Rick Moody in The Atlantic, Fiction Issue, 2005.
Quoted by Rick Moody in The Atlantic, Fiction Issue, 2005.
July 24, 2007
Of late
The Winnipeg Fringe Festival is going on now. It's always lots of fun. Saw my friend Ross's play last night, and it was good - as usual. It's a "three-hander" - it's got 3 actors, eh? - and the woman was in my intro class long ago.
Listening to Michael Franti and Spearhead's Yell Fire! album, Ryan Adams's Rock n Roll, Paper Moon's broken hearts break faster every day, T. S. Monk's Monk on Monk, and the Magnolia soundtrack that's mostly Aimee Mann songs.
Listening to Michael Franti and Spearhead's Yell Fire! album, Ryan Adams's Rock n Roll, Paper Moon's broken hearts break faster every day, T. S. Monk's Monk on Monk, and the Magnolia soundtrack that's mostly Aimee Mann songs.
July 18, 2007
Depression on the 9th green
Well, I hit the ball pretty well today. Shot 46, which is my second best score of the season. Very nice. But you know it's all about the par 3s, and we had a 3 hole carry over going into the 9th - and last - hole.
Gus hit it on, so there was going to be a winner for sure. But I lined it up and drove the ball inside of Gus. Getting up to the green, I'm a good distance away, but not that far. A two putt shouldn't be a problem. And I hadn't 3 putted all day.
My first putt is short by about 5 feet say, maybe less. Definitely makeable, and the kind I've been making all day. But there's a big slope to the 9th green, so it's not the easiest green to read. I read it right, but underhit it so it broke more than I'd planned for and went just left of the hole. ARRGH!
We replayed the 8th to determine a winner of the last three skins, and Shy hit it. With that he went back into the season lead with 12 holes, while Gus is on 11. I've got 2, and lead in misses with 3 (all on that 9th hole! although I have made that one once this year too).
Gus hit it on, so there was going to be a winner for sure. But I lined it up and drove the ball inside of Gus. Getting up to the green, I'm a good distance away, but not that far. A two putt shouldn't be a problem. And I hadn't 3 putted all day.
My first putt is short by about 5 feet say, maybe less. Definitely makeable, and the kind I've been making all day. But there's a big slope to the 9th green, so it's not the easiest green to read. I read it right, but underhit it so it broke more than I'd planned for and went just left of the hole. ARRGH!
We replayed the 8th to determine a winner of the last three skins, and Shy hit it. With that he went back into the season lead with 12 holes, while Gus is on 11. I've got 2, and lead in misses with 3 (all on that 9th hole! although I have made that one once this year too).
July 17, 2007
From 'Party Shuffle' in my iTunes program
Standing By Your Window Treat Her Right
It's Just That Simple Wilco
True Spandau Ballet
Rant & Roar Great Big Sea
Crosstown Traffic Jimi Hendrix Experience
The View From The Afternoon Arctic Monkeys
The Hippo And The Canary Part Two Ben Sures
Anything Anytime Anywhere Bruce Cockburn
Song for the Dumped Ben Folds Five
Blaze of Glory Joe Jackson
Almost Sarah Harmer
The One I Love David Gray
The news Jack Johnson
Dog walk Rico Southee
Around This Corner Sarah Harmer
Le Noceur Francis Cabrel
Got the time Joe Jackson
Space Age Love Song A Flock Of Seagulls
(Nothing But) Flowers Talking Heads
Lunatic Fringe Red Rider
Gatekeeper Feist
Seasons in the sun Terry Jacks
It's Just That Simple Wilco
True Spandau Ballet
Rant & Roar Great Big Sea
Crosstown Traffic Jimi Hendrix Experience
The View From The Afternoon Arctic Monkeys
The Hippo And The Canary Part Two Ben Sures
Anything Anytime Anywhere Bruce Cockburn
Song for the Dumped Ben Folds Five
Blaze of Glory Joe Jackson
Almost Sarah Harmer
The One I Love David Gray
The news Jack Johnson
Dog walk Rico Southee
Around This Corner Sarah Harmer
Le Noceur Francis Cabrel
Got the time Joe Jackson
Space Age Love Song A Flock Of Seagulls
(Nothing But) Flowers Talking Heads
Lunatic Fringe Red Rider
Gatekeeper Feist
Seasons in the sun Terry Jacks
July 16, 2007
Good to the Bone
I've been a comics fan since I was a kid, although I don't buy them regularly as I did in my teens. Recently, I've read some comics, or graphic novels if you prefer to think of them that way so that your delicate sensibilities aren't shaken by a 'grown up' reading stories with pictures (as opposed to, say, watching stories with pictures projected onto a large screen).
One you have to check out is Bone by Jeff Smith.
The above is an example of the characters, who get chased out of their home city, but it doesn't quite convey the depth of the novel. It is one long novel, which took 55 comics to convey. It's now collected into a series of books, which I've picked up from the library and am reading through.
These three characters are cousins. Phoney Bone - the one in the middle - is a schemer, or business person if you prefer. It was his actions that led to the cousins getting kicked out. Really, it was him that was tossed, but Smiley Bone, on the left, and Fone Bone, on the right, came along for the ride.
They get lost, and end up in a valley they have never been to before. In the valley are humans, and other talkative creatures, like dragons and stupid, stupid rat creatures, and everywhere there is more than meets the eye.
But you should pick up Bone, because what meets the eye will be more than pleasing.
One you have to check out is Bone by Jeff Smith.
The above is an example of the characters, who get chased out of their home city, but it doesn't quite convey the depth of the novel. It is one long novel, which took 55 comics to convey. It's now collected into a series of books, which I've picked up from the library and am reading through.
These three characters are cousins. Phoney Bone - the one in the middle - is a schemer, or business person if you prefer. It was his actions that led to the cousins getting kicked out. Really, it was him that was tossed, but Smiley Bone, on the left, and Fone Bone, on the right, came along for the ride.
They get lost, and end up in a valley they have never been to before. In the valley are humans, and other talkative creatures, like dragons and stupid, stupid rat creatures, and everywhere there is more than meets the eye.
But you should pick up Bone, because what meets the eye will be more than pleasing.
July 13, 2007
Young men behaving badly
Man, I didn't see this live, but it was blogged about on The Score, which is how I came across it. Unbelievable. But funny.
Check it out.
Check it out.
July 12, 2007
Tough links
Well, it's not been the best couple of Wednesdays out on the links for me. Shot 61 and 58. Ugh. Mainly, I've had some trouble around the green. Either I'm way short playing up to it or I sky the ball over the green. Need to go out and practice these shots.
Ah well. There's always something.
Ah well. There's always something.
June 28, 2007
Seven year wait
Seven years ago (I think) I planted prairie roses in my yard. They have done OK, as they have spread about a bit in the yard. However, I've never seen them flower. Until today.
I'm pretty excited about this one bloom, and it looks like there might be a few others coming.
One of the reasons, or maybe THE reason, I haven't seen blooms on my prairie roses before this may be due to the fact that they seem to be infected with whatever the heck this orange stuff is.
It comes off in my fingers, and there doesn't seem to be any bugs about. I'm not exactly sure what it is. One suggestion is that it's some type of rust, which is one of the myriad of things roses are susceptible to - so I'm told. I tried cutting them back and cutting out the parts that have the orange stuff. We'll see if that helps.
I'm pretty excited about this one bloom, and it looks like there might be a few others coming.
One of the reasons, or maybe THE reason, I haven't seen blooms on my prairie roses before this may be due to the fact that they seem to be infected with whatever the heck this orange stuff is.
It comes off in my fingers, and there doesn't seem to be any bugs about. I'm not exactly sure what it is. One suggestion is that it's some type of rust, which is one of the myriad of things roses are susceptible to - so I'm told. I tried cutting them back and cutting out the parts that have the orange stuff. We'll see if that helps.
June 27, 2007
Quote of the Day
Why move unless it improves on stillness? Why speak unless it improves on silence?
- William Hutt, noted actor, especially for his roles in Shakespeare, Canadian, who died this week.
- William Hutt, noted actor, especially for his roles in Shakespeare, Canadian, who died this week.
June 19, 2007
Inland Empire
Saw Inland Empire yesterday, which is the latest film by David Lynch. Man, I still don't think I can fit it all together. There was definitely some nice camera work and interesting production. Also, there were bits of dialogue that I thought were funny - though not obviously jokes.
However, what the whole storyline was supposed to be about might be a little beyond me. It centres on an actress who gets a role in a film. Or does she get it? Or does she already have it? There's much talk about whether it's today or yesterday or tomorrow.
And then there's the old Lynch trick of switching another actor/character for the one that we've been following along in scene after scene. And when a character shifts from interacting with one set of characters to another set - some of whom may be played by the same actors, although it's not clear if it's actually the same actors - it's more than enough to cause me to scratch my head and say "HUH?"
In several scenes of this long - it's almost three hours, kids, so be sure to visit the restroom before the film starts - I couldn't help but think: "umm, how is this moving the story along? what is this contributing exactly?"
So, I'd say Inland Empire was a good, interesting film, but at almost three hours and being difficult to follow, I'd understand if anyone gave it a pass.
However, what the whole storyline was supposed to be about might be a little beyond me. It centres on an actress who gets a role in a film. Or does she get it? Or does she already have it? There's much talk about whether it's today or yesterday or tomorrow.
And then there's the old Lynch trick of switching another actor/character for the one that we've been following along in scene after scene. And when a character shifts from interacting with one set of characters to another set - some of whom may be played by the same actors, although it's not clear if it's actually the same actors - it's more than enough to cause me to scratch my head and say "HUH?"
In several scenes of this long - it's almost three hours, kids, so be sure to visit the restroom before the film starts - I couldn't help but think: "umm, how is this moving the story along? what is this contributing exactly?"
So, I'd say Inland Empire was a good, interesting film, but at almost three hours and being difficult to follow, I'd understand if anyone gave it a pass.
June 15, 2007
Fforde sf novel, not Prefect
I read my first Jasper Fforde novel this week, and I quite liked it. It was Fforde's first book about the Special Operations officier Thursday Next. Sounds sort of James Bond-y, except that Next lives in a world that's not quite like this one. It's set in England, but they are still at war with Russia over the Crimea, and Wales is an independent country on not completely friendly terms with England.
Then there are the things that Next is involved in. She's a LiteraTec, which is one of the lower (in prestige) or higher (in number at 27) levels of SpecOps, or SO. However, Next is recruited to work at a lower level, S0-5, for a special assignment, which goes bad, leading to the deaths of two fellow agents.
Taking much of the blame for the botched job, Next moves from London to her hometown of Swindon for another S0-27 job, but with thoughts of revenging her fallen colleagues on her mind.
However, doing so necessiates blurring the boundaries of fact and fiction, which is why the book is called The Eyre Affair. Next penetrates the novel Jane Eyre, literally, to save its heroine.
It's quite a fun read, so I'm looking to read Fforde's other books in this series.
Then there are the things that Next is involved in. She's a LiteraTec, which is one of the lower (in prestige) or higher (in number at 27) levels of SpecOps, or SO. However, Next is recruited to work at a lower level, S0-5, for a special assignment, which goes bad, leading to the deaths of two fellow agents.
Taking much of the blame for the botched job, Next moves from London to her hometown of Swindon for another S0-27 job, but with thoughts of revenging her fallen colleagues on her mind.
However, doing so necessiates blurring the boundaries of fact and fiction, which is why the book is called The Eyre Affair. Next penetrates the novel Jane Eyre, literally, to save its heroine.
It's quite a fun read, so I'm looking to read Fforde's other books in this series.
June 11, 2007
June 6, 2007
June 3, 2007
The battle has been joined!
I have begun my yearly battle with the gout weed that's in my yard. Gout weed spreads by the roots and has taken up too much space in my yard. Moreover, it's bland looking - just green - and about knee high, which makes it difficult to see anything else even daylilies - at least until those flower, which is still more than a month away I think.
The gout weed battle is likely a losing one, as it'll probably come back in the places I've ripped it out of. Nevertheless, I can hopefully give the other plants near it more of a chance of doing well before the gout weed comes back.
I also transplanted a few ferns from the north side of the house to the south side, but still in a shady spot. They'll likely die back this year, but should come back next year without a problem.
Still have other plans for the yard including putting in some sitting areas and trying to get rid of some grass with the newspaper covering method.
The gout weed battle is likely a losing one, as it'll probably come back in the places I've ripped it out of. Nevertheless, I can hopefully give the other plants near it more of a chance of doing well before the gout weed comes back.
I also transplanted a few ferns from the north side of the house to the south side, but still in a shady spot. They'll likely die back this year, but should come back next year without a problem.
Still have other plans for the yard including putting in some sitting areas and trying to get rid of some grass with the newspaper covering method.
June 2, 2007
Great game!
The Sens and Ducks will have something to live up to after I saw the semi final of the French rugby league - Super 14 - today. It was Toulouse-Clermont, and the home team took the lead by half time. But a great run for a try by one of the Clermont players got them close early in the second half.
Then they went ahead on a penalty, and sealed it with a drop kick during play to win 20-15. It was fitting result in the sense that Clermont had two tries while Toulouse never put the ball in the Clermont end; their points were all off penalty kicks.
Toulouse had its chance late in the game with Clermont up 17-15, when they were only a couple of meters from the Clermont end line. However, when playing the ball back from a scrum a Toulouse player pitched it back hitting a team-mate, which led to an open ball that a Clermont player was able to grab and punt down the field.
There were many "oh la la"s by the announcers as they watched the replay of that Toulouse error.
Then they went ahead on a penalty, and sealed it with a drop kick during play to win 20-15. It was fitting result in the sense that Clermont had two tries while Toulouse never put the ball in the Clermont end; their points were all off penalty kicks.
Toulouse had its chance late in the game with Clermont up 17-15, when they were only a couple of meters from the Clermont end line. However, when playing the ball back from a scrum a Toulouse player pitched it back hitting a team-mate, which led to an open ball that a Clermont player was able to grab and punt down the field.
There were many "oh la la"s by the announcers as they watched the replay of that Toulouse error.
June 1, 2007
Mother Nature is missing out
I planted some more things in the garden, and cut the boulevard grass today. As I was doing so, this thought came to mind: "Why isn't there a bug specifically eating dandelions?"
I think Mother Nature is missing out here by not having something - anything - eating dandelions. There's a great surplus of the plants - at least around my yard, so said bug - or mammal, or marsupial, I'm really pretty open here, would have no shortage of food.
So, I say forget genetically modifying wheat or corn or whatever. Let's genetically engineer a dandelion eater. That's what the world needs now.
Or my little bit of the world anyway.
I think Mother Nature is missing out here by not having something - anything - eating dandelions. There's a great surplus of the plants - at least around my yard, so said bug - or mammal, or marsupial, I'm really pretty open here, would have no shortage of food.
So, I say forget genetically modifying wheat or corn or whatever. Let's genetically engineer a dandelion eater. That's what the world needs now.
Or my little bit of the world anyway.
May 30, 2007
No practice swings
Well, it was just me out for Wednesday golf today. It was an overcast day, so rain was threatening - and the course was pretty wet. However, I got my 9 holes in without any precipitation falling on me.
When I was out a couple of weeks ago, I hit my last tee shot without taking a practice swing, and it went fine. So, I experimented with hitting the ball without any practice swings this week.
It went well. The ball went pretty straight, although not always that long. I think the heavy humidity might have had something to do with that. On 9, I hit my usually club (7 wood), and came up short of the green, so I took another shot - there was almost no one else on the course with me - with a different club (3 wood), and it landed right on the green.
Thus, I learned that if it's a humid day, I should be adding a club to compensate.
Overall, I shot a 51, which is higher than I'd like; want to be in the 40s this year, but that included a 2 stroke penalty for an OB ball. I think going out of bounds is a 2 stroke penalty, although I haven't memorized the phone book sized rules of golf book, so I could be wrong on that.
The OB wasn't a bad shot either. I was about 50-60 yards away from the green on the 2nd hole, and hit my 9 iron about twice as far as it needed to go. I couldn't see my ball on the other side of the green, so just took another shot.
Oh, and I didn't hit any of the greens. Well, not on my first shot anyway.
When I was out a couple of weeks ago, I hit my last tee shot without taking a practice swing, and it went fine. So, I experimented with hitting the ball without any practice swings this week.
It went well. The ball went pretty straight, although not always that long. I think the heavy humidity might have had something to do with that. On 9, I hit my usually club (7 wood), and came up short of the green, so I took another shot - there was almost no one else on the course with me - with a different club (3 wood), and it landed right on the green.
Thus, I learned that if it's a humid day, I should be adding a club to compensate.
Overall, I shot a 51, which is higher than I'd like; want to be in the 40s this year, but that included a 2 stroke penalty for an OB ball. I think going out of bounds is a 2 stroke penalty, although I haven't memorized the phone book sized rules of golf book, so I could be wrong on that.
The OB wasn't a bad shot either. I was about 50-60 yards away from the green on the 2nd hole, and hit my 9 iron about twice as far as it needed to go. I couldn't see my ball on the other side of the green, so just took another shot.
Oh, and I didn't hit any of the greens. Well, not on my first shot anyway.
May 15, 2007
Quote of the day
To use a computer analogy, we are running twenty-first-century software on hardware last upgraded 50,000 years ago or more. This may explain quite a lot of what we see in the news.
Ronald Wright, in A Short History of Progress.
Ronald Wright, in A Short History of Progress.
May 12, 2007
TO FC
For those of you outside of Canada, and perhaps several of you in Canada, Toronto now has a team in the MLS - Major League Soccer: Toronto FC. The league is run like other North American sports leagues in that people have to buy in rather be promoted from a lower league, so there's no relegation and a draft rewarding the bad teams for being bad. So, it's not perfect.
But it is nice that a relatively high level soccer team now exists in Canada. However, in their first four games, TFC had not scored a goal. Thus, I think it's fair to say that they wanted to get one today when they played Chicago in Toronto.
And the sun was shining on the club, as they won 3-1. The goals were good ones. All crosses into the box that were well handled, although I thought Goldthwaite who scored the second one, which broke a 1-1 deadlock and was the winner, was taking too long to get a shot off, but when he did fire it, the ball went under legs of a defender who'd come across to try and block the attempt at goal.
So, TFC has their first goals in club history, and their first win. Hopefully, it will be the first of many.
But it is nice that a relatively high level soccer team now exists in Canada. However, in their first four games, TFC had not scored a goal. Thus, I think it's fair to say that they wanted to get one today when they played Chicago in Toronto.
And the sun was shining on the club, as they won 3-1. The goals were good ones. All crosses into the box that were well handled, although I thought Goldthwaite who scored the second one, which broke a 1-1 deadlock and was the winner, was taking too long to get a shot off, but when he did fire it, the ball went under legs of a defender who'd come across to try and block the attempt at goal.
So, TFC has their first goals in club history, and their first win. Hopefully, it will be the first of many.
May 9, 2007
Birdie boy
Well I got on the board in my second time out on the Canoe Club links. I birdied number 8, drove it within three feet, which was good as Shy and Ron also drove on.
We all missed number 5, and Shy got a really favourable bounce to get on the 6th green; indeed, he had a good chance for a bird there, but missed and made par.
We all missed number 9 too.
So, the season standings are : Ron 3, Shy 2, Evan 1, and Gus 1, although the money standings are : Ron $3, Evan $2, Shy $2, and Gus $1.
My score for the day was 47. Hit a couple of trees solidly, and off one I bounced into the fairway bunker of the previous hole. Oops. Putted pretty well.
Good day out all 'round, and the temperature was 31 and sunny. My arms are definitely redder tonight than they were this morning.
We all missed number 5, and Shy got a really favourable bounce to get on the 6th green; indeed, he had a good chance for a bird there, but missed and made par.
We all missed number 9 too.
So, the season standings are : Ron 3, Shy 2, Evan 1, and Gus 1, although the money standings are : Ron $3, Evan $2, Shy $2, and Gus $1.
My score for the day was 47. Hit a couple of trees solidly, and off one I bounced into the fairway bunker of the previous hole. Oops. Putted pretty well.
Good day out all 'round, and the temperature was 31 and sunny. My arms are definitely redder tonight than they were this morning.
May 7, 2007
Surprising results
I won the consolation side at racquetball provincials this past weekend. I'm surprised by how well I played, actually. I haven't been playing so much the last few months to a year, so my form has been off some. Thus, I wasn't that hopeful about how it would go in provincials.
I played Kurt first, who beat me out in Brandon a couple of months back. He got leads in both game one and two. I managed to come back in both to level the scores at 11 and 12, respectively, but couldn't finish either game, so lost two straight.
In my first consolation side match, I played Sean, who's an up and coming young whipper snapper. I wasn't very hopeful about how it was going to go, especially as it was a 9 AM Saturday start time. Early in game one it was going as expected, as he jumped out to a lead. But I managed to come back, got in a bit of a groove, and won the first game.
The second game I just came out on fire. I was drive serving well, and got some easy points with drive serves to the right side. I got up 11-1, and won going away.
In Sunday's consolation final, I played Gus, who I used to play regularly - about once a week - when Courts Sports was still open (it closed last year), but I haven't played him recently. When we played regularly, our games were close, so I wasn't sure what was going to happen.
But again to my surprise, I started out well, and won the first game going away. In game two, he got a lead at 8-3. I felt a bit tired, and my glove was a bit damp, so I took a timeout, changed gloves, and came back to win it, 15-8.
There was a bit of controversy late in game two as some of Gus's serves were called short. That might not have been a big deal, but as it was Open division we were playing one serve, so a short serve was a loss of serve. I thought one call was certainly right, although wasn't sure of the second. I offered to replay the second one, but Gus - though annoyed by the call - refused.
All in all, it gives me some confidence and hope going in to nationals later this month in Regina. My fellow A division competitors - including Kurt and Sean - better watch out!
I played Kurt first, who beat me out in Brandon a couple of months back. He got leads in both game one and two. I managed to come back in both to level the scores at 11 and 12, respectively, but couldn't finish either game, so lost two straight.
In my first consolation side match, I played Sean, who's an up and coming young whipper snapper. I wasn't very hopeful about how it was going to go, especially as it was a 9 AM Saturday start time. Early in game one it was going as expected, as he jumped out to a lead. But I managed to come back, got in a bit of a groove, and won the first game.
The second game I just came out on fire. I was drive serving well, and got some easy points with drive serves to the right side. I got up 11-1, and won going away.
In Sunday's consolation final, I played Gus, who I used to play regularly - about once a week - when Courts Sports was still open (it closed last year), but I haven't played him recently. When we played regularly, our games were close, so I wasn't sure what was going to happen.
But again to my surprise, I started out well, and won the first game going away. In game two, he got a lead at 8-3. I felt a bit tired, and my glove was a bit damp, so I took a timeout, changed gloves, and came back to win it, 15-8.
There was a bit of controversy late in game two as some of Gus's serves were called short. That might not have been a big deal, but as it was Open division we were playing one serve, so a short serve was a loss of serve. I thought one call was certainly right, although wasn't sure of the second. I offered to replay the second one, but Gus - though annoyed by the call - refused.
All in all, it gives me some confidence and hope going in to nationals later this month in Regina. My fellow A division competitors - including Kurt and Sean - better watch out!
May 4, 2007
Sad about, but Happy for
So, I was sad to see the Canucks go out of this year's NHL playoffs. But such is the state of my sports interest these days that I'm more happy about NBA's Golden State Warriors beating the Dallas Mavericks.
Not that I feel any particular way about either the Warriors or the Mavs, but the Mavs were the top seed in the playoffs, having the best record in the NBA this season. They were perhaps the biggest obstacle between the Phoenix Suns and an NBA championship.
Now, I want to go on record as not being a mere Suns bandwagon jumper-oner in the couple of years since they signed Steve Nash, and his career went MVP. I first liked the Suns back in the days of Paul Westphal, which is like 30-ish years ago.
Then I liked them during the Barkley years. Who doesn't like Charles? OK, OK, he's said some silly things about Golden State, but all that's a bunch of puffery - you know, tongue in cheek I'm-a-TV-commentator-so-I-must-be-outrageous kind of talk.
And I wasn't a Jordan fan, so I dearly wanted the Suns to beat the Bulls in their playoff battles.
Now, without the Mavs on the scene and eastern teams relatively weaker than those out west, it may be the Suns year. But gotta get by those Spurs first, who are no slouches. Then it'll be either the Warriors or the winner of the Rockets-Jazz game 7.
Looking forward to it.
Not that I feel any particular way about either the Warriors or the Mavs, but the Mavs were the top seed in the playoffs, having the best record in the NBA this season. They were perhaps the biggest obstacle between the Phoenix Suns and an NBA championship.
Now, I want to go on record as not being a mere Suns bandwagon jumper-oner in the couple of years since they signed Steve Nash, and his career went MVP. I first liked the Suns back in the days of Paul Westphal, which is like 30-ish years ago.
Then I liked them during the Barkley years. Who doesn't like Charles? OK, OK, he's said some silly things about Golden State, but all that's a bunch of puffery - you know, tongue in cheek I'm-a-TV-commentator-so-I-must-be-outrageous kind of talk.
And I wasn't a Jordan fan, so I dearly wanted the Suns to beat the Bulls in their playoff battles.
Now, without the Mavs on the scene and eastern teams relatively weaker than those out west, it may be the Suns year. But gotta get by those Spurs first, who are no slouches. Then it'll be either the Warriors or the winner of the Rockets-Jazz game 7.
Looking forward to it.
May 3, 2007
First day on the links
Hit the links for the first time this year yesterday. Took a snowman (an 8) on the first hole, but finished up with a 45, which is below my average of last year, so a good start to the season.
Of course, the main reason for Wednesday golf is to win loonies on the par 3s. I played them pretty well, driving two of the four on the 9 hole Canoe Club course. Sadly, other guys were inside of me, so they had the chance to putt for the dough, which they made.
But it was a nice day to be out walking about, even got a bit burned on my head and neck. And it's even nicer here today, which I took advantage of by doing a bit of raking and cutting a few branches off of a tree.
Of course, the main reason for Wednesday golf is to win loonies on the par 3s. I played them pretty well, driving two of the four on the 9 hole Canoe Club course. Sadly, other guys were inside of me, so they had the chance to putt for the dough, which they made.
But it was a nice day to be out walking about, even got a bit burned on my head and neck. And it's even nicer here today, which I took advantage of by doing a bit of raking and cutting a few branches off of a tree.
April 18, 2007
Norwegian Wood
I finished my book club book yesterday. First time I'd done this in - oh, wait, I did read Ender's Game late last year. There's less incentive to read the book club book when I'm not in the same city as the other clubbers.
Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami is set in Japan in the late '60s and focuses on Toru Watanabe, who's just starting university in Tokyo. There's a love triangle element to the story, as Watanabe is interested in one girl who was his best friend's girl until his friend committed suicide. This girl - Haoko - also has her problems, so they can't be together.
While in Tokyo, Watanabe meets Midori, a girl in his History of Drama class who is distinctly different from Haoko. They befriend each other and move towards being more than friends, but Watanabe feels a commitment to Haoko.
There is quite a bit of sex in this book - not that that's bad thing, but it more than I've read in a book for, well, I'm not sure when I've read more of it in a book.
This reminds me of a translation tale about an English Canadian novel being translated into Japanese. The translator added a sex scene into the novel - completely superfluous to the story, because apparently the Japanese expect to read about sex in their novels. One often hears of how a translation goes wrong from the original author's intention - something being "lost in translation," as it were, but to add an entire scene or episode that wasn't in the original text - i.e., to find something in translation - seems a bit much to me.
However, if Norwegian Wood is any indication Japanese books have quite a bit of sex in them. All the more reason to read another Japanese novel.
Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami is set in Japan in the late '60s and focuses on Toru Watanabe, who's just starting university in Tokyo. There's a love triangle element to the story, as Watanabe is interested in one girl who was his best friend's girl until his friend committed suicide. This girl - Haoko - also has her problems, so they can't be together.
While in Tokyo, Watanabe meets Midori, a girl in his History of Drama class who is distinctly different from Haoko. They befriend each other and move towards being more than friends, but Watanabe feels a commitment to Haoko.
There is quite a bit of sex in this book - not that that's bad thing, but it more than I've read in a book for, well, I'm not sure when I've read more of it in a book.
This reminds me of a translation tale about an English Canadian novel being translated into Japanese. The translator added a sex scene into the novel - completely superfluous to the story, because apparently the Japanese expect to read about sex in their novels. One often hears of how a translation goes wrong from the original author's intention - something being "lost in translation," as it were, but to add an entire scene or episode that wasn't in the original text - i.e., to find something in translation - seems a bit much to me.
However, if Norwegian Wood is any indication Japanese books have quite a bit of sex in them. All the more reason to read another Japanese novel.
April 12, 2007
And so it goes.
In Slaughter House Five, I believe, Kurt Vonnegut writes "And so it goes" every time a character dies.
Yesterday, Vonnegut died at 84, despite a life long smoking habit. He succumbed to injuries sustained in a fall, according to reports.
I've read several of his books, which are all interesting and worth the read. His particular style is unique, and I'm not sure that we'll see another author in the same vein: One who's satirical, and funny, yet rather than writing tomes like some other authors out there, writes little books, sometimes illustrated with a few drawings by the author.
And so it goes.
Yesterday, Vonnegut died at 84, despite a life long smoking habit. He succumbed to injuries sustained in a fall, according to reports.
I've read several of his books, which are all interesting and worth the read. His particular style is unique, and I'm not sure that we'll see another author in the same vein: One who's satirical, and funny, yet rather than writing tomes like some other authors out there, writes little books, sometimes illustrated with a few drawings by the author.
And so it goes.
April 8, 2007
"When I go out with artists..."
So, I was out with artists Saturday night. There was a fund raiser for the Winnipeg Film Group, as its their 30th anniversary (actually, it's 34 years since the WFG started, but let's never mind that).
My friend Susan's brother did one of the 5 short films that the WFG commissioned for the anniversary and they were screened at the Winnipeg Art Gallery. Very nice showing. The 5 shorts were all quite different: a comedy-musical, a black & white arty piece done on 8 mm by Guy Maddin the best known of the WFG film-makers, a compilation of old footage from around the world with new narrative, an animation bit, and the longest short was about 25 min shot in the same couple of rooms with the same couple of actors but in five different styles, including black and white film noir, and a Tarrantino-esque bit.
It was a fun evening. But especially fun was who showed up that I knew. I went with my friend Susan, but I saw a neighbor there, who's friends with the person who did the animated bit. Also, a former neighbor who knew Susan's brother from way back. And then a guy that I met when I went to dinner this past Boxing Day at friend's of my parents.
It's often said that everyone in Winnipeg knows everyone else, or at the very least the six degrees of separation that there's supposed to be between people is much lower if the people in question are Winnipeggers. Saturday night was perhaps proof of that.
My friend Susan's brother did one of the 5 short films that the WFG commissioned for the anniversary and they were screened at the Winnipeg Art Gallery. Very nice showing. The 5 shorts were all quite different: a comedy-musical, a black & white arty piece done on 8 mm by Guy Maddin the best known of the WFG film-makers, a compilation of old footage from around the world with new narrative, an animation bit, and the longest short was about 25 min shot in the same couple of rooms with the same couple of actors but in five different styles, including black and white film noir, and a Tarrantino-esque bit.
It was a fun evening. But especially fun was who showed up that I knew. I went with my friend Susan, but I saw a neighbor there, who's friends with the person who did the animated bit. Also, a former neighbor who knew Susan's brother from way back. And then a guy that I met when I went to dinner this past Boxing Day at friend's of my parents.
It's often said that everyone in Winnipeg knows everyone else, or at the very least the six degrees of separation that there's supposed to be between people is much lower if the people in question are Winnipeggers. Saturday night was perhaps proof of that.
April 1, 2007
Sunday night in Winnie
So, I'm out to the Cinematheque for two purposes. To see Venus the recent film with Peter O'Toole and more importantly to score a ticket to the 30th Anniversary event that's honoring the Winnipeg Film Group, as a friend's brother is one of the people who's short film will be screened at this gala affair.
I get there and they hold the film for me, but the fellow on the door has no idea about the gala tickets, so he can't sell me one. I settle for a ticket to Venus and some popcorn with expressed intention of buying a gala ticket after the movie.
The movie is good, and quite funny in parts. O'Toole plays an elderly actor who befriends the daughter of a fellow actor's niece, who's come to London to look for a modeling job. She's unsophisticated but cure, and O'Toole, a life-long womanizer, is more willing to play along with her than his friend is. So it goes.
But after the flick, there's no one out front to even ask about a gala ticket, so I'm hooped for that. As I'm out, I figure I'll stay out and wander over to the King's Head for a drink.
I'm looking about the bar, which has recently expanded; someone had given me the head's up on this, but I can't recall who; Steven maybe. Anyway, I'm upstairs and thinking that I'm going to go back downstairs as there's TV there where I could hopefully watch a bit of sport.
However, I realize that the tune that's playing, which I'd almost overlooked as it's so familiar to me, is by Treat Her Right; you should know how I feel about them. When I realize who's playing, I stop 'cause I have to find out who's chosen to play them, as the whole first album is playing so it's no mistake.
I ask the barman for a pint of Big Rock Traditional Ale, and who's chosen the music. He says that he's playing the tunes.
So, I talk to Glen about Treat Her Right for awhile, and how we came to know them and some other musical interests we have. Very cool.
But that's what it's like here in Winnipeg on a Sunday.
I get there and they hold the film for me, but the fellow on the door has no idea about the gala tickets, so he can't sell me one. I settle for a ticket to Venus and some popcorn with expressed intention of buying a gala ticket after the movie.
The movie is good, and quite funny in parts. O'Toole plays an elderly actor who befriends the daughter of a fellow actor's niece, who's come to London to look for a modeling job. She's unsophisticated but cure, and O'Toole, a life-long womanizer, is more willing to play along with her than his friend is. So it goes.
But after the flick, there's no one out front to even ask about a gala ticket, so I'm hooped for that. As I'm out, I figure I'll stay out and wander over to the King's Head for a drink.
I'm looking about the bar, which has recently expanded; someone had given me the head's up on this, but I can't recall who; Steven maybe. Anyway, I'm upstairs and thinking that I'm going to go back downstairs as there's TV there where I could hopefully watch a bit of sport.
However, I realize that the tune that's playing, which I'd almost overlooked as it's so familiar to me, is by Treat Her Right; you should know how I feel about them. When I realize who's playing, I stop 'cause I have to find out who's chosen to play them, as the whole first album is playing so it's no mistake.
I ask the barman for a pint of Big Rock Traditional Ale, and who's chosen the music. He says that he's playing the tunes.
So, I talk to Glen about Treat Her Right for awhile, and how we came to know them and some other musical interests we have. Very cool.
But that's what it's like here in Winnipeg on a Sunday.
March 20, 2007
If I had a sledgehammer...
...I'd use it on all the London call boxes. They don't work mostly anyway, so there'd be little effect on the 'service.'
Spent about an hour trying to make a call yesterday from a pay phone here in London, and the hit rate was 2 working phones in 9 I think. And it seems the time you get for the minimum money that you put in for a call is, well, just that: minimum. About 4 sec for 40 p.
I spent about 2 pounds (C$4.50) for about 60 sec of calling time. Ridiculous.
Spent about an hour trying to make a call yesterday from a pay phone here in London, and the hit rate was 2 working phones in 9 I think. And it seems the time you get for the minimum money that you put in for a call is, well, just that: minimum. About 4 sec for 40 p.
I spent about 2 pounds (C$4.50) for about 60 sec of calling time. Ridiculous.
March 13, 2007
How could that be there? - Home Photo Exhibit VI
Recently, I saw something in my house I'd never seen before. I was looking at the stuff up on a high shelf in the kitchen, and there I found a wall outlet. What the hell is an outlet doing 6 inches from the ceiling?!
Just another example of things about my house that boggle my mind.
The outlet is just above the top shelf of the cupboard by that large sieve.
Just another example of things about my house that boggle my mind.
The outlet is just above the top shelf of the cupboard by that large sieve.
March 5, 2007
Not according to the instructions
One of the things that is talked about in Winnipeg every so often is when IKEA is coming to town. I think people have been wondering about this since I was a teen. I don't think it's happening anytime soon for various reasons.
But if one does appear on the scene, then I could take home some funky, cool Scandy stuff and make it even funkier and cooler, like the IKEA Hacker.
God love the creative people.
But if one does appear on the scene, then I could take home some funky, cool Scandy stuff and make it even funkier and cooler, like the IKEA Hacker.
God love the creative people.
February 26, 2007
What Ellen should have said
The Academy Awards happened last night, and I didn't watch it other than a couple of looks in. Not that interested in watching the show. Sort of interested in who won, but don't need to see the show.
But I was thinking that what Ellen DeGeneres should have said to open the show was something like this:
I'm proud to be hosting this year's Academy Awards, because I think it's high time the Academy have someone host the show representing a group of people responsible for millions of dollars of Hollywood box office. I speak - of course - for the dumb blonde! Oh, you think Hollywood hasn't made money off us? Just, just, look at this!
Then a montage of Hollywood dumb blonde characters rolls, perhaps with Ellen cut into the scenes somehow, making dumb blonde kind of comments.
Would have got a laugh I think.
But I was thinking that what Ellen DeGeneres should have said to open the show was something like this:
I'm proud to be hosting this year's Academy Awards, because I think it's high time the Academy have someone host the show representing a group of people responsible for millions of dollars of Hollywood box office. I speak - of course - for the dumb blonde! Oh, you think Hollywood hasn't made money off us? Just, just, look at this!
Then a montage of Hollywood dumb blonde characters rolls, perhaps with Ellen cut into the scenes somehow, making dumb blonde kind of comments.
Would have got a laugh I think.
February 22, 2007
February 20, 2007
I'm just braggin'
I'm in a Premiership Predictor pool on the Sportsnet website, which asks people to predict the outcomes - win, lose, or draw - of the Premiership football matches each week. In the last game week, I was #1! A few people were tied with me, but still.
They also divide the stats up by first half and second half (i.e., first 17 weeks and then the second 17), and I'm the second half leader! Woo! I think there have been three game weeks in the second half, so it's still early days.
Nevertheless, it's better to be number 1 than say, #4480, which is my rank for the first half games, so overall I'm #3163. Not so great.
But that's better than those Molehill Grinders!
They also divide the stats up by first half and second half (i.e., first 17 weeks and then the second 17), and I'm the second half leader! Woo! I think there have been three game weeks in the second half, so it's still early days.
Nevertheless, it's better to be number 1 than say, #4480, which is my rank for the first half games, so overall I'm #3163. Not so great.
But that's better than those Molehill Grinders!
February 19, 2007
New Listen to New Adventures in Hi-Fi
I put R.E.M.'s New Adventures in Hi-Fi on a couple of days ago, and I have to say that I was more than impressed. My general impression of R.E.M. has been that they have made better songs than albums.
I'd bought New Adventures in Hi-Fi for the song "Bittersweet me", which I absolutely love. I was never impressed by "E-Bow the letter," and I'm still not. But there are other good tracks such as the opener "How the west was won and where it got us."
I remember listening again to Automatic for the people after seeing R.E.M. in concert here a couple years back. I was also duly impressed with that album, so maybe my low judgment of R.E.M. as an album band needs some revising.
I'd bought New Adventures in Hi-Fi for the song "Bittersweet me", which I absolutely love. I was never impressed by "E-Bow the letter," and I'm still not. But there are other good tracks such as the opener "How the west was won and where it got us."
I remember listening again to Automatic for the people after seeing R.E.M. in concert here a couple years back. I was also duly impressed with that album, so maybe my low judgment of R.E.M. as an album band needs some revising.
February 16, 2007
Nutmegged?
In the BBC report of Newcastle's glorious victory 1-3 over Zulte-Waregem of Belgium in Gent, it states the following.
"The home side had their tails up for the five minutes that followed the goal, but a cheeky individual strike from Sibierski ended stifled the Waregem revival.
After picking up a pass from Martins on the edge of the area, Sibierski nutmegged a defender before rounding Merlier to give the Magpies their third away goal and possibly a passage into the next round of the Uefa Cup."
My question is what is it to nutmeg someone? I've never heard of that before.
I only know nutmeg as a spice that's often used in Christmas baking, not that I do any of that.
"The home side had their tails up for the five minutes that followed the goal, but a cheeky individual strike from Sibierski ended stifled the Waregem revival.
After picking up a pass from Martins on the edge of the area, Sibierski nutmegged a defender before rounding Merlier to give the Magpies their third away goal and possibly a passage into the next round of the Uefa Cup."
My question is what is it to nutmeg someone? I've never heard of that before.
I only know nutmeg as a spice that's often used in Christmas baking, not that I do any of that.
February 14, 2007
Don't mess with me!
Your results:
You are Magneto
Click here to take the Supervillain Personality Quiz
You are Magneto
| You fear the persecution of those that are different or underprivileged so much that you are willing to fight and hurt others for your cause. |
Click here to take the Supervillain Personality Quiz
February 13, 2007
February 1, 2007
I just KNEW I was a warm and fuzzy kind of guy!
Mostly Hobbes You are 20% Calvin and 80% Hobbes |
You've got elements of both Calvin and Hobbes, but over all, your sensible side wins out over your wild streak, and you tend toward the tiger. As the picture below indicates, the head is the first place that people usually turn to the darkside (i.e. Calvin): symptoms include irresponsible behavior and crazy ideas. You're liable to both. But beneath that you have a heart, a sensitive side, and this more often than not carries the day. |
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My test tracked 2 variables How you compared to other people your age and gender:
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| Link: The Calvin Or Hobbes Test written by gwendolynbooks on OkCupid Free Online Dating, home of the The Dating Persona Test |
January 30, 2007
Rice it up
I've cooked rice a few times now, as I found I quite like it. Now, I knew I liked rice before, but I hadn't really cooked it other than making risotto, which I've done a couple of times.
But rice is nice. I have a little pot that works well for the job and then I sautee some vegetables and throw the rice into them when it's finished cooking to mix it all up.
Thing about rice, of course, is that you can and stuff to it to make it taste many different ways. Today I used half apple juice and half water as the cooking liquid. When I tasted the rice to see it was done, I thought the AJ had made it too sweet, but in the end it was fine.
Last time I'd added celery salt to the rice when it was cooking, which gave it a nice savory taste in the end. I'm going to do that again for sure.
But rice is nice. I have a little pot that works well for the job and then I sautee some vegetables and throw the rice into them when it's finished cooking to mix it all up.
Thing about rice, of course, is that you can and stuff to it to make it taste many different ways. Today I used half apple juice and half water as the cooking liquid. When I tasted the rice to see it was done, I thought the AJ had made it too sweet, but in the end it was fine.
Last time I'd added celery salt to the rice when it was cooking, which gave it a nice savory taste in the end. I'm going to do that again for sure.
January 17, 2007
Photos of Home
I visited my cousins Doug and Phyllis on Sunday night in Vancouver. Phyllis said that she had done the four embroidery pieces on their wall. I told her that my mom did some way back in the '70s. They're still on the wall of my bedroom, although I'm planning to change what's on that wall (as I'm only planning it, they'll probably be there for a couple more years still).
Here they are:
This one I like. It's a nice simple pattern with good colours. It's about 12" by 8" or so.
This I'm not so thrilled with. There's less embroidery per inch of display, which is bigger maybe 18" by 12". And looking at the different types of stiches used, I'm thinking that it might have been a training kind of exercise as there are several different stitch types.
Here they are:
This one I like. It's a nice simple pattern with good colours. It's about 12" by 8" or so.
This I'm not so thrilled with. There's less embroidery per inch of display, which is bigger maybe 18" by 12". And looking at the different types of stiches used, I'm thinking that it might have been a training kind of exercise as there are several different stitch types.
January 9, 2007
At least they got her name right
I do the press releases for Racquetball Canada. Occaisionally, there are errors. Like when I'm off by a day on the date, or omit something. But when large news organizations get things wrong, as The Toronto Star did here, well it's just an instance that lets me know that even the big guys err sometimes.
But I'll still be annoyed at my next mistake.
But I'll still be annoyed at my next mistake.
January 4, 2007
U2 by U2
Picked up the U2 by U2 book from the library today. It's good. The text is compiled from interviews with the four band members as well as their manager, Paul McGuinness, and it's set in set up as a chronology.
Haven't read the whole thing, but I'm thinking it'd be worth buying.
I've always liked U2. I recall when their first album was played on 92 CITI FM, back in the heyday of that station. Then War came out and I was hooked.
Haven't read the whole thing, but I'm thinking it'd be worth buying.
I've always liked U2. I recall when their first album was played on 92 CITI FM, back in the heyday of that station. Then War came out and I was hooked.
January 2, 2007
What's up at the Joe?
Watched the last of the Wings-Ducks game tonight. It was Steve Yzerman night, so they had retired his jersey at the beginning of the night.
But in watching the game, I was struck by how quiet it was. I don't know why that was, although towards the end of the game the deafening silence might have come from the fact there were so many empty seats.
Why were there empty seats? It was sold out - so they said - because of Stevie Y night. The opponents were arguably the best team in the league so far this season (the Anaheim Ducks have dropped the Mighty from their name, only to become so on the ice). It was only a one goal difference with four plus minutes to play, so it wasn't a blow out.
Yet in following the play, many empty seats were evident in the first dozen or whatever rows from the glass.
And this is in Hockey Town?
I suppose I should also say that the same thing was in evidence for the two games that I saw down in Phoenix. That is, there were many empty seats at Coyote games too. This makes me wonder about the financial health of these franchises and the league in general.
Those empty seats could be paid for by corporate folks, who aren't really interested in being at the games and get a tax credit or write-off for their purchase. But if so, what is it saying about your sport when the main way you make money is by selling tickets to people who don't
actually want to be there?
But in watching the game, I was struck by how quiet it was. I don't know why that was, although towards the end of the game the deafening silence might have come from the fact there were so many empty seats.
Why were there empty seats? It was sold out - so they said - because of Stevie Y night. The opponents were arguably the best team in the league so far this season (the Anaheim Ducks have dropped the Mighty from their name, only to become so on the ice). It was only a one goal difference with four plus minutes to play, so it wasn't a blow out.
Yet in following the play, many empty seats were evident in the first dozen or whatever rows from the glass.
And this is in Hockey Town?
I suppose I should also say that the same thing was in evidence for the two games that I saw down in Phoenix. That is, there were many empty seats at Coyote games too. This makes me wonder about the financial health of these franchises and the league in general.
Those empty seats could be paid for by corporate folks, who aren't really interested in being at the games and get a tax credit or write-off for their purchase. But if so, what is it saying about your sport when the main way you make money is by selling tickets to people who don't
actually want to be there?
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