Monday, October 30, 2006

A la weekend

On Saturday, I offered my fire tech safety skills for Radiant Heat for their two performances at the the Parade of Lost Souls at Granview Park. The show consisted of scafolding risers with poi spinners, stilters, fire breathers, hoopers, staffers, sword fights, and a headless horseman. The shows were fantastic!

Afterwards, we hung out at Todd and Fyrespryte's place to chill and relax. It had been a long day. They have a beautiful view of downtown Vancouver from their balcony. Then we all went over to Amanda and Geoff's spooky Halloween party. Their living room was decorated eerily with cobwebs, ghosts, limbs, and tombstones. We chilled for a bit before I headed home. I did not end up making the rounds to other house parties.

 

On Sunday, I met up with Fasty, Gia, and their friend Wanda for Indian buffet at Saffron in Burnaby. The food was delicious and not too spicy. A great deal for $10 bucks. We went back to Fasty & Gia's and watched their wedding video. It was so wonderful to see it because I was not there with them at the first wedding. We hung out and looked at pictures for a bit. Then we went to look at a two bedroom for sale near Central Park. It is amazing how much condos go for in the Greater Vancouver Area. Gia's sister just purchased a three bedroom, three bathroom townhouse near Cambridge for under $200k. Yeah, yeah you cannot compare the markets and prices, but one has to wonder how one will ever be able to afford a one bedroom condo in Vancouver with the prices escalating (highest prices in Canada).

In the evening, we chilled and watched American History X. This film had been on my rental list for years. I can see why so many film critics and fans say this movie is one of the best contemporary movies ever made. Not too mention Edward Norton looks great and lusty as a bad-ass testosterone alpha male skinhead.

 

Friday, October 27, 2006

Bill Maher

Oct 16, 2006 - nyc

bill maher might have his shortcomings, but his epistles are always really good.
-moby

Oct. 13, 2006 | If you think the worst thing Congress doesn't
protect young people from is Mark Foley, wake up and smell the
burning planet. The ice caps are cracking, the coral reefs are
bleaching, and we're losing two species an hour. The birds have
bird flu, the cows have mad cow, and our poisoned groundwater has
turned spinach into a side dish of mass destruction. Our schools
are shooting galleries, our beaches are cancer wards, and under
George W. Bush -- for the first time in 45 years -- our country's
infant mortality rate actually went up.

Read the labels on your food. It turns out the healthiest thing
you can put in your body is Mark Foley's penis. He was probably
the first fruit those pages ever came into contact with that
wasn't drenched in pesticide.

But that's America for you -- a red herring culture, always
scared of the wrong things. The fact is, there are a lot of
creepy middle-aged men out there lusting for your kids. They work
for MTV, the pharmaceutical industry, McDonald's, Marlboro and K
Street. And recently, there's been a rash of strangers making
their way onto school campuses and targeting our children for
death. They're called military recruiters.

More young Americans were crippled in Iraq last month than in any
month in the past three years. And the scandal is that Mark Foley
wants to show them a good time before they go? When will our
closeted gay congressmen learn? Our boys aren't for pleasure.
They're for cannon fodder. They shouldn't be another notch on
your bedpost. They should be a comma in Bush's war. If I hear a
zipper, it had better be on a body bag.

Why aren't Democrats and the media hammering away every day about
who we're supposed to be fighting for over there and what the
plan is. Yes, Mark Foley was wrong to ask teenagers how long
their penises were -- but at least someone on Capitol Hill was
asking questions. We're the predators. Because we have an entire
economy built on asking young people what they want, making the
cheapest, sleaziest form of it they'll accept, and selling it to
them until they choke on it and die.

You know who's grabbing your kids at too young an age? Merck,
Pfizer and GlaxoSmithKline, by convincing you they're depressed,
hyperactive or suffering from attention-deficit disorder and so
they must all get medicated. The drug dealers hooking your kids
aren't in South America, they're in the halls of Congress handing
out campaign donations to your congressmen. Mark Foley says he
never slept with those kids, and I believe him, because American
children are so hopped up on pills I doubt any of them could get
it up.

From 1995 to 2002, the number of children prescribed
antipsychotic drugs increased by over 400 percent. Either our
children are going insane -- which we might look on as a problem
-- or, more likely, we have, for profit, created a nation of
little junkies. So stop already with the righteous moral
indignation about predators -- this whole country is trying to
get inside your kid's pants because that's where he keeps the
money Daddy gave him to stay out of his hair.

I don't care if Mark Foley had been asking boys to describe their
penises because I have some sad news for you: Your kid is so
larded out on Cheetos and Yoo-hoo, he can't even see his penis.
We live in a country where the ultimate consumer is an obese 16-
year-old hooked up at one end to a Big Gulp and at the other to a
PlayStation. So many of our kids today are fat drug addicts, it's
almost as if Rush Limbaugh had had puppies.

In conclusion, we can pretend that the biggest threat to "our
children" is some creep on the Internet, or we can admit it's Mom
and Dad. When your son can't find France on a map, or touch his
toes with his hands, or understand that the ads on TV are lying
-- including the one in which the Marine turns into Lancelot --
then the person fucking him is you.

-- By Bill Maher

From: Moby.com

 

Wednesday, October 25, 2006

Eviction On the Horizon?

Less than a month ago, our low-rise building in Kitsilano was sold. A neighbour informed me the other day that the new owner let it slip that he is planning on renovating the building to charge higher rents. He can evict us with 2 months notice. I checked online at the Rental Tenancy Office and I think this is true. I would hope it would be 6 months (better vacancy options in April because of the students finishing), but it looks like the tenancy law in this area is weak.

I have lived in this building for 6 years and love the location and building itself. I half expected the rents to increase with the new owner, but I never expected I may be out on my ass in Christmas. I read all the time in the local newspapers how landlords are evicting people to renovate in order to charge higher rents because of the economic boom. Nonetheless, you never expect it will happen to you and you may be homeless. I hope I can find something in time. I think the earliest we will be out is February 2007, but one never knows.

Listening to: Barenaked Ladies - If I Had A $1,000,000

 

Monday, October 23, 2006

Annual Brupper, Pumpkin Carving and Work Less Party

The month has been good so far with the odd low points relating to calculus homework. On Friday, I went to Leanne's birthday party at the Yaletown Brew Company. After waiting for almost an hour for our reservation, we sat down. Almost everyone had thin-crust pizza. It was interesting being surrounded by people with Masters degrees in Psychology. It was also great meeting new people who I could engage in good conversation with other than the regular ho-hum topics.

Afterwards, we went over to dance and drink at the pub next door to the restaurant. This Samuel Jackson-type charming middle-aged man came over and tried to buy us drinks. I politely declined. He was with two other gentlemen from New York. He was taking them out for a night on the town and hoping to "get laid". Overall, a fun night.

On Saturday, my brother came into town with my cousin. We hung out with our cousins at the BC Lions street fair at Robson and Beatty Streets. After, we went to Bazaar Novelty to check out the Halloween costumes and decorations. For dinner, we went for Japanese at Clubhouse. It was great to see him and catch up. While our cousins went to the BC Lions football game, we went down to Trout Lake to watch people spin fire. The fog was heavy and we half expected zombies to come out of the trees chanting brains.

On Sunday, Leanne had her annual Brupper Day (brunch + supper). She cooked up a slab of pancakes. People brought various toppings including oreos, jelly bellys, strawberries, apples, bananas, whipped topping, jams and syrups. Surprisingly, every pancake was declicious (must have been made with *love*). I enjoyed the banana and cinnamon.

 

The previous weekend, I went to Katia's pumpkin carving party. Met some wonderful new folks and we sat on the folded out futon and chatted. The pumpkins turned out great.

On the Saturday, we went to the Work Less Party. Had a blast, lots of great costumes and a variety of fabulous entertainment including bands UFOMP, Carnival Band and Freeflow, belly dancing by Dance Bellys, body painted performance art, and the B:C:Clettes.

Now, if I can only get the momentum to work on my Safari Guide costume for next Saturday's Parade of Lost Souls. I will be providing fire tech safety for the fire show featuring Radiant Heat.

Listening to: K-Os - Love Song

 

Thursday, October 12, 2006

Cambridge, Ontario and Fasty & Gia's Wedding

I went to Cambridge, Ontario for Fasty & Gia's wedding on Thanksgiving weekend.

It was such a pleasure to attend the wedding and meet both of their families. I learned a lot about Portuguese culture and family spirit. There was plenty of feasting and festivities. I was officially adopted by Gia's father into his family.

The day of the wedding, Gia's sister rented a Rolls Royce limo and we rode around in it while we had our hair and makeup done. Fall is so beautiful in Ontario. The trees were brushed with reds, oranges, and yellows.

I was nervous about speaking at the wedding (first wedding speech ever). But it went over very well and I received compliments. Not only did I make Gia cry, but her father as well. I kept it all together during the ceremony and speeches, but I completely lost all composure during their first dance to Peter Gabriel's In Your Eyes.

Being at the wedding and staying with Gia's family really encouraged me to find someone to spend the rest of my life with and build a relationship that is based on a foundation of committment, respect, loyalty, and communication.

All the couples on both sides near my age range never fought and you could feel the connection of love, support, and happiness between each. Lots of little ones too. I got to spend some memorable and fun moments with Fasty's niece.

Listening to: Lee Ann Womack - I Hope You Dance

 

Wednesday, October 04, 2006

Tourism Vancouver Open House

After work, I went down to Tourism Vancouver for their annual Open House. The place was jammed packed with folks from hotels, restaurants, landmarks and various affiliates including our company. I put a few faces to names and got to sample tasty bites from Red Door Pan Asian Grill, Bridge House from Capilano Suspenion Bridge, and Canadian Maple Delights. I sampled another place that had delicious pumpkin cheesecake, but cannot remember the name of the establishment.

The wine and beer were flowing from Vintropolis, Doolin's Irish Pub, Steamworks Brewing Co., and other fine places. Unfortunately, I had to go home and pack for tomorrow's flight to Cambridge, Ontario for Fasty & Gia's wedding.

I very exhausted. Work is crazy and school is going full speed. I have one midterm out of three done. I am looking forward to the long weekend. I also get to spend Thanksgiving with Gia's family. I heard her mom is a very good cook. It is not often I get home cooking!

Tomorrow will be a very long day. I have corporate HR training downtown at a hotel, then work, night school, and then take a cab to the airport for my flight. Hopefully, I can sleep on the plane.

Have a great long weekend everyone. Thanks to Poiboy for cat sitting.

Listening to: Peter Gabriel - In Your Eyes

 

Tuesday, October 03, 2006

A la weekend

Another great weekend with great weather. Yay Indian summer! On Saturday, K8, Amanda and I organized a beautiful 50s-themed shower for Gia. It was such a blast! The boys crashed it afterwards for a Hanky Panky toy party. Then the party got into full swing with music, lights and brie.

The only thing that went wrong that day was my car got a flat tire. I almost did not make it to the shower. I had to stop and add air to my tire.

On Sunday, we went to Bon's for breakfast at Nanaimo and Broadway. We just beat the hungover lineup. I had the Western omlette which was decent. A older security guard went around filling up people's cups of coffee.

After that, BT, Geoff and I played Zigity while we waited for BCAA to come and put on the spare on my car. I have never played this card game before, but it was lots of fun. Great to find another person that likes to play cards and board games.

While some went to see Jackass II, the rest of us went to Memphis Blues on The Drive for dinner. I ordered the half order of ribs and ate only half of it. All is good though because I got to eat it for dinner the next day. Rolled home on my spare (thanks BT!) and proceeded to get horizontal with the cats and watched the Sunday lineup.

Listening to: Colin James - Just Came Back To Say Goodbye