I'm finished. Everything is moved. The old place is pretty much clean. And I'm exhausted.
The new place is awesome. Lots of space. Maybe a little too much. But I still have a lot to do around here so this will be brief. I'll update again in a couple of days. It's sleepy time now.
Cheers.
Sunday, January 28, 2007
Sunday, December 31, 2006
Looking in on the New Year.
Well it's New Year's Eve. It's almost 6:00 am here and I should have been asleep hours ago. But a heavy dose of "My Name is Earl" on DVD as well as 5 hours of Zelda will keep a guy up. It's all good though, as it's almost 2007 and I have a big year planned and I'm utilizing my waking hours working on the details. 2006 was a good year with plenty of ups and downs as well as a lot of changes, and I'm hoping to make 2007 a great year. There's always room for improvements and this coming year I'd like to make some. Better health, more comic work produced, a girlfriend, and continued success at Karate are all on the agenda. I have some great project ideas in my head that I would like to make a reality, and I'd like to improve my physique in time for summer. There's opportunity to fight in the upcoming tournaments and I would like to do well if I compete. And my love life could use, well....a life! Once I get organized and settled into the new place I'm going to make an effort to get a relationship going. One step at a time :)
So here's to 2006 being a good year for change, and to 2007 continuing improvement!!
Happy New Year everyone. See you next year. Take care.
So here's to 2006 being a good year for change, and to 2007 continuing improvement!!
Happy New Year everyone. See you next year. Take care.
Thursday, December 28, 2006
Rest in Peace Uncle Steve.
Today is one of those days that can put a real damper on the holidays. After having a busy but great last couple of days spending time with my family and celebrating Christmas, I received a phone call from my father around 8:30 that brought everything to a crashing halt. My uncle Steve died today. He was found dead on a C-Train downtown around 5 o'clock. Although nothing has been formally told to anybody, the initial cause of death seems to lead to one conclusion: He died of a broken heart.
Unfortunately though that's not the first thing asked when told of his passing. You see, my uncle had a problem. He couldn't say no to a drink. For the last 20 years at a progressive rate he lived out of a bottle. It ruined his career, his home life, and even took a toll on our relationship. Growing up I idolized him. He was the coolest uncle a boy could ever have. He took me to all kinds of cool places, let me have sleepovers when I came to Calgary for visits, and he always had a cool girlfriend who was nice to look at and nice to me. He was the absolute bachelor, living life care-free. He worked as a carpenter for as long as I can remember and was really good at what he did. But he drank all the time. A lot. And in the end it may have killed him.
In the last 10 - 15 years he really punished his body. He had a falling out with his common-law wife, left the house he helped build, and spent more time drunk than he did sober. He hit rock bottom, and ended up living on the streets. People tried to help him, from friends to family. And at one point he seemed to be turning around. But he slipped, and this time he never got back up.
I've spent the better part of a decade angry at him. We had a falling out what seems like a lifetime ago over money. I used to rent a basement suite from him and Kathy, his common-law wife. Things were good at first; I lived downstairs from the coolest guys in the world. But unfortunately I got to see a side of him I never knew before. After awhile things started to fall apart downstairs. I had an insect problem that was never addressed. His and Kathy's children would terrorize around the house and wake me at all hours of the day and night. And when they drank, Kathy and Steve did nothing but fight. So I gave my notice and moved. With the help of my mom we cleaned the place and left it spotless. And that's when Steve nailed the coffin shut in our relationship. He owed me $350 for damage deposit. And he stiffed me on it. He came up with every excuse he could as to why he wasn't going to give it to me. And at the time I needed it for my new place, so it left me in quite a bind. But more than that it left me with anger and resentment towards a man I used to look up to.
Ten plus years I stayed mad at him. Didn't bother to talk to him. And then one day I had to.
My father gave me some money that he needed me to deliver to my uncle because he was in a bind. Dad couldn't get away from work and I had time so he asked me if for one day, the five minutes it took to drive to where Steve was, if I could just put aside my anger for the man and help him out. Reluctantly I agreed to do it. The whole way over all I could think about is how pissed off I still felt about everything and how good it was going to feel to look down at Steve when I gave him his "handout". But when I arrived and he came out to the car all those thoughts went away.
I didn't recognize the man who came to the car. He sat down beside me, and when I looked at him he looked like he had aged 50 years. He looked so tired and old. And instead of looking down on him, I felt like crying inside. I put away my anger and talked to him. He wasn't the same. His life in the bottle had destroyed him and all that was left was a shell of the man he used to be. I felt so sad for him and gave him the money dad sent. As he was getting out of the car I wished him well. I didn't know what else to say. That was 2 years ago. It was the last time I would ever talk to him.
I'm crying as I write this for two reasons. First, I remember all the good times we had when I was young and how much the time we spent together meant to me. He was the coolest guy in the world to me and I looked up to him. And secondly, and most importantly, because a month and a half ago I seen Steve downtown when I was working. He looked a lot better than the last time I saw him. I was going to approach him and say hi, but he was talking to a lady and I didn't want to interupt him. I also didn't know what to say, so rather than take the time to at least say hi, I didn't say anything at all.
I'll never get that chance again.
Rest in Peace Uncle Steve. I'm sorry I never got over the shit between us. More sorry then you'll ever know.
Unfortunately though that's not the first thing asked when told of his passing. You see, my uncle had a problem. He couldn't say no to a drink. For the last 20 years at a progressive rate he lived out of a bottle. It ruined his career, his home life, and even took a toll on our relationship. Growing up I idolized him. He was the coolest uncle a boy could ever have. He took me to all kinds of cool places, let me have sleepovers when I came to Calgary for visits, and he always had a cool girlfriend who was nice to look at and nice to me. He was the absolute bachelor, living life care-free. He worked as a carpenter for as long as I can remember and was really good at what he did. But he drank all the time. A lot. And in the end it may have killed him.
In the last 10 - 15 years he really punished his body. He had a falling out with his common-law wife, left the house he helped build, and spent more time drunk than he did sober. He hit rock bottom, and ended up living on the streets. People tried to help him, from friends to family. And at one point he seemed to be turning around. But he slipped, and this time he never got back up.
I've spent the better part of a decade angry at him. We had a falling out what seems like a lifetime ago over money. I used to rent a basement suite from him and Kathy, his common-law wife. Things were good at first; I lived downstairs from the coolest guys in the world. But unfortunately I got to see a side of him I never knew before. After awhile things started to fall apart downstairs. I had an insect problem that was never addressed. His and Kathy's children would terrorize around the house and wake me at all hours of the day and night. And when they drank, Kathy and Steve did nothing but fight. So I gave my notice and moved. With the help of my mom we cleaned the place and left it spotless. And that's when Steve nailed the coffin shut in our relationship. He owed me $350 for damage deposit. And he stiffed me on it. He came up with every excuse he could as to why he wasn't going to give it to me. And at the time I needed it for my new place, so it left me in quite a bind. But more than that it left me with anger and resentment towards a man I used to look up to.
Ten plus years I stayed mad at him. Didn't bother to talk to him. And then one day I had to.
My father gave me some money that he needed me to deliver to my uncle because he was in a bind. Dad couldn't get away from work and I had time so he asked me if for one day, the five minutes it took to drive to where Steve was, if I could just put aside my anger for the man and help him out. Reluctantly I agreed to do it. The whole way over all I could think about is how pissed off I still felt about everything and how good it was going to feel to look down at Steve when I gave him his "handout". But when I arrived and he came out to the car all those thoughts went away.
I didn't recognize the man who came to the car. He sat down beside me, and when I looked at him he looked like he had aged 50 years. He looked so tired and old. And instead of looking down on him, I felt like crying inside. I put away my anger and talked to him. He wasn't the same. His life in the bottle had destroyed him and all that was left was a shell of the man he used to be. I felt so sad for him and gave him the money dad sent. As he was getting out of the car I wished him well. I didn't know what else to say. That was 2 years ago. It was the last time I would ever talk to him.
I'm crying as I write this for two reasons. First, I remember all the good times we had when I was young and how much the time we spent together meant to me. He was the coolest guy in the world to me and I looked up to him. And secondly, and most importantly, because a month and a half ago I seen Steve downtown when I was working. He looked a lot better than the last time I saw him. I was going to approach him and say hi, but he was talking to a lady and I didn't want to interupt him. I also didn't know what to say, so rather than take the time to at least say hi, I didn't say anything at all.
I'll never get that chance again.
Rest in Peace Uncle Steve. I'm sorry I never got over the shit between us. More sorry then you'll ever know.
Sunday, December 17, 2006
I survived!
Hello all. Well, as I said in my last post, this weekend was very busy. But I made it, and had a great time!
On Saturday I left the house around 7:30 to go to Mackenzie Lake and help set up the tournament. We had everything set up and ready to go in a little over an hour and the team selections and fighting began shortly there after. I was put onto Team 2, and being that I was fighting in the knockdown rounds I had quite the wait until I fought. Each person had roughly 2 fights (some more, some less) and we started the day off with the non-contact fighting for children and beginners. Everyone went out and did there best and to my knowledge made it through relatively unscathed.
I had to wait until 2 minutes before my first fight to find out who it was I was going to fight. First up was big Rudy, one of the kids/adult class members who trains with his daughter mostly in the intermediate class. He's tall and strong and doesn't fight much but he sure gives it his all when he is fighting. So I figured I would have my work cut out for me. Before we fought however, we (all the contact fighters) were advised to not go out and try and "kill" each other as no one wants to spends the holidays in pain. Sensei specifically told me that if it seems like I'm dominating the fight to back off a bit and don't hurt anybody. Good advice all around. Like I had mentioned before this tournament is geared to be fun and a good learning tournament; nobody needs to take it for any more than that. So in the ring I went. We were given 1 1/2 minutes to fight (most other tournament are 2 minute rounds, 3 for open division) and it took me that long to get into it. I didn't go near as hard as I could in this fight to start, and Sensei yelled at me to go harder so I stepped it up a bit. Like I said, Rudy is big and strong, but he seemed somewhat intimidated and I used that to move him around the mat and set up for my uchi mawashi keage (outside hooking axe kick) that I use in color belt fighting. It's a great kick to throw as it's easy to control for light contact to the head (which is a rule in color belt fights) and most opponents don't see it coming. It worked really well for me in each of my 3 fights in this tournament. I scored a wasari (1/2 point) against Rudy mid-way through the fight and then utilized my punches and low kicks to keep him on the move for the remainder, thus scoring 2 points for my team with the win.
Next up I fought my friend Gary, who fights and trains regularly with us fighters and fights in the 35 and over division in most of our tournaments. Gary is good at sneaking in jodan mawashi geri (high round house kick) when you least expect it so I knew I had to keep my guard up. This fight was a bit of a comedy of errors as Gary appeared to have scored a wasari by sneaking in his jodan mawashi geri but my guard was up so it appeared that I blocked it. To make matters worse for Gary I caught him unintentionally in the bridge of the nose with a finger (it scratched him and he started to bleed) while blocking one of his tecniques and he followed up the kick by immediately punching me in the face! That's a foul in our style and is usually rewarded with a chui (warning). The judges had to converse for a moment to decide what just happened. It was decided that the scoring kick was unconfirmed by the judges but that the punch was a foul and Gary was given a chui. I immediately went to work on his lower body throwing kicks to his inner and other thigh, one of which caught him a bit high as he was trying to move. This would normally be considered a foul on my part, but because I threw it towards his inner thigh and he moved into it he was considered at fault and no call was made. The fight stopped to give Gary a moment to recover and he came at me with more intensity once the fight started again. But I used this against him and then set him up when his hands dropped and caught him with a uchi mawashi keage. This not only earned me a 1/2 point, but also victory and another 2 points for my team as the time ran out on our fight. It's too bad we weren't given more time as it felt like both of us were just starting to get into a rhythm when the fight ended.
I wasn't sure if I was going to get to fight again but luckily for me Sensei Brad had one last fight set up. I was going to get to fight my good friend Stein in what would be my best fight of the day. Stein is a young strong fighter who continues to impress me with his constant growth as a fighter. We train with each other a lot and he always gives me a good workout. The fight started off as I would have expected, with both of us working low to set up for a high kick to score. I knew that Stein wasn't going to try and stand toe to toe and risk taking any damage from my punches and low kicks, so I used this to push him back and set him up for uchi mawashi keage which I scored with about 30 seconds into the fight. Now I know how I used to get whenever I was down a 1/2 point early in the fight and I knew Stein would do the same thing: go to the head as much as possible to get the point back. The problem with this is you stop fighting a smart fight and give your opponent too many clues as to what your game plan is and it becomes quite easy to defend against this type of attack. I spent the rest of the fight pushing Stein back and doing my best to block the flurry of high kicks that he threw my way. The fight remained back and for on offense/defense with Stein trying desperately to score the point back and force and extention, but he ran out of time and I scored 2 more points for my team. I liked this fight a lot as it was more physical then my previous 2 fights, but not to the degree that anyone was going to walk away hurt. It was more technical then my other fights and proved to me that Stein is a strong fighter who will only get better. Overall it was great to fight all three guys as I've never fought any of them in a tournament setting before and it was great to know that we could all go out there and put on a good show for the folks in attendance. And no one was hurt, which always makes me happy as fights in our style can be very physically demanding and there is always a chance of injury.
In the end, everyone had a good time and those who had never fought in a tournament before got their first taste of what it's like. Everyone did their best and everyone went home with a metal for their accomplishments. Team 1 was awarded Bronze, Team 3 Silver, and Team 2 (my team) was awarded Gold. Good job everybody! I'm looking forward to my next tournament, which I believe is the Calgary Cup in March, and stepping back into the ring, amping things up and continuing my growth as a fighter. The Team Tournament was nice for me in the sense that it showed me I can still go in and fight a good fight. I didn't fight to the extent that I would have like to, but it wasn't the sort of tournament for that. It was for fun and I had a lot! I'll post more in the next day or 2 about the rest of my busy Saturday, that includes getting a kick ass gift from my parents and some up close and personal time with some Burlesque Beauties. Take care.
On Saturday I left the house around 7:30 to go to Mackenzie Lake and help set up the tournament. We had everything set up and ready to go in a little over an hour and the team selections and fighting began shortly there after. I was put onto Team 2, and being that I was fighting in the knockdown rounds I had quite the wait until I fought. Each person had roughly 2 fights (some more, some less) and we started the day off with the non-contact fighting for children and beginners. Everyone went out and did there best and to my knowledge made it through relatively unscathed.
I had to wait until 2 minutes before my first fight to find out who it was I was going to fight. First up was big Rudy, one of the kids/adult class members who trains with his daughter mostly in the intermediate class. He's tall and strong and doesn't fight much but he sure gives it his all when he is fighting. So I figured I would have my work cut out for me. Before we fought however, we (all the contact fighters) were advised to not go out and try and "kill" each other as no one wants to spends the holidays in pain. Sensei specifically told me that if it seems like I'm dominating the fight to back off a bit and don't hurt anybody. Good advice all around. Like I had mentioned before this tournament is geared to be fun and a good learning tournament; nobody needs to take it for any more than that. So in the ring I went. We were given 1 1/2 minutes to fight (most other tournament are 2 minute rounds, 3 for open division) and it took me that long to get into it. I didn't go near as hard as I could in this fight to start, and Sensei yelled at me to go harder so I stepped it up a bit. Like I said, Rudy is big and strong, but he seemed somewhat intimidated and I used that to move him around the mat and set up for my uchi mawashi keage (outside hooking axe kick) that I use in color belt fighting. It's a great kick to throw as it's easy to control for light contact to the head (which is a rule in color belt fights) and most opponents don't see it coming. It worked really well for me in each of my 3 fights in this tournament. I scored a wasari (1/2 point) against Rudy mid-way through the fight and then utilized my punches and low kicks to keep him on the move for the remainder, thus scoring 2 points for my team with the win.
Next up I fought my friend Gary, who fights and trains regularly with us fighters and fights in the 35 and over division in most of our tournaments. Gary is good at sneaking in jodan mawashi geri (high round house kick) when you least expect it so I knew I had to keep my guard up. This fight was a bit of a comedy of errors as Gary appeared to have scored a wasari by sneaking in his jodan mawashi geri but my guard was up so it appeared that I blocked it. To make matters worse for Gary I caught him unintentionally in the bridge of the nose with a finger (it scratched him and he started to bleed) while blocking one of his tecniques and he followed up the kick by immediately punching me in the face! That's a foul in our style and is usually rewarded with a chui (warning). The judges had to converse for a moment to decide what just happened. It was decided that the scoring kick was unconfirmed by the judges but that the punch was a foul and Gary was given a chui. I immediately went to work on his lower body throwing kicks to his inner and other thigh, one of which caught him a bit high as he was trying to move. This would normally be considered a foul on my part, but because I threw it towards his inner thigh and he moved into it he was considered at fault and no call was made. The fight stopped to give Gary a moment to recover and he came at me with more intensity once the fight started again. But I used this against him and then set him up when his hands dropped and caught him with a uchi mawashi keage. This not only earned me a 1/2 point, but also victory and another 2 points for my team as the time ran out on our fight. It's too bad we weren't given more time as it felt like both of us were just starting to get into a rhythm when the fight ended.
I wasn't sure if I was going to get to fight again but luckily for me Sensei Brad had one last fight set up. I was going to get to fight my good friend Stein in what would be my best fight of the day. Stein is a young strong fighter who continues to impress me with his constant growth as a fighter. We train with each other a lot and he always gives me a good workout. The fight started off as I would have expected, with both of us working low to set up for a high kick to score. I knew that Stein wasn't going to try and stand toe to toe and risk taking any damage from my punches and low kicks, so I used this to push him back and set him up for uchi mawashi keage which I scored with about 30 seconds into the fight. Now I know how I used to get whenever I was down a 1/2 point early in the fight and I knew Stein would do the same thing: go to the head as much as possible to get the point back. The problem with this is you stop fighting a smart fight and give your opponent too many clues as to what your game plan is and it becomes quite easy to defend against this type of attack. I spent the rest of the fight pushing Stein back and doing my best to block the flurry of high kicks that he threw my way. The fight remained back and for on offense/defense with Stein trying desperately to score the point back and force and extention, but he ran out of time and I scored 2 more points for my team. I liked this fight a lot as it was more physical then my previous 2 fights, but not to the degree that anyone was going to walk away hurt. It was more technical then my other fights and proved to me that Stein is a strong fighter who will only get better. Overall it was great to fight all three guys as I've never fought any of them in a tournament setting before and it was great to know that we could all go out there and put on a good show for the folks in attendance. And no one was hurt, which always makes me happy as fights in our style can be very physically demanding and there is always a chance of injury.
In the end, everyone had a good time and those who had never fought in a tournament before got their first taste of what it's like. Everyone did their best and everyone went home with a metal for their accomplishments. Team 1 was awarded Bronze, Team 3 Silver, and Team 2 (my team) was awarded Gold. Good job everybody! I'm looking forward to my next tournament, which I believe is the Calgary Cup in March, and stepping back into the ring, amping things up and continuing my growth as a fighter. The Team Tournament was nice for me in the sense that it showed me I can still go in and fight a good fight. I didn't fight to the extent that I would have like to, but it wasn't the sort of tournament for that. It was for fun and I had a lot! I'll post more in the next day or 2 about the rest of my busy Saturday, that includes getting a kick ass gift from my parents and some up close and personal time with some Burlesque Beauties. Take care.
Friday, December 15, 2006
A busy weekend ahead!
It's been awhile since I posted, but with work and the holiday season both taking their toll on me I guess it's to be expected! Tomorrow, I get to fight in our clubs annual Team Tournament which is geared towards introducing new students to tournament fighting from non-contact to adult knockdown and even kata. It's a great tournament for learning to rules of fighting and is geared more towards fun than competition. I'm looking forward to my 2 team fights and hope everyone involved has a good time.
Once the tournament is done then I'm off to Cochrane for my mom and stepfather's family Christmas party. Every year we try to get together at my stepsister Amber's house for a family party to open gifts and stuff our faces with turkey, followed by our families traditional "Christmas Phase 10" game. It's always good to be with my family during the holidays and I'm looking quite forward to seeing everyone. But I'm not done yet!
After dinner and visiting I have to rush back to Calgary to get ready for a Christmas Burlesque show at the Warehouse that my other stepsister Chantel got us tickets for. Whenever Demonika of Demonka's Clothing puts on a show, Chantel gets us tickets for it. They're always a lot of fun and just my type of crowd: sexy, half naked Suicide Girls everywhere! This will definately be a great way to cap off the day.
On Sunday I have to try and hook up with some friends from Karate to practice a song that we're doing as a surprise for our Sensei at the Karate Christmas Party Talent Show on Monday. It's a song I've never sang much before by a band I don't sing very much like, but I'll do my best and we'll have a blast doing it! This will be my first time singing with a band playing behind me, as I'm usually just a karaoke singer. Should be interesting.
Other than that, I've finished all my Christmas shopping, have one more week of work left, and I'm still having a blast playing Final Fantasy XII! I'll do my best to update next week and let everyone know how the weekend went. And if anyone out there knows where I could get my hands on a copy of Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess for Gamecube please let me know. The thing's like the holy grail to find. Take care.
Once the tournament is done then I'm off to Cochrane for my mom and stepfather's family Christmas party. Every year we try to get together at my stepsister Amber's house for a family party to open gifts and stuff our faces with turkey, followed by our families traditional "Christmas Phase 10" game. It's always good to be with my family during the holidays and I'm looking quite forward to seeing everyone. But I'm not done yet!
After dinner and visiting I have to rush back to Calgary to get ready for a Christmas Burlesque show at the Warehouse that my other stepsister Chantel got us tickets for. Whenever Demonika of Demonka's Clothing puts on a show, Chantel gets us tickets for it. They're always a lot of fun and just my type of crowd: sexy, half naked Suicide Girls everywhere! This will definately be a great way to cap off the day.
On Sunday I have to try and hook up with some friends from Karate to practice a song that we're doing as a surprise for our Sensei at the Karate Christmas Party Talent Show on Monday. It's a song I've never sang much before by a band I don't sing very much like, but I'll do my best and we'll have a blast doing it! This will be my first time singing with a band playing behind me, as I'm usually just a karaoke singer. Should be interesting.
Other than that, I've finished all my Christmas shopping, have one more week of work left, and I'm still having a blast playing Final Fantasy XII! I'll do my best to update next week and let everyone know how the weekend went. And if anyone out there knows where I could get my hands on a copy of Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess for Gamecube please let me know. The thing's like the holy grail to find. Take care.
Sunday, November 19, 2006
Damn I'm sore!
Over the past couple of weekends I've been working on tearing up all the flooring in the upper level of my new place. For those who don't know, the building that Kev, Dwight and I live in has been sold to a bunch of money-hungry bastards who think it's cool to come in and raise everyone's rent drastically. So we're all moving on and getting the fack out of here.
Good friends of Dwight and I own both sides of a duplex and have offered what used to be the Daycare side to us. It needs some reno work, but nothing that we can't handle. So even though we're not moving in until February, all of us involved felt that it would be beneficial to get everything done now. Which is a good thing, since we found out last week that the hardwood floor guys could only make it on the 23rd of this month. If not, we would have to wait until the end of February. So it's been a mad rush to pull up all the old flooring so that these guys can refinish the existing hardwood under everything. That's meant alot of pounding away with hammers and crowbars to pull up 2 layers of tile on top of 1/4 inch substrate, which is in turn on top of another layer of tile, which is covering the hardwood we are trying to get to. Did I loose you yet? And once we finished gettting all of the top layer stuff of, we then had to pull 10's of thousands of staples that were sticking out of the floor everywhere, just so we could begin to scrape off that last layer of tile.
And now my body is officially broken :P
Actually, it's not feeling as bad this weekend as it did last weekend. I spent some time in Karate yesterday morning helping train the people going to Vancouver for the Vancouver Cup in fighting, so I was a little more limber for doing yesterday's work. But I'm still sore. My legs, knees, shoulders, forearms and back are all feeling it today. Flooring is a fantastic workout for those looking to shed a few pounds. I'm telling you, it's a total body workout!
But in the end it's all well worth it because we get a new floor in our new place! I'm excited about how everything will look when it's done. Our friends Pete and Lorna are also going to paint the place and have a new tub, sink and counter going into the bathroom. It will be very nice!
So the next thing we have to concentrate on is the move, followed by the house warming party of the century!!!! Stay tuned for more.
Good friends of Dwight and I own both sides of a duplex and have offered what used to be the Daycare side to us. It needs some reno work, but nothing that we can't handle. So even though we're not moving in until February, all of us involved felt that it would be beneficial to get everything done now. Which is a good thing, since we found out last week that the hardwood floor guys could only make it on the 23rd of this month. If not, we would have to wait until the end of February. So it's been a mad rush to pull up all the old flooring so that these guys can refinish the existing hardwood under everything. That's meant alot of pounding away with hammers and crowbars to pull up 2 layers of tile on top of 1/4 inch substrate, which is in turn on top of another layer of tile, which is covering the hardwood we are trying to get to. Did I loose you yet? And once we finished gettting all of the top layer stuff of, we then had to pull 10's of thousands of staples that were sticking out of the floor everywhere, just so we could begin to scrape off that last layer of tile.
And now my body is officially broken :P
Actually, it's not feeling as bad this weekend as it did last weekend. I spent some time in Karate yesterday morning helping train the people going to Vancouver for the Vancouver Cup in fighting, so I was a little more limber for doing yesterday's work. But I'm still sore. My legs, knees, shoulders, forearms and back are all feeling it today. Flooring is a fantastic workout for those looking to shed a few pounds. I'm telling you, it's a total body workout!
But in the end it's all well worth it because we get a new floor in our new place! I'm excited about how everything will look when it's done. Our friends Pete and Lorna are also going to paint the place and have a new tub, sink and counter going into the bathroom. It will be very nice!
So the next thing we have to concentrate on is the move, followed by the house warming party of the century!!!! Stay tuned for more.
Monday, November 06, 2006
So they're going to hang him......
Just thought I'd post a quick thought. Turns out that the good folks overlooking Saddam Hussein's trial have reach a verdict in his case and have come to an agreement: Death by hanging.
I'm not an overly political person and try not to voice my opinions on such topics too loudly (you never know who's listening), but today I have to. And it's simple really. He's getting what he has earned. Pure acid could not wash away the blood that is on Saddam's hands. And now he's going to die. The afterlife should be the most punishing of all for this man.
Because now he has to face what he's done. His victims will be waiting. And whoever he meets after he takes his last breath is truly going to hold him accountable for his crimes in this life. That's a hell I wouldn't wish on anybody.
Except him.
I'm not an overly political person and try not to voice my opinions on such topics too loudly (you never know who's listening), but today I have to. And it's simple really. He's getting what he has earned. Pure acid could not wash away the blood that is on Saddam's hands. And now he's going to die. The afterlife should be the most punishing of all for this man.
Because now he has to face what he's done. His victims will be waiting. And whoever he meets after he takes his last breath is truly going to hold him accountable for his crimes in this life. That's a hell I wouldn't wish on anybody.
Except him.
Wednesday, November 01, 2006
"When things were simple"
"Hey there voters, how do you feel? Tired of same old voter appeal!"
I can't get this damn song out my head that Kev played the other day. It's by a band called the Pinker Tones and I think it's called Karma Hunters. The video is totally cool but unfortunately the song is extremely catchy and will keep you awake at night because you can't stop singing it in your head. So search for it at your own risk.
Now onto my actual topic. Yesterday, by the grace of the gods and by using up what karma power I had left in reserves, I completed my latest project. It's a story called "When things were simple" and it will be published in the first volume of an antholgy series called "Tales from the Harbor". I'm not sure when it will be out but I'll definately update on here when I know. I think it's especially awesome that our good friend Jay Bardyla of Happy Harbor Comics has put together this anthology for all us up and coming creators to showcase our work. I can't applaud him enough for all he does for the local community, as he truly gives us all a lot of support.
From what I understand the anthology is going to be a regular publication, possibly quarterly. But don't quote me on that as I'm not entirely sure of all the details. I was offered a piece of the pie and didn't ask many questions. I'm much happier that way!
When I get the okay to show off some of the pages I will. I had a great time working on this project and continue to see great advancement in my work. That's truly what I strive for. I'll be working on the second issue of The Sorrow very soon, as well as issue's 3 and 4. I'd like to have the series finished for spring of next year, so hopefully I'll pull it off. There is also the ultra-cool new story that both Kevin and myself are developing now, and when we have more of a finalized idea of what we're doing I'll be posting it!
I've also had a great idea brewing for some time that I think I'm going to turn into my regular contribution for Tales from the Harbor. But I'm not willing to share it just yet!
And on a final note, I picked up the lastest installment to the greatest RPG franchise ever:
Final Fantasy XII
It totally ROCKS! It's simply beautiful, and a refreshing update to the series. The new system of battle and character build-up will take a bit to get familar with, but so far it's a truly amazing game. I'm going to play some of it now. Take care everybody!
I can't get this damn song out my head that Kev played the other day. It's by a band called the Pinker Tones and I think it's called Karma Hunters. The video is totally cool but unfortunately the song is extremely catchy and will keep you awake at night because you can't stop singing it in your head. So search for it at your own risk.
Now onto my actual topic. Yesterday, by the grace of the gods and by using up what karma power I had left in reserves, I completed my latest project. It's a story called "When things were simple" and it will be published in the first volume of an antholgy series called "Tales from the Harbor". I'm not sure when it will be out but I'll definately update on here when I know. I think it's especially awesome that our good friend Jay Bardyla of Happy Harbor Comics has put together this anthology for all us up and coming creators to showcase our work. I can't applaud him enough for all he does for the local community, as he truly gives us all a lot of support.
From what I understand the anthology is going to be a regular publication, possibly quarterly. But don't quote me on that as I'm not entirely sure of all the details. I was offered a piece of the pie and didn't ask many questions. I'm much happier that way!
When I get the okay to show off some of the pages I will. I had a great time working on this project and continue to see great advancement in my work. That's truly what I strive for. I'll be working on the second issue of The Sorrow very soon, as well as issue's 3 and 4. I'd like to have the series finished for spring of next year, so hopefully I'll pull it off. There is also the ultra-cool new story that both Kevin and myself are developing now, and when we have more of a finalized idea of what we're doing I'll be posting it!
I've also had a great idea brewing for some time that I think I'm going to turn into my regular contribution for Tales from the Harbor. But I'm not willing to share it just yet!
And on a final note, I picked up the lastest installment to the greatest RPG franchise ever:
Final Fantasy XII
It totally ROCKS! It's simply beautiful, and a refreshing update to the series. The new system of battle and character build-up will take a bit to get familar with, but so far it's a truly amazing game. I'm going to play some of it now. Take care everybody!
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
The joys of bying new DVD's!
Today I decided to treat myself. My friends and I usually try and hit the big "box store" style electronic stores on Tuesdays to see what's new in the DVD, CD, and gaming departments. I tend to look for movies and cartoons while the others look for DVD box sets and T.V. shows new to DVD. Today we were searching for a couple of things: Dwight was looking for Justice League Unlimited season 1, Batman Beyond season 2, and a gem of a movie called Slither. Kevin was looking for much of the same as well as Scrubs season 4 and any other T.V. shows with seasons that peaked his interest. I was really only looking for NACHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Libre! But I won't turn down a deal if I find one. And today I did.
Around this time every year I keep my eyes peeled for any specials that come up in the "Horror" sections of the many stores we travel to. I'm a bit of a horror film fan and like to add to my small collection of horror goodies when I can. As luck would have it I was able to find 2 movies in particular that were priced well ($9.99!) and that I've wanted to either see or own for awhile. The first movie, Clive Barker's HELLRAISER, is a classic that I haven't seen in many years and is a movie I can remember at the time of it's release was considered incredibly gory as well as "dark and twisted". And although I didn't watch it tonight, I'm looking quite forward seeing it before the end of the week.
The other movie I purchased was SAW II. I was fortunate enough to get an advance screening to the first SAW movie, and although I missed portions of the movie due to the non-stop screaming for the annoying prissy little girls sitting at the front of the theater, I did enjoy what I watched. And although the critics were mixed on the sequel, I was willing to pick up. The way I look at it the third movie is out this weekend and I'd really like to see it. I'd have to pay between 3-5 bucks to rent #2, or for $9.99 I can own it. If I don't like it I'm only out a couple of bucks and it can sit in my collection, and if I do then it's worth the price I payed. So really it's not much of a gamble. And because I tend to teeter on the crazy side of things I did in fact decide to watch SAW II tonight right after I watched NACHOOOOOOOOOOOO Libre! Did I mention I have to work in 6 hours? Ah, what's sleep anyways.
So after reading this drabble up to now (provided you made it this far) you're probably wondering what I thought of SAW II. Well? I liked it. I liked it very, VERY much. In fact, I think it's one of the most intelligent and enjoyable horror shows I've watched in a long time. The makers of this franchise have certainly stumbled onto a winning formula with Jigsaw and company and their puzzles. Ask anyone who knows me, I love a movie that offers me a puzzle to solve while I watch. And girls crying on film.........but that's another topic for a different day :P
Anyways, I also liked the characters used in this film, and enjoyed the acting alot more than I did in the first movie. Donny Walhberg plays a cop well and he does a great job here as Detective Eric Mathews. He's the main character by all rights, but is also closely tied into everything that Jigsaw has put into motion. Makes him a love em' or hate em' sort of guy. And of cousre there's Jigsaw. It was cool to get a glimpse into Jigsaw/John Kramer's psyche. He truly believes he's doing the right thing, and as any true puppet master he throws out clues left and right, you just have to be listening. The casting for the puzzle players was good, and offered a decent range of characters, from people you wanted to see make it out to those you were actually looking forward to seeing meet a gruesome end. All in all I thought it was a great movie, nuff said. And since SAW III is out in 3 days I figure the timing for seeing SAW II is pretty good. I'm recomending it so check it out if you get a chance.
Now what was that you were asking about NACHOOOOOOOOOOOOO Libre? Well, that's a post for a different time. As in not now. I'm still processing the sheer majesty of this soon-to-be classic, so check back in a few days.
It's all part of the game >:D And with that, I'm going to bed.
Around this time every year I keep my eyes peeled for any specials that come up in the "Horror" sections of the many stores we travel to. I'm a bit of a horror film fan and like to add to my small collection of horror goodies when I can. As luck would have it I was able to find 2 movies in particular that were priced well ($9.99!) and that I've wanted to either see or own for awhile. The first movie, Clive Barker's HELLRAISER, is a classic that I haven't seen in many years and is a movie I can remember at the time of it's release was considered incredibly gory as well as "dark and twisted". And although I didn't watch it tonight, I'm looking quite forward seeing it before the end of the week.
The other movie I purchased was SAW II. I was fortunate enough to get an advance screening to the first SAW movie, and although I missed portions of the movie due to the non-stop screaming for the annoying prissy little girls sitting at the front of the theater, I did enjoy what I watched. And although the critics were mixed on the sequel, I was willing to pick up. The way I look at it the third movie is out this weekend and I'd really like to see it. I'd have to pay between 3-5 bucks to rent #2, or for $9.99 I can own it. If I don't like it I'm only out a couple of bucks and it can sit in my collection, and if I do then it's worth the price I payed. So really it's not much of a gamble. And because I tend to teeter on the crazy side of things I did in fact decide to watch SAW II tonight right after I watched NACHOOOOOOOOOOOO Libre! Did I mention I have to work in 6 hours? Ah, what's sleep anyways.
So after reading this drabble up to now (provided you made it this far) you're probably wondering what I thought of SAW II. Well? I liked it. I liked it very, VERY much. In fact, I think it's one of the most intelligent and enjoyable horror shows I've watched in a long time. The makers of this franchise have certainly stumbled onto a winning formula with Jigsaw and company and their puzzles. Ask anyone who knows me, I love a movie that offers me a puzzle to solve while I watch. And girls crying on film.........but that's another topic for a different day :P
Anyways, I also liked the characters used in this film, and enjoyed the acting alot more than I did in the first movie. Donny Walhberg plays a cop well and he does a great job here as Detective Eric Mathews. He's the main character by all rights, but is also closely tied into everything that Jigsaw has put into motion. Makes him a love em' or hate em' sort of guy. And of cousre there's Jigsaw. It was cool to get a glimpse into Jigsaw/John Kramer's psyche. He truly believes he's doing the right thing, and as any true puppet master he throws out clues left and right, you just have to be listening. The casting for the puzzle players was good, and offered a decent range of characters, from people you wanted to see make it out to those you were actually looking forward to seeing meet a gruesome end. All in all I thought it was a great movie, nuff said. And since SAW III is out in 3 days I figure the timing for seeing SAW II is pretty good. I'm recomending it so check it out if you get a chance.
Now what was that you were asking about NACHOOOOOOOOOOOOO Libre? Well, that's a post for a different time. As in not now. I'm still processing the sheer majesty of this soon-to-be classic, so check back in a few days.
It's all part of the game >:D And with that, I'm going to bed.
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
A very busy weekend.
This weekend was busy. Very, very busy. But in a very good way and for 2 very good causes.
On Saturday I had the honour of attending a wedding in Banff that united my good friends Kandrix Foong and Laurie Breitkreuz in holy matrimony. Held at the beautiful Juniper lodge over looking Lake Minnewanka, were blessed enough to have decent weather for the outside ceremony. It was a good service, filled with the typical humour and goofy moments that I've come to expect from a clown like Kandix, followed by an amazing dinner and a touching slide show to honour their history together. There was a large group of us in attendance that all work in and around the comic book industry, and having several familiar faces around to relax and hang out with is always fun. I really enjoyed the many conversations and laughs I shared with Kelly Dowd and his wife Chris, Charles Silbernagel, Rove, Jim Demonakos, and Cody Baker (and his lovely girlfriend). It was really nice to have the time to mingle and celebrate this occation with the many friends Kandrix and Laurie share in the comic book community, as I've had the privaledge to get to know many of them over the years as well. Unfortunately I couldn't stay for the evening festivities (party, party, PARTY!!!!) as I was scheduled for a Webcomics panel in Edmonton the following day and had to leave Calgary early Sunday morning for the 3 hour drive. But I had a great time for the day I was able to spend in Banff and would like to thank the Foongs (that will take some time getting used to :D) for allowing me to be a part of their big day.
After getting a generous 4 hours of sleep (the same as the previous night) I was up, packing, and off to Edmonton with Kevin. We were invited by our good friend Jay Bardyla to be a part of the Pure Speculations show held at the Edmonton Delta South hotel. Jay was once again holding a series of Comic Talks panels that cover a wide variety of topics all centered on the world of comics. Because of our involvement in both Twice Thursday and Out of Mind Studios we were invited to share the knowledge we have gained in the industry with people who are interested in that knowledge. Or something like that :P For us it's a great opportunity to hangout and talk comics with people, many of which are friends and fellow creators and some who are aspiring to be. Neither one of us knew what to expect, but both Kevin and I seen this as a chance to gain experience in a panel-like setting and also spread the word about our product.
The panel was awesome, as we had more people then I honestly thought would show. Our fellow panelist were Rudi Gunther of Deathworld, Marie-Claire Gould of Will Work for Games, and Tarol Hunt of Goblins. Each one of us had something unique and interesting to say about our comics and offered the audience a great deal of information into the why's, what's, and how's of Webcomic making. It was awesome to meet each creator and to be able to spend time with them. We also had a chance to chat up Sean O'Reilly, the owner of Arcana Studios and visit with him for awhile. Sean an old friend of ours and it's always great to talk shop with him. We were also fortunate enough to get to hang out with Bob Prowder, The Vicious Ambitious guys, the costume savvy Erin Scott, and Brian Hodgson and I thank them all for visiting with us. Unfortunately the turn out for the show that day was rather small and I know the organizers were hoping for much better then that. With more advertising and word of mouth the show will hopefully get stronger next year.
After the event we headed out for a bite to eat and more shop talk with Sean. He needed a lift to the airport and we just happened to be going that way so things worked out good for him. I was hoping to get the chance to vist with James Adamson, an old friend of mine, but our schedules just didn't coincide. I'm sure with better planning on my part we'll hook up soon. Sorry dude!
The ride there and back was great for Kevin and I as it allowed us plenty of time to discuss our plans for the immediate future of our business. We have an amazing story that we've been talking about for the last couple of weeks and the trip allowed us the opportunity to throw out more ideas and get a good sense of what it is we need to do with these ideas. It was a great time for the creative process to flow, and I'm more pumped then ever to get things rolling! 2007 will be a big year for us, just wait and see!!
We finally arrived back home around 10 pm and I did my best to put things away, grab something to snack on and relax. It's nice to be able to have had a day to absorb the weekend and look back on things. Even though it was busy I had a blast! This was pretty much the last full weekend of events for me this year and I'm already looking forward to next year and the next big busy weekend. Maybe Seattle in April? Who know right now, but whatever and whenever it is I'm sure it will rock. Thanks again to everyone I had the chance to see and visit with this weekend, it was awesome to see you all. And with that, goodnight.
On Saturday I had the honour of attending a wedding in Banff that united my good friends Kandrix Foong and Laurie Breitkreuz in holy matrimony. Held at the beautiful Juniper lodge over looking Lake Minnewanka, were blessed enough to have decent weather for the outside ceremony. It was a good service, filled with the typical humour and goofy moments that I've come to expect from a clown like Kandix, followed by an amazing dinner and a touching slide show to honour their history together. There was a large group of us in attendance that all work in and around the comic book industry, and having several familiar faces around to relax and hang out with is always fun. I really enjoyed the many conversations and laughs I shared with Kelly Dowd and his wife Chris, Charles Silbernagel, Rove, Jim Demonakos, and Cody Baker (and his lovely girlfriend). It was really nice to have the time to mingle and celebrate this occation with the many friends Kandrix and Laurie share in the comic book community, as I've had the privaledge to get to know many of them over the years as well. Unfortunately I couldn't stay for the evening festivities (party, party, PARTY!!!!) as I was scheduled for a Webcomics panel in Edmonton the following day and had to leave Calgary early Sunday morning for the 3 hour drive. But I had a great time for the day I was able to spend in Banff and would like to thank the Foongs (that will take some time getting used to :D) for allowing me to be a part of their big day.
After getting a generous 4 hours of sleep (the same as the previous night) I was up, packing, and off to Edmonton with Kevin. We were invited by our good friend Jay Bardyla to be a part of the Pure Speculations show held at the Edmonton Delta South hotel. Jay was once again holding a series of Comic Talks panels that cover a wide variety of topics all centered on the world of comics. Because of our involvement in both Twice Thursday and Out of Mind Studios we were invited to share the knowledge we have gained in the industry with people who are interested in that knowledge. Or something like that :P For us it's a great opportunity to hangout and talk comics with people, many of which are friends and fellow creators and some who are aspiring to be. Neither one of us knew what to expect, but both Kevin and I seen this as a chance to gain experience in a panel-like setting and also spread the word about our product.
The panel was awesome, as we had more people then I honestly thought would show. Our fellow panelist were Rudi Gunther of Deathworld, Marie-Claire Gould of Will Work for Games, and Tarol Hunt of Goblins. Each one of us had something unique and interesting to say about our comics and offered the audience a great deal of information into the why's, what's, and how's of Webcomic making. It was awesome to meet each creator and to be able to spend time with them. We also had a chance to chat up Sean O'Reilly, the owner of Arcana Studios and visit with him for awhile. Sean an old friend of ours and it's always great to talk shop with him. We were also fortunate enough to get to hang out with Bob Prowder, The Vicious Ambitious guys, the costume savvy Erin Scott, and Brian Hodgson and I thank them all for visiting with us. Unfortunately the turn out for the show that day was rather small and I know the organizers were hoping for much better then that. With more advertising and word of mouth the show will hopefully get stronger next year.
After the event we headed out for a bite to eat and more shop talk with Sean. He needed a lift to the airport and we just happened to be going that way so things worked out good for him. I was hoping to get the chance to vist with James Adamson, an old friend of mine, but our schedules just didn't coincide. I'm sure with better planning on my part we'll hook up soon. Sorry dude!
The ride there and back was great for Kevin and I as it allowed us plenty of time to discuss our plans for the immediate future of our business. We have an amazing story that we've been talking about for the last couple of weeks and the trip allowed us the opportunity to throw out more ideas and get a good sense of what it is we need to do with these ideas. It was a great time for the creative process to flow, and I'm more pumped then ever to get things rolling! 2007 will be a big year for us, just wait and see!!
We finally arrived back home around 10 pm and I did my best to put things away, grab something to snack on and relax. It's nice to be able to have had a day to absorb the weekend and look back on things. Even though it was busy I had a blast! This was pretty much the last full weekend of events for me this year and I'm already looking forward to next year and the next big busy weekend. Maybe Seattle in April? Who know right now, but whatever and whenever it is I'm sure it will rock. Thanks again to everyone I had the chance to see and visit with this weekend, it was awesome to see you all. And with that, goodnight.
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
Thank you Kingdom Come.
I sat down tonight and read Mark Waid and Alex Ross' Kingdom Come. I needed inspiration. From what I've been told Kingdom Come is an epic story that's a must-read for any and every comic fan. Until now I never bothered to take the time. I blamed not reading on "not liking Alex Ross" or "not having great character knowledge of the DC universe". Really quite lame excuses. But for some reason tonight, after having an interesting conversation with Kevin about "epic comics" and wanting to create something truly epic ourselves, I decide to read a piece of comic history that's described as being just that. So I read it. I absorbed it. And I feel I truly experienced something.....for lack of a better term: profound. Kindom Come truly is epic. It's an amazing accomplishment and a perfect example of what it is that truly makes comics worth doing. It's amazing.
I needed inspiration and I found it. Because of what I read I've been able to get more accomplished in a couple of hours then I've been able to do in a couple of weeks. I feel good about drawing and writing. I'm convinced now that I'll be able to finish what needs to get done. Because a story about never giving up has made me feel this way. A comic book story made me feel this way. Wow.
I know if read Kingdom Come a few years ago it wouldn't have meant as much. Maybe there was I reason I waited so long. But I'm glad I did. This is the most excited about comics I've been, well, quite possibly ever. The lenghts and strides that Waid and Ross were willing to go to bring this story to life is present in each and every panel and in each and every conversation. They created a story of epic proportions that I truly believe was meant to be inspiring for people like me who need that lift every now and then. I needed a boost. I really wanted to like what I've convinced myself is what I was meant to do. I'm here to create. My purpose is to develope and produce fantastic stories for others to enjoy as much as I do. I know this. But I needed to be reminded of it. I can do this. All I needed was to be inspired again.
So now I'm off to do a little more creating before I sleep. Tommorow I'll do more. And the next day and the day after that. I have fantastic ideas blazing through my head that I want to share with the world. Whenever I bounce the ideas off of Kevin I think we both get that giddy feeling inside that tells us that we're close. We're really close to breaking through. And when we do, look out folks! It can be done!
Thank you Mark Waid and thank you Alex Ross. Your story may well have saved this comic lover. I hope one day to create in a way that you've both done. And someday it will be an epic story that I helped create that will inspire someone. Somebody who just like me, needed to be reminded. Someone who needed that feeling once again.
I needed inspiration and I found it. Because of what I read I've been able to get more accomplished in a couple of hours then I've been able to do in a couple of weeks. I feel good about drawing and writing. I'm convinced now that I'll be able to finish what needs to get done. Because a story about never giving up has made me feel this way. A comic book story made me feel this way. Wow.
I know if read Kingdom Come a few years ago it wouldn't have meant as much. Maybe there was I reason I waited so long. But I'm glad I did. This is the most excited about comics I've been, well, quite possibly ever. The lenghts and strides that Waid and Ross were willing to go to bring this story to life is present in each and every panel and in each and every conversation. They created a story of epic proportions that I truly believe was meant to be inspiring for people like me who need that lift every now and then. I needed a boost. I really wanted to like what I've convinced myself is what I was meant to do. I'm here to create. My purpose is to develope and produce fantastic stories for others to enjoy as much as I do. I know this. But I needed to be reminded of it. I can do this. All I needed was to be inspired again.
So now I'm off to do a little more creating before I sleep. Tommorow I'll do more. And the next day and the day after that. I have fantastic ideas blazing through my head that I want to share with the world. Whenever I bounce the ideas off of Kevin I think we both get that giddy feeling inside that tells us that we're close. We're really close to breaking through. And when we do, look out folks! It can be done!
Thank you Mark Waid and thank you Alex Ross. Your story may well have saved this comic lover. I hope one day to create in a way that you've both done. And someday it will be an epic story that I helped create that will inspire someone. Somebody who just like me, needed to be reminded. Someone who needed that feeling once again.
Saturday, September 30, 2006
Needed a change around here.
I changed the look of the blog. It needed something refreshing. So here it is! I lost all of my links and fellow bloggers, so if I missed putting you back in let me know. Other than that, enjoy the new surroundings. I know I will!
Friday, September 29, 2006
Wow, cobwebs.
I haven't been here for awhile. I think I was kidnapped or I died or something! Damn alien zombies!!!
Okay, I haven't been made into the living dead, or at least not yet. I've been doing that one dreadful thing that all mankind must do (or should do): I've been working. Alot. A fack of alot more than I want to be. But it's for a good cause. I have some bills I'd like to clear up, some new furniture I'd like to buy, and I want to travel somewhere warm this winter.
I want to live a little.
But in order to do that I need to make money, and right now I have the opportunity to do so. Unfortunately all this work has taken a toll on me. I've missed 5 classes of Karate, I've fallen way behind on my projects, and I think I'm the most out-of-shape looking that I've ever been. I look like shit, I feel like shit. But soon things will be better. I'm going to be getting my normal schedule back in about a weeks time. No more 10-14 hour days, and no more 5 days a week. Probably 4 days of work with 3 days to draw and catch up on stuff. Plus, with tournament season starting soon I'm in desparate need of some quality workout time, so I have to work that into the schedule. We (my father and I) have got some new equipment down in the gym that should help. A heavy-duty benchpress set, 300 lbs of weights, and a kickass stationary bike that doesn't hurt your ass. So things should start to get better and I can start to lose my unpleasent shape and start looking like me again!
And I'd like to send a special shout out to my friend Jose Potter. As I mentioned in my previous posting, Jose competed in N.Y.C. at the All American Open and fought incredibly well finishing second in her class. I've been told she fought 4 fights, beating the woman who placed 2nd at the World Championships, and eventually lost the finals to a very tough 17 year old from Bulgeria. Only 27 years younger than her :P So congratualations Jose on doing yourself and all of us here proud! My only wish it that she doesn't beat me up so badly now that the tournament is over. I'm getting old and my body can't take it anymore :D
Okay, I haven't been made into the living dead, or at least not yet. I've been doing that one dreadful thing that all mankind must do (or should do): I've been working. Alot. A fack of alot more than I want to be. But it's for a good cause. I have some bills I'd like to clear up, some new furniture I'd like to buy, and I want to travel somewhere warm this winter.
I want to live a little.
But in order to do that I need to make money, and right now I have the opportunity to do so. Unfortunately all this work has taken a toll on me. I've missed 5 classes of Karate, I've fallen way behind on my projects, and I think I'm the most out-of-shape looking that I've ever been. I look like shit, I feel like shit. But soon things will be better. I'm going to be getting my normal schedule back in about a weeks time. No more 10-14 hour days, and no more 5 days a week. Probably 4 days of work with 3 days to draw and catch up on stuff. Plus, with tournament season starting soon I'm in desparate need of some quality workout time, so I have to work that into the schedule. We (my father and I) have got some new equipment down in the gym that should help. A heavy-duty benchpress set, 300 lbs of weights, and a kickass stationary bike that doesn't hurt your ass. So things should start to get better and I can start to lose my unpleasent shape and start looking like me again!
And I'd like to send a special shout out to my friend Jose Potter. As I mentioned in my previous posting, Jose competed in N.Y.C. at the All American Open and fought incredibly well finishing second in her class. I've been told she fought 4 fights, beating the woman who placed 2nd at the World Championships, and eventually lost the finals to a very tough 17 year old from Bulgeria. Only 27 years younger than her :P So congratualations Jose on doing yourself and all of us here proud! My only wish it that she doesn't beat me up so badly now that the tournament is over. I'm getting old and my body can't take it anymore :D
Monday, September 11, 2006
It's feels good to be back!
Tonight was my first night of training for the fall term in Kyokushin Karate. It was an awesome class that will go a long way to getting us all back in shape for the upcoming tournament season and testing in December. We spent a good portion of the class working up a sweat through the warm-up and continued on with some moving basics and sparring. And todays sparring was a special one as this is the last sparring my friend Jose will be doing before she leaves to compete in New York on the 22nd. We have to give her some time to heel from all the hard work and training we did over the summer! It felt great to be sparring again as I've learned a few new things over the summer and I'm looking forward to getting the oppertunity to test them out. And Jose gave me a heck of a fight which tells me she's more then ready for New York and will do very well. She's already made us all quite proud through her dedication and determination!
So it was nice to get back into the swing of things. I feel out of shape, but that's typically how we all feel after summer break.
My Sensei made the comment that I look like I've gained 20 pounds over the summer, and he wasn't far off! But I'll be working hard to get into good tournament shape and I'm feeling positive the extra weight will work to my avantage in my heavily competitve division. I was considered to be on the lower end of the Heavyweight Division but now that I've been able to gain some size I'm more evenly matched, which is definately favorable when you're fighting guys in the 225-250 pound range! I'm setting my sights on the South Okanagan Tournament on November 18th, unless they decide to hold the Cranbrook Tournament before then. It's a nice tournament to get the season going and will be a great place for me to build experience in the Open Division. I'm excited to be back training and I'm looking forward to the new tournament season. And it was really nice to see everyone again. I can hardly wait until Saturday and more in-class training!
So it was nice to get back into the swing of things. I feel out of shape, but that's typically how we all feel after summer break.
My Sensei made the comment that I look like I've gained 20 pounds over the summer, and he wasn't far off! But I'll be working hard to get into good tournament shape and I'm feeling positive the extra weight will work to my avantage in my heavily competitve division. I was considered to be on the lower end of the Heavyweight Division but now that I've been able to gain some size I'm more evenly matched, which is definately favorable when you're fighting guys in the 225-250 pound range! I'm setting my sights on the South Okanagan Tournament on November 18th, unless they decide to hold the Cranbrook Tournament before then. It's a nice tournament to get the season going and will be a great place for me to build experience in the Open Division. I'm excited to be back training and I'm looking forward to the new tournament season. And it was really nice to see everyone again. I can hardly wait until Saturday and more in-class training!
Saturday, September 09, 2006
A moment of clarity.
Have you ever had a moment in your life, one fleeting perfect moment, where it seemed like everything in the cosmos suddenly became perfectly aligned and everything that you've been pondering and brooding over made absolute perfect sense?
Me neither. But right now, after a full day of watching Veronica Mars season 2 and doing my best to eliminate all the alcohol in my apartment via consumption, I suddenly feel like I might be the closest I'll ever be to that moment.
It all makes sense now.
And although this somewhat criptic message might not make sense to anyone but me, I feel it needs to be logged in my blog for future referrence. All anyone ever really needs to be satified is a reason. For some it's a cause; for others it's a purpose. Sometimes these things make us happy and sometimes they just bring about a sense of contemptment. But whatever the reason, cause or purpose, as long as there seems to be something there worth doing, the end result should always be the same. It's the journey, or quest, that we choose to take that ultimately provides us with life's pervebial "bumps in the road". They're there to teach us through trial and error the right and wrong way about things. Without them the journey would have no meaning, and therefore our purpose or reason wouldn't exist and we would all be back at square one. By taking these quests, and fullfilling our purpose, we should ultimately achieve an ending, and with that a sense of completion. I like to think of it as a "prize" for finishing our quest. Like a "trophy" that only we can see and it doesn't collect dust because it's on a shelf inside our mind. And everytime we think about it we feel warm and happy all over. It brings about a feeling of pride knowing that an end has been reached, and for better or worse no one can take that away. I'm going to be finishing a quest very soon. One that has been going on for a very long time, but it eventually had to end so that another can begin. I don't feel any sense of pride for finishing, but I do feel relieved which is a prize in itself. And my new journey will be epic; a quest that could very well take me the rest of this life to complete. The end result will be incredibly gratifying, but it's the quest that I'm most looking forward to.
It's time to unleash my potential. I've kept things under heavy lock n' key for well over a decade now. Over the past few weeks I've felt things building up, like a pot of pasta you fill too full and the water's about to boil over. It's been causing me a loss of proper sleep, a serious lack of motivation, and above all has made me feel tremendously unhappy. I like to be happy. I believe what I'm going to do will make me very happy, and above all be an achievement I'll be proud of accomplishing.
One journey ends, another takes it place. It will all happen soon and most people won't notice at first. But keep watching. All things happen for a good reason. And I have one. That's all I can say for now. Time to put a new pot on the stove, set it to the right temperature, and wait for the water to boil. You never rush if you want good pasta.
Me neither. But right now, after a full day of watching Veronica Mars season 2 and doing my best to eliminate all the alcohol in my apartment via consumption, I suddenly feel like I might be the closest I'll ever be to that moment.
It all makes sense now.
And although this somewhat criptic message might not make sense to anyone but me, I feel it needs to be logged in my blog for future referrence. All anyone ever really needs to be satified is a reason. For some it's a cause; for others it's a purpose. Sometimes these things make us happy and sometimes they just bring about a sense of contemptment. But whatever the reason, cause or purpose, as long as there seems to be something there worth doing, the end result should always be the same. It's the journey, or quest, that we choose to take that ultimately provides us with life's pervebial "bumps in the road". They're there to teach us through trial and error the right and wrong way about things. Without them the journey would have no meaning, and therefore our purpose or reason wouldn't exist and we would all be back at square one. By taking these quests, and fullfilling our purpose, we should ultimately achieve an ending, and with that a sense of completion. I like to think of it as a "prize" for finishing our quest. Like a "trophy" that only we can see and it doesn't collect dust because it's on a shelf inside our mind. And everytime we think about it we feel warm and happy all over. It brings about a feeling of pride knowing that an end has been reached, and for better or worse no one can take that away. I'm going to be finishing a quest very soon. One that has been going on for a very long time, but it eventually had to end so that another can begin. I don't feel any sense of pride for finishing, but I do feel relieved which is a prize in itself. And my new journey will be epic; a quest that could very well take me the rest of this life to complete. The end result will be incredibly gratifying, but it's the quest that I'm most looking forward to.
It's time to unleash my potential. I've kept things under heavy lock n' key for well over a decade now. Over the past few weeks I've felt things building up, like a pot of pasta you fill too full and the water's about to boil over. It's been causing me a loss of proper sleep, a serious lack of motivation, and above all has made me feel tremendously unhappy. I like to be happy. I believe what I'm going to do will make me very happy, and above all be an achievement I'll be proud of accomplishing.
One journey ends, another takes it place. It will all happen soon and most people won't notice at first. But keep watching. All things happen for a good reason. And I have one. That's all I can say for now. Time to put a new pot on the stove, set it to the right temperature, and wait for the water to boil. You never rush if you want good pasta.
Friday, September 01, 2006
I'm feeling much better now, thank you.
It's amazing what having a week off will do for a person. It's even more amazing how once that person goes back to work and is thrown face first into one of the most insane work weeks of his life, he just smiles. And that's what I'm doing now. Smiling.
It 2:12 am as I write this, and believe it or not I just got in from work. As most of you know I do sign installation projects with my friend part-time, and tonight we had a big one. We've been non-stop busy all week, putting in 30 plus hours in 3 days. Tonight we had to go to Eaton Centre, located in downtown Calgary, and remove/re-install all the signs on their escalators and elevators. It's a big job but well worth it's weight in gold. And having just spent 5 hours hanging 30 feet in the air helping to install these signs makes me giggle. Not because the thought of falling to my death if I slip is funny, although to some it might be. And not because the payout for doing this is stupid good money. It's because as of now my weekend has begun. And as of earlier this week I'm feeling it again. I want to draw. No, scratch that! I NEED TO DRAW!!!!
I'm going to be finishing up the project that has been bothering me, because I finally see that it's going to be alright. It will be good. And my next project is going to be great! And the one after that.... spectacular! Because I'll make it that way. I'm living my dream and I should be happy while doing it. Thanks to everyone who sent me words of encouragement. I heard them and they helped. I'm going to bed now. I have a busy weekend ahead of me.
I'm looking very forward to it.
It 2:12 am as I write this, and believe it or not I just got in from work. As most of you know I do sign installation projects with my friend part-time, and tonight we had a big one. We've been non-stop busy all week, putting in 30 plus hours in 3 days. Tonight we had to go to Eaton Centre, located in downtown Calgary, and remove/re-install all the signs on their escalators and elevators. It's a big job but well worth it's weight in gold. And having just spent 5 hours hanging 30 feet in the air helping to install these signs makes me giggle. Not because the thought of falling to my death if I slip is funny, although to some it might be. And not because the payout for doing this is stupid good money. It's because as of now my weekend has begun. And as of earlier this week I'm feeling it again. I want to draw. No, scratch that! I NEED TO DRAW!!!!
I'm going to be finishing up the project that has been bothering me, because I finally see that it's going to be alright. It will be good. And my next project is going to be great! And the one after that.... spectacular! Because I'll make it that way. I'm living my dream and I should be happy while doing it. Thanks to everyone who sent me words of encouragement. I heard them and they helped. I'm going to bed now. I have a busy weekend ahead of me.
I'm looking very forward to it.
Thursday, August 24, 2006
Canadian Geek - A place to be heard!
There's a new forum for us Canadian Geeks to be seen and heard. And conveniently it's located at
www.canadiangeek.org/forums
It's a great new forum created for geeks everywhere, but built by you. Go check it out. It's fresh and new and has something for everyone. And I'm told this is only the beginning. Get in on the ground floor of what I'm sure will be something very big and very special down the road. Now go check it out dammit!
www.canadiangeek.org/forums
It's a great new forum created for geeks everywhere, but built by you. Go check it out. It's fresh and new and has something for everyone. And I'm told this is only the beginning. Get in on the ground floor of what I'm sure will be something very big and very special down the road. Now go check it out dammit!
Tuesday, August 22, 2006
I'm experiencing difficulties.
I'm not enjoying this. I should be working on a story that I need to get done soon and I find myself not enjoying it. I'm getting frustrated and pissed off because what I want to draw and what I am drawing are not one in the same. And it's not the story; it needs work but I'm getting through it. What's bothering me is the process. I'm not enjoying this anymore. I love drawing, but right now I don't feel it. And I want to, I really, really want to. I have alot of free time right now to draw. I should be utilizing the time. But I'm just not feeling it.
Maybe this is the equilvalent of writer's block. Maybe I need to approach things from a different perspective. But as of right now, this very moment..... it's not there. And I feel lost because it's not there. All I've wanted to do for the past 3 years is have my life set up so that I can do the one thing I love to do: draw. And I have that. So why isn't this working? Why do I feel so frustrated? Am I being too hard on myself? No, I don't think so. What I think might be the problem is that I'm missing my drive. The passion to excel and push myself and my limits to new edges. It's gone. The passion is gone. And I know where I lost it.
San Diego.
Ever since I came back from what can only be discribed as " the biggest fucking waste of $2000 I've ever spent!" I've felt empty. And angry. I feel like a part of me was sucked right out of my very core. Like I'm missing a part of my soul. And it truly is a horrible feeling. This year's trip was supposed to be fun and progressive and seen as some-what of an accomplishment. Parts of it were. Las Vegas was amazing, and San Francisco was an experience. But San Diego? I usually leave there glowing and happy. This year I just couldn't wait to leave. It's become too much. The crowds, the "Hollywood" presence. It's just too much. Where's that overwhelming feeling of "Wow, I'm at ComicCon!"? Why didn't I feel like I was part of something great? Because the spirit of what it all used to mean is gone. It's dead. And I don't think it's coming back in a future issue. Dead means dead. And I couldn't be more depressed about it if I tried. So I've come to a decision:
I'm not going back. Not without a reason; a genuine cause. And I don't see one in my immediate future.
I need to do something soon. I'm hoping to get out of town. I need to go for a drive and collect myself. Maybe Drumheller. Maybe to my old place in the mountains. But I need to get away and regroup. Look at things with a clear head. Connect with what's lost somewhere inside me. I need my passion back. Before it's too late and I give up on comics all together. More than anything in the world I don't want that to happen. But I have a burning in my chest that won't go away.
I need to do what I can to make it go away.
Maybe this is the equilvalent of writer's block. Maybe I need to approach things from a different perspective. But as of right now, this very moment..... it's not there. And I feel lost because it's not there. All I've wanted to do for the past 3 years is have my life set up so that I can do the one thing I love to do: draw. And I have that. So why isn't this working? Why do I feel so frustrated? Am I being too hard on myself? No, I don't think so. What I think might be the problem is that I'm missing my drive. The passion to excel and push myself and my limits to new edges. It's gone. The passion is gone. And I know where I lost it.
San Diego.
Ever since I came back from what can only be discribed as " the biggest fucking waste of $2000 I've ever spent!" I've felt empty. And angry. I feel like a part of me was sucked right out of my very core. Like I'm missing a part of my soul. And it truly is a horrible feeling. This year's trip was supposed to be fun and progressive and seen as some-what of an accomplishment. Parts of it were. Las Vegas was amazing, and San Francisco was an experience. But San Diego? I usually leave there glowing and happy. This year I just couldn't wait to leave. It's become too much. The crowds, the "Hollywood" presence. It's just too much. Where's that overwhelming feeling of "Wow, I'm at ComicCon!"? Why didn't I feel like I was part of something great? Because the spirit of what it all used to mean is gone. It's dead. And I don't think it's coming back in a future issue. Dead means dead. And I couldn't be more depressed about it if I tried. So I've come to a decision:
I'm not going back. Not without a reason; a genuine cause. And I don't see one in my immediate future.
I need to do something soon. I'm hoping to get out of town. I need to go for a drive and collect myself. Maybe Drumheller. Maybe to my old place in the mountains. But I need to get away and regroup. Look at things with a clear head. Connect with what's lost somewhere inside me. I need my passion back. Before it's too late and I give up on comics all together. More than anything in the world I don't want that to happen. But I have a burning in my chest that won't go away.
I need to do what I can to make it go away.
Wednesday, August 09, 2006
It's my birthday and.....
.......I'll party if I want to, drink if I want to, sleep if I want to. You'd do it to if it ...well...was your birthday :P
So I'm 31 years old today. Hold the applause, please, and just send gifts! It's been a stellar 31 years of existence to date and I'm looking forward to what can only be a bright and shiny future! Okay, hopefully it's at least a good and low-on-the-shitty-side-of-things future. That would be cool.
So I raise a glass and toast to being 31. Cheers and good wishes folks, I'm off to get drunk!
So I'm 31 years old today. Hold the applause, please, and just send gifts! It's been a stellar 31 years of existence to date and I'm looking forward to what can only be a bright and shiny future! Okay, hopefully it's at least a good and low-on-the-shitty-side-of-things future. That would be cool.
So I raise a glass and toast to being 31. Cheers and good wishes folks, I'm off to get drunk!
Monday, July 31, 2006
And we go live in 3..2..1....
And I'm back. That had to be the longest bloody trip of my life. But not only did I go to San Diego to the monster of all comic book conventions, I also went to hot-as-fuck Las Vegas and cramped-as-hell San Francisco! And I have such stories to tell you all. But not today.
I'm still recovering from the very long trip back home were I received next to no sleep. Although I just slept 16 hours, it's still not enough to make my head and body feel any better. So within the next day or so I'll put up what I'd like to call the San Diego Rant, as well as share some stories and maybe even a few pictures from the rest of the trip.
So I'm announcing that I'm officially back. The 3 of you who read this should be gleeming with joy!
I'm still recovering from the very long trip back home were I received next to no sleep. Although I just slept 16 hours, it's still not enough to make my head and body feel any better. So within the next day or so I'll put up what I'd like to call the San Diego Rant, as well as share some stories and maybe even a few pictures from the rest of the trip.
So I'm announcing that I'm officially back. The 3 of you who read this should be gleeming with joy!
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