The worst thing about being so fanatically into a genre show like LOST is that when its on hiatus, its all about waiting for the next episode to air. Which in this case isn't until mid-February.
But here is the kind of thing people like me find to watch while we wait. Hilarious, and a must watch for any LOST fan. Pretty good guest appearance too.
Labels: lost
I took my dog for a walk earlier this evening in some of the thickest fog I've ever seen. Apparently its our local version of the same storm system currently dumping enormous amounts of snow across the rest of Canada. I'm not talking about a little bit of fog or anything. I'm talking about rolling banks of fog so thick that people wouldn't materialize out of it until they were within a dozen feet or so of us. Very eerie.
It got me thinking about a short story by Stephen King called Strawberry Spring about a serial killer that only comes out to play in very foggy spring weather. Don't get wrong. I'm not thinking about going on a killing spree or anything, but I guess I was thinking about how base we really are; how subtle changes in our environment cause us to completely lose our shit; how even though we like to think of ourselves as enlightened we are much more closely affected to environmental changes than any of us realize.
Apparently walking my dog makes me think too much.
Another good literary example would be Isaac Asimov's Nightfall. No fog, but same kind of theme: People going crazy once the lights go out.
It got me thinking about a short story by Stephen King called Strawberry Spring about a serial killer that only comes out to play in very foggy spring weather. Don't get wrong. I'm not thinking about going on a killing spree or anything, but I guess I was thinking about how base we really are; how subtle changes in our environment cause us to completely lose our shit; how even though we like to think of ourselves as enlightened we are much more closely affected to environmental changes than any of us realize.
Apparently walking my dog makes me think too much.
Another good literary example would be Isaac Asimov's Nightfall. No fog, but same kind of theme: People going crazy once the lights go out.
Labels: books, everything else
I seem to be having more frequent conversations of late about religion, sometimes in debate with a co-worker, sometimes with Superwife deciding the best course of action to explain what we believe to our daughter as she grows up.
But none of my debates get quite as eloquent as this one I came across tonight. In fact, most times they end up with me telling the faithful that there is a straight-line relationship between high intelligence and atheism. (And by contrast a similar relationship between low IQs and religious faith.)
Here's a snippet from Sam Harris' opening volley, the link to the full article follows:
And just for fun, here's Harris' response to the oft-heard argument that atheism is as equally unprovable as theism, courtesy of Bertrand Russell:
Check out the full article here.
But none of my debates get quite as eloquent as this one I came across tonight. In fact, most times they end up with me telling the faithful that there is a straight-line relationship between high intelligence and atheism. (And by contrast a similar relationship between low IQs and religious faith.)
Here's a snippet from Sam Harris' opening volley, the link to the full article follows:
As an atheist, I am angry that we live in a society in which the plain truth cannot be spoken without offending 90% of the population. The plain truth is this: There is no good reason to believe in a personal God; there is no good reason to believe that the Bible, the Koran, or any other book was dictated by an omniscient being; we do not, in any important sense, get our morality from religion; the Bible and the Koran are not, even remotely, the best sources of guidance we have for living in the 21st century; and the belief in God and in the divine provenance of scripture is getting a lot of people killed unnecessarily.Couldn't have said it better myself.
And just for fun, here's Harris' response to the oft-heard argument that atheism is as equally unprovable as theism, courtesy of Bertrand Russell:
Many orthodox people speak as though it were the business of sceptics to disprove received dogmas rather than of dogmatists to prove them. This is, of course, a mistake. If I were to suggest that between the Earth and Mars there is a china teapot revolving about the sun in an elliptical orbit, nobody would be able to disprove my assertion provided I were careful to add that the teapot is too small to be revealed even by our most powerful telescopes. But if I were to go on to say that, since my assertion cannot be disproved, it is intolerable presumption on the part of human reason to doubt it, I should rightly be thought to be talking nonsense.When I make that argument I also like to quote the 'untestable' claim of Carl Sagan's garage dwelling invisible fire breathing dragon. But that's just me.
Check out the full article here.
Labels: atheism
The guy I work with was ordering Chinese food tonight and he didn't know what to get, so he'd ask me about each item that sounded good to him, and have me tell him what each item actually was. Chicken Soo Guy, Chop Suey, etc. And then he got to Moo Goo Guy Pan. I was stumped. So I Googled it.
And here's the first result I got, courtesy of The Urban Dictionary:
And here's the first result I got, courtesy of The Urban Dictionary:
Moo Goo Guy Pan
The ancient eastern art of using stealthy martial art skills to rub one out directly next to or in close proximity to either a roomate or complete stranger.
It was dark and quiet that night in my dorm room... It was a little too quiet. I wasn't sure but I had the feeling that wang, my asian roomate and also bunkmate was quietly pulling a Moo Goo Guy Pan on me while we both lying in our bunk bed and I couldnt do anything about it.
Labels: everything else, work
I just found a link to a superhero quiz on a blog I read faithfully, and it turns out the guy is a superhero geek like me (or he was bored and wanted a break from all the chemistry)
Either way, I took the quiz, and here are the results, copied directly from the site:
Click here to take the "Which Superhero are you?" quiz...
I think they got the Spiderman right, but I'm going to try very hard not to make too much out of the fact that I am apparently more Catwoman than I am Superman.
EDIT 12/15/06: I retook the quiz a few minutes ago, and it turns out that I'm not Spider-Man after all. At least not first. I am Green Lantern by 85%. Time to dust off the old Green Lantern ring and start wearing it again.
Either way, I took the quiz, and here are the results, copied directly from the site:
Click here to take the "Which Superhero are you?" quiz...
I think they got the Spiderman right, but I'm going to try very hard not to make too much out of the fact that I am apparently more Catwoman than I am Superman.
EDIT 12/15/06: I retook the quiz a few minutes ago, and it turns out that I'm not Spider-Man after all. At least not first. I am Green Lantern by 85%. Time to dust off the old Green Lantern ring and start wearing it again.
Labels: comics
I hate war.
I mean, I really hate the idea that people think they have the right to take away the only lives of others because of some belief system they have that conflicts with those they're killing.
Maybe its geographical, or ideological, or just about greed. Most often its semantic differences in religions. But I won't go there again for awhile.
Whatever the reason, I don't think it is ever okay to kill another person for any reason other than self defense. And self-defense does not include preemptive attacks on oil-rich countries that someday might have weapons that they might strike first with. I'm looking directly at you, George W. Bush.
But the bottom line is that the vocal majority of people in the world do not think as I do. And that's why even though I may disagree with the reasons we only-slightly-evolved-monkeys make war on one another over and over again, I salute the many men and women who have given their lives in countless conflicts defending my country from those who don't keep my attitude towards life.
On this day of remembrance, I remember the people who are responsible for giving me the freedom to want for a better world for my daughter, my wife and myself.
I remember, Canada.
Here's a link to a video montage done by global tv. Click the 'Lest We Forget' video. Props to Jen at Spaghetti Harvest for posting the link first.
I mean, I really hate the idea that people think they have the right to take away the only lives of others because of some belief system they have that conflicts with those they're killing.
Maybe its geographical, or ideological, or just about greed. Most often its semantic differences in religions. But I won't go there again for awhile.
Whatever the reason, I don't think it is ever okay to kill another person for any reason other than self defense. And self-defense does not include preemptive attacks on oil-rich countries that someday might have weapons that they might strike first with. I'm looking directly at you, George W. Bush.
But the bottom line is that the vocal majority of people in the world do not think as I do. And that's why even though I may disagree with the reasons we only-slightly-evolved-monkeys make war on one another over and over again, I salute the many men and women who have given their lives in countless conflicts defending my country from those who don't keep my attitude towards life.
On this day of remembrance, I remember the people who are responsible for giving me the freedom to want for a better world for my daughter, my wife and myself.
I remember, Canada.
Here's a link to a video montage done by global tv. Click the 'Lest We Forget' video. Props to Jen at Spaghetti Harvest for posting the link first.
Labels: everything else
I work 12 hour midnight shifts at my current job. Its not that busy a shift, but for the most part, I like it. More money, more time off.
I end up sleeping the days between shifts away, but that is tempered by getting to spend a lot of time with Superwife and Trinity on my days off.
I spent my downtime tonight working my way through finishing the novel The Time Traveller's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger. It is an absolutely amazing book.
Its a very unique love story between an extraordinary woman, and a chrono impaired man who bounces around uncontrollably throughout time over the course of their lives together.
After finishing it, (well before in fact) I made a few parallels between the husband, Henry and myself. I feel lately that I am myself a bit 'chrono impaired', forcing my body to adjust between two completely opposite schedules every 8 days, never knowing what day of the week it is. Tonight as I was leaving for work, I asked Superwife if it was garbage day tomorrow, not as a means to try to weasel my way out of it, but because it could have been a Tuesday, or a Saturday for all I knew. The name of the days don't have the significance for me anymore that they do for everyone else.
After finishing the book, a 500 page treatise on love wrapped in the guise of science fiction, I was struck by a palpable need to see my girls. I actually felt a pain in my stomach, as I was thinking about how much I missed them. I so deeply felt the need to wrap my arms around Superwife and bury my face in herlong shortish brown hair, or see the look on Trinity's face when she pretends to smell something she doesn't like, her face a mask of exaggeration and giggles.
I took a drive by my house on my lunchbreak, knowing full well that both my baby girl and my wife would have been asleep for hours, and I could hardly see the house for the tears that filled my vision. Probably a good thing I wasn't sharing the road with anyone. I am aware of missing them all the time, but there are times when I miss them so much more its scary.
Anyway, if nothing else, all of this time travelling does remind me of that which is really important. Not that I really needed the reminder, but there are times when even the most important things can get lost in the daily grind. I guess it helps to take a little perspective and imagine looking back later and having missed out on anything, something I want to do as little as humanly possible.
I end up sleeping the days between shifts away, but that is tempered by getting to spend a lot of time with Superwife and Trinity on my days off.
I spent my downtime tonight working my way through finishing the novel The Time Traveller's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger. It is an absolutely amazing book.
Its a very unique love story between an extraordinary woman, and a chrono impaired man who bounces around uncontrollably throughout time over the course of their lives together.
After finishing it, (well before in fact) I made a few parallels between the husband, Henry and myself. I feel lately that I am myself a bit 'chrono impaired', forcing my body to adjust between two completely opposite schedules every 8 days, never knowing what day of the week it is. Tonight as I was leaving for work, I asked Superwife if it was garbage day tomorrow, not as a means to try to weasel my way out of it, but because it could have been a Tuesday, or a Saturday for all I knew. The name of the days don't have the significance for me anymore that they do for everyone else.
After finishing the book, a 500 page treatise on love wrapped in the guise of science fiction, I was struck by a palpable need to see my girls. I actually felt a pain in my stomach, as I was thinking about how much I missed them. I so deeply felt the need to wrap my arms around Superwife and bury my face in her
I took a drive by my house on my lunchbreak, knowing full well that both my baby girl and my wife would have been asleep for hours, and I could hardly see the house for the tears that filled my vision. Probably a good thing I wasn't sharing the road with anyone. I am aware of missing them all the time, but there are times when I miss them so much more its scary.
Anyway, if nothing else, all of this time travelling does remind me of that which is really important. Not that I really needed the reminder, but there are times when even the most important things can get lost in the daily grind. I guess it helps to take a little perspective and imagine looking back later and having missed out on anything, something I want to do as little as humanly possible.
Labels: books, everything else, trinity
I don't have the words to describe how ludicrous this is, other than to say I sincerely hope this was posted as a joke:
How to Make a Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich
Here's a sample:
Elbert Hubbard put it best when he said 'Genius may have its limitations, but stupidity is not thus handicapped.'
How to Make a Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich
Here's a sample:
Overall Things You'll NeedI'm not making this up. And yes, it does say breads. With an 's'.
* Peanut Butter
* Jam Or Jelly
* 2 slices breads
Elbert Hubbard put it best when he said 'Genius may have its limitations, but stupidity is not thus handicapped.'
Labels: everything else
Dear Trinity,
I've mentioned this before, but I imagine that there will be times when you read these letters and you are less than thrilled with me or with things that I have done. But as I was leaving for work tonight, you came up to me, nonchalantly threw your arms around me and gave me the best, tightest hug you've ever given me. And then you smiled, released me and toddled off to play with whatever happened to catch your eye. I think it was a Sesame Street book.
It was all I could do not to just break down and bawl right there. As it was, I barely got out to the car for the tears welling in my eyes.
So if, during any of the times that you might come across these letters and wonder how I felt about you, and if even the seemingly insignificantest things you did changed my perspective on the world, if only for a short time, know that they did. And yes, Daddy knows insignificantest is not a word, but sometimes you gotta make do.
You have had another busy month as far as the learning and the milestones go. I have lost track of the foods you eat now, and that's not because I'm working or sleeping half the time. I'd be better off to say what you don't eat because you pretty much try everything your Mom and I have. Your unquestioned favourites right now are Ice Cream (which sounds like 'Eyes Chee' coming from you at this point) and Pizza (which sounds surprisingly like Pizza).
You celebrated another Halloween with us at home again, this time by stopping whatever you were doing every time there was a knock at the door and running over to help me dole out candy. You loved ooing and ahhing over the different costumes. You also loved slamming the door on the departing trick-or-treaters and running in to the living room to await the next batch.
You did not, however love your costume. Or even like it. To be completely fair, you pretty much hated it, and screamed until we took it off you.
You have been learning a lot over the last month. Your vocabulary flat out astounds me. Not a day goes by that we don't try to introduce you to a new word that you are only happy to reproduce. And the really interesting part happens when you pull the word out of nowhere a few days later, and use it in context. By way of example, we can't go by the produce aisle at the grocery store without you demanding an apple.
You have picked up on some fun bathroom associations too. One of them is to march in behind me when I get up and want to brush your 'teef', which we both do. I find this one uproariously funny, watching you run around the bathroom as I sing Raffi's 'Brush Your Teeth' song. Another bathroom trick of yours is to watch with unmitigated fascination whenever your Mom or I sit down to do business in there. And as much as this one will likely aid in you mastering what goes on most often in bathrooms, I can't help but find this one even funnier.
We have begun getting ready for the winter, and as part of that, we have had to buy you some more winter gear, and try on what we already had for you. You look more than a little silly in your vastly oversized snowsuit that was supposed to fit you this season, but I have no doubt that you'll be nice and warm in it.
I am looking forward to introducing you to winter this year. Last year you were too new to take you anywhere but in and out of warm places as fast as we could get you through the cold. This year I plan on taking you to the park, possibly in a toboggan, teaching you to make snowmen (or women, or Elmos or whatever). It should be fun.
Speaking of Elmo, you have officially developed your first real childhood attachment: Your 'Say Your Name Elmo Doll'. In case you don't remember him, we plug him into a pc, and can configure him to say all kinds of things, songs, games, etc. But the cool part is the name, because when he says it in that high voice of his, it tickles you no end. And there's nowhere you don't want to bring him along. That means sleeping, strolling, reading a story, shopping, even bringing him into the tub. That last one has presented the only major problem with the attachment, but we're working around it. I foresee a time when we look for a bathtub 'Wetsuit Elmo', but that time isn't here yet.
Your Mom and I have had a lot of fun doing some early shopping for this coming xmas. Never having been the huge fan of christmas that your Mom is, I'm finding that I am more excited this year for it than I have ever been. I'll be sure to let you know how that goes when the time comes.
I love you,
Daddy
I've mentioned this before, but I imagine that there will be times when you read these letters and you are less than thrilled with me or with things that I have done. But as I was leaving for work tonight, you came up to me, nonchalantly threw your arms around me and gave me the best, tightest hug you've ever given me. And then you smiled, released me and toddled off to play with whatever happened to catch your eye. I think it was a Sesame Street book.
It was all I could do not to just break down and bawl right there. As it was, I barely got out to the car for the tears welling in my eyes.
So if, during any of the times that you might come across these letters and wonder how I felt about you, and if even the seemingly insignificantest things you did changed my perspective on the world, if only for a short time, know that they did. And yes, Daddy knows insignificantest is not a word, but sometimes you gotta make do.
You have had another busy month as far as the learning and the milestones go. I have lost track of the foods you eat now, and that's not because I'm working or sleeping half the time. I'd be better off to say what you don't eat because you pretty much try everything your Mom and I have. Your unquestioned favourites right now are Ice Cream (which sounds like 'Eyes Chee' coming from you at this point) and Pizza (which sounds surprisingly like Pizza).
You celebrated another Halloween with us at home again, this time by stopping whatever you were doing every time there was a knock at the door and running over to help me dole out candy. You loved ooing and ahhing over the different costumes. You also loved slamming the door on the departing trick-or-treaters and running in to the living room to await the next batch.
You did not, however love your costume. Or even like it. To be completely fair, you pretty much hated it, and screamed until we took it off you.
You have been learning a lot over the last month. Your vocabulary flat out astounds me. Not a day goes by that we don't try to introduce you to a new word that you are only happy to reproduce. And the really interesting part happens when you pull the word out of nowhere a few days later, and use it in context. By way of example, we can't go by the produce aisle at the grocery store without you demanding an apple.
You have picked up on some fun bathroom associations too. One of them is to march in behind me when I get up and want to brush your 'teef', which we both do. I find this one uproariously funny, watching you run around the bathroom as I sing Raffi's 'Brush Your Teeth' song. Another bathroom trick of yours is to watch with unmitigated fascination whenever your Mom or I sit down to do business in there. And as much as this one will likely aid in you mastering what goes on most often in bathrooms, I can't help but find this one even funnier.
We have begun getting ready for the winter, and as part of that, we have had to buy you some more winter gear, and try on what we already had for you. You look more than a little silly in your vastly oversized snowsuit that was supposed to fit you this season, but I have no doubt that you'll be nice and warm in it.
I am looking forward to introducing you to winter this year. Last year you were too new to take you anywhere but in and out of warm places as fast as we could get you through the cold. This year I plan on taking you to the park, possibly in a toboggan, teaching you to make snowmen (or women, or Elmos or whatever). It should be fun.
Speaking of Elmo, you have officially developed your first real childhood attachment: Your 'Say Your Name Elmo Doll'. In case you don't remember him, we plug him into a pc, and can configure him to say all kinds of things, songs, games, etc. But the cool part is the name, because when he says it in that high voice of his, it tickles you no end. And there's nowhere you don't want to bring him along. That means sleeping, strolling, reading a story, shopping, even bringing him into the tub. That last one has presented the only major problem with the attachment, but we're working around it. I foresee a time when we look for a bathtub 'Wetsuit Elmo', but that time isn't here yet.
Your Mom and I have had a lot of fun doing some early shopping for this coming xmas. Never having been the huge fan of christmas that your Mom is, I'm finding that I am more excited this year for it than I have ever been. I'll be sure to let you know how that goes when the time comes.
I love you,
Daddy
Labels: trinity
Here's a nice little diverge from all of the recent posts about scifi and my addiction to (and lifestyle revolving around) same:
Dooce, pretty much the world's most famous blogger and the genus for the term 'dooced', meaning to be fired for the writings on one's blog, has been one of my guilty pleasures for the last few years.
And her recent post wherein she details dressing her entire family (including Chuck The Dog) in Star Wars costumes is why.
I came across an article that spells out nicely what the appeal is with the chronically depressed, ex-mormon Mommy blogger. Dooce.com (real-world name Heather Armstrong) is the very first blog I ever read years ago, and have read her regularly since.
And did I mention that she dressed the entire family in Star Wars costumes for Halloween?
Read the article here.
Dooce, pretty much the world's most famous blogger and the genus for the term 'dooced', meaning to be fired for the writings on one's blog, has been one of my guilty pleasures for the last few years.
And her recent post wherein she details dressing her entire family (including Chuck The Dog) in Star Wars costumes is why.
I came across an article that spells out nicely what the appeal is with the chronically depressed, ex-mormon Mommy blogger. Dooce.com (real-world name Heather Armstrong) is the very first blog I ever read years ago, and have read her regularly since.
And did I mention that she dressed the entire family in Star Wars costumes for Halloween?
Read the article here.
Labels: everything else
