The Occasional Solipsist

So I am sitting in a hotel room in Toronto right now, while Trin and Superwife slumber away in the double bed beside me. And I can't sleep even though I have been on day shifts for the last 4 days. My mind would just rather be awake then asleep I guess.

We came down here to take Trin to the zoo and either delight her with the fact that all those animals she sees on tv and in books are real, or scare the shit out of her with that same fact as they stomp around in front of her. Either way, we're hoping for a big reaction.

Oh, and here's an update: I went to see Indy 4 after work last night with a pal, and don't listen to anyone that tells you otherwise, this movie. Is. Fucking. Awesome. Fucking awesome I tells ya! Its fun, campy and full of comedy, just like all its predecessors. Yes, there is a very scif-fi MacGuffin instead of the usual religious tripe. So? If anything, that made the movie better than any of the first three. Check out this thread if you're interested in hearing more on the debate. If you are a fan of these movies, don't be a sheep and listen to the naysayers. Go see it. You won't have more fun at the movies this year until, well, until you get around to seeing Iron Man. Or until Dark Knight comes out. Or Hulk. Or X-Files 2. Well still, it is very good.

And just so its been said, Shift Work FTW!, cause its a Tuesday night and my workweek is over til Friday night.

Labels: family, movies, scifi, superwife, trinity, work

So this week Superwife and I sat through 'Raiders of the Lost Ark' and 'The Last Crusade' by way of getting me ready for 'Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull'. We skipped 'Temple of Doom' because I caught part of it on a movie channel a few weeks ago, and it is my least favourite of the three anyway. All that stupid death cult crap.

Anywho, the B-I-L, a couple of buddies and I went out to see the premiere of Indy tonight, after buying my tickets online earlier only to discover that a car accident across town had somewhow killed power to the only movie theater in the city, and the night's show had been cancelled. Kee-rist. The joys of living in near a small town are becoming increasingly apparent.

I am back to shift work again tomorrow, but hopefully I will get to see the show sometime soon, before someone goes and pulls a 'Darth Vader is Luke's father' on me.

Labels: movies, rants

So I have been having some fun with the Out-Laws lately, specifically the F-I-L. Great guy, as I have said before, but now that we are in the middle of getting the outside of our place ready, he is being just a little more vocal in giving his opinion on how I should get things done than I am comfortable with. He is a very forceful guy, used to being completely in charge at work, and that bleeds out a bit whenever anyone is working with him. Normally its all good, as I am usually helping him do something, and I acquiesce to him where his business is concerned. But lately, he's been helping out at our new place, and he has been a huge help, bringing over tools, and machinery, even driving his tractor over to help smooth out topsoil. Holy shit I am going to sound ungrateful complaining about this.

But, here's the thing: As helpful as he is, he thinks that there is only one right way to do anything, and guess whose way that is?(I'll give you a hint; it's not mine.) And he might be right, but that is not the point.

One part of doing things his way is for me to agree to every suggestion he might have on how best to prepare our lot, which I rankle at, because I do not like people telling me what to do. Advise, if asked, sure. But tell me what to do with my own place? Grr. The other, and more judgemental way of doing things his way is the not-completely-voiced opinion that I should be out in the yard shoveling, raking, planting, whatever every free second I have. Which is not my favourite thing to do. In fact, I get no enjoyment whatsoever out of working in the yard other than that once its done, I won't have to think about it except to mow the fucker. And I hate that too, btw. And because the only exercise I get anymore is the occasional bout of yoga, I am so ill-equipped for extended periods of manual labour that tonight every muscle in my body is screaming at me for being so abusive to myself. Especially my back. Maybe might have to step up the yoga regimen.

So basically I am in the position where I don't want to take advice because I am not asking for it, and I am annoyed that I am being judged based on someone else's idea of how my time off at home should be best spent. Maybe I don't have a fucking clue how to prepare a lot, or even maintain it, but it is mine, and if I want to fuck it up, I think that is my prerogative.

And while I am on lingering familial issues: I love Superwife's sister like one of my own; she's a terrific person, but fuck me does she try to get a rise out of everyone sometimes. I used to think I was exempt from it, but yesterday when she was over, she threw out a string of Jesus, God and The Holy Father Bless You's, when Trin sneezed, even though she knows that shit drives me nuts. When someone says 'Bless you' I say 'No thank you', and mean it. And I want my home to be a place that is free of all the religious horseshit I grew up with, and perpetuating that crap (intentional or otherwise) in front of my kid is not something I tolerate. I actually hate that Christians think that its polite to say that to everyone in the world. What if the recipients of the christian sentiment are of a spiritual persuasion that does not accept blessings, or are even Atheist, like me? I think the next time someone says 'Bless you' to me I am seriously telling them to fuck off. I think that will garner a response.

And did I mention my back is killing me? I did? Oh. Well it still is.

Labels: atheism, family, rants

Not exactly a very noteworthy position I guess. Who actually wants to work for a living anyways? Whoever answers 'Me' to that question is either a liar or someone I don't care to know. Probably both.

I have had some funny things going on lately work-wise, and even though I am on the 'time-off' part of my swing shift schedule, I find myself thinking way too much about work. Hence the post about it.

2 weeks ago I turned down a job promotion that would have meant moving from shift work to days for a little bit more money than I make now. And I don't regret that move a bit, because after working really fucked up hours on shifts for the last 2 years, or working for a company on Vegas time for a year or so before that, it turns out that I don't much care for the 9 to 5 anymore. I am not sure that I can say I ever did, come to think about it.

And last week I had a job interview for the contract gig I currently have. I went in thinking I didn't even want the job, cause I make more money on contract, but as it turns out, I kicked all kinds of ass in the interview, and I realized afterwards that I really do want to keep doing this job for the foreseeable future. Which likely means I won't end up getting it, but there it is anyway.

Where the hell is this post going again? Oh yeah, all this thinking about work, and I have come to the realization that I would be quite cool with not spending the bulk of my time doing something for someone else just so that I can sneak in a few minutes every once in awhile to whine about it on my blog. So if I have some long-lost wealthy relative out there who's only got me in the will, no offense, but can you go ahead and die already so I can focus on my retirement?

Labels: rants, work

So I've just got around to catching the first episode of the 4th season of the 'new' Doctor Who. At what point does a series that has been remade stop being called new and just referred to as what it is anyway? How about Who 2.0 or something?

Either way. The series brings back the Donna Noble character, who filled the gap between Billie Piper's spectacular character 'Rose' (Season 1 and 2) and the great-but-not-Rose Martha Stewart (Season 3). She was all right too, but where Doctor Who companions are concerned, there's Rose and then there's anyone-who-isn't Rose. I guess Romana would be worth an honourable mention as well, but she's almost 60, and I just can't crush on that, no matter who she's married to.

I fucking love Doctor Who, btw. I have since I was a little kid. I think I can thank a cousin of mine for that initial indoctrination (see what I did there?). I'd watch it when my parents would dump me off at an Aunt's place, and even though these visits pre-dated videotape by a good margin, it seemed like it was always on there. This cousin of mine watched the show, read the books, and even knitted herself a 12' scarf and wore it along with her long brown trench coat. She would've been cool in an uber-geek way to me, but the family rumour was that she slept in the same bed as her Mom, and that just killed the whole thing for me. Ugh.

Where was I? Billie Piper. Right. So I get around to watching the season 4 premiere, 'Partners in Crime' and thanks to the asshats at CBC, I have to download a copy that was upped by British fans after their national broadcasting company did the right thing and aired it in the first place. Fucking CBC. I will watch Rick Mercer on that channel, but otherwise, no thanks. The episode was classic Who. Lots of David Tennant running around trying to save a bunch of people, plenty of sonic screwdriver action, and a whacky alien. But right in one of the final scenes of the ep, there is a cameo with a certain totally unexpected blonde character, who is supposedly exiled to a parallel dimension forever. She appears for a few seconds, interacting with the new companion briefly, and then walks away, fading into transparency.

Even though she's been off the show officially for two seasons, I seem to be unable to help my fascination with Rose's character. There's just so much to like about her. She is smart, and isn't at all afraid to stand up to her partner. She exudes so much natural beauty. She is not rail-skinny and not what you might first think of as model-pretty. She actually reminds me a lot of Superwife. Beautiful, but not the kind that looks fake. The kind that just is. Hmm, now that I think about it, if Superwife were to put on a blonde wig and start singing ferociously bad pop songs, I could get something going here. And even though I know she'll never read this, I seriously don't know how she puts up with me, even for just thinking nonsense like that.

But she'd still look good in that wig.

Labels: doctor who, scifi

Whilst watching Wonder Woman yesterday (yes the 1970's comics-inspired tv show with Lynda Carter in the Amazonian title role), during a gun fight, as the bullets richochet harmlessly away, Superwife exclaims to the bad guys:

"Quit aiming at her bracelets everytime!"

I laughed my ass off. And that's exactly the kind of thing that when it happens, reminds me why I love her so much.

Labels: comics, scifi, superwife

Dear Trinity,

Has a month gone by already? Where did that one go?

I thought I'd first tell you about how your voice affects me these days. I have been working more nights this month than usual and your Mom and you have been calling and leaving me messages on my phone's voicemail. Usually they are of you telling me what you guys are doing at that given moment, either what you did after supper, or what books you might read later. Maybe it is to tell me that you love me or that you had a big poop. I have been saving all of them and listened to them in a row last night while at work. Its good that I was again on nights, because I might have to answer questions from people wondering why I was crying a little at work.



You are so funny lately. You asked me the other day if I was going to go to work that night, and when I said no, you actually yelled 'Woohoo!' and did a little dance. It was awesome. Speaking of dancing, somewhere along the way you have decided that the thing to do while dancing is pull your pants down so that the crack of your butt is exposed, followed usually by a lot of giggling. Not sure where that one comes from, but I do know that you keep doing it because I can't help laughing every time I see you do it. If I have, in so doing, encouraged you into a profession that I might not have otherwise approved of, I formally apologize.

You and I went for haircuts together this month and it was a lot of fun. I couldn't believe how still and obedient you were with the girl doing your hair. Frankly I was thinking about seeing if we could set her up at our place in some way, since you seemed to enjoy the experience so much that you forgot to be your normal wild self. But then the moment passed and I realized that one of the things I love most about you is that you are your own person. But it really was adorable.



Storytime has had a bit of a paradigm shift this month. You have now gone past the point where you want us to read your stories to you, as well as past reading your books to us, and have moved right to attempting to read my books to me. It is very cute and made better by the fact that you like to make up your own stories and characters as you flip the pages. Case in point:



And now, the screaming. Looking back and reading this, do you remember that when you were 34 months old one of the best ways you could think of to get our attention was to scream as loud as you can? We certainly are having a tough time figuring it out. You get a lot of attention from both of us, and you pretty much always have your Mom around to interact with, so its a strange thing when you start screaming for no apparent reason other than to get us to stop doing whatever it is we're doing and try to get you from hurting your larynx and our ears any further.

The weather finally started changing for the better a bit this month, although we only had nice weather for a few days and then it either got cold again, rained a lot, or often times both. We actually had snow on the road when we came home from visiting your Aunt and cousin. We had a nice time visiting with them, and not only were you ok with the long drive, you really didn't seem to care that you were cooped up in a car for 5 hours straight each way.

When the weather was nice though, we took you to a bigger park than our usual one and we tried flying a kite, to limited success. But you had a blast alternatively chasing that thing around the park or dragging it along the ground. The view through your eyes really is a fun one. Maybe a little opaque sometimes, but it still provides a sense of wonder to my life that I would never otherwise have.



I love you,

Daddy

Labels: trinity