boo

so today is Halloween.

i was reminded of its approach when i read the intro to an article by Dave Barry:

"Santa Claus, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and Frosty the Snowperson are starting to appear in the store displays at the mall, and you know what that means! It means it's almost Halloween."

(Mr. Barry is hilarious; read more of his stuff if you have the time. a shout-out to AC for introducing me to his writing. yo! okay, that's of that for today.)

i did actually dress up once for Halloween. it was during the first part of my first grade year at Rawlinson Community School. you can also see General Mercer Jr. PS on the previous map; i spent the remainder of grade one and grades two through four there.

i dressed up as Batman. however, being brown, i decided to make my own costume. what fun! my poor mother spent much time acceding to my every request: no, the ears have to be shorter; the cape has to be longer; etc..

we were to spend the second half of the school day having a Halloween party so everyone was dressing up at lunch. i went out to the schoolyard and put on my costume: a pair of black pants, a black turtleneck, a black cape, a black plastic mask and a pair of cardboard bat ears that were to be held to my head with elastic. at least, that's how i remember it. i have no idea how i got the pants on; maybe i actually wore them to school in the morning.

i finished dressing and sat down on the asphalt. (the rear playground of Rawlinson slopes sharply at one end. i was sitting on the slope.) i was approached by an older girl in a shiny silver outfit and two of her friends. "What are you," she asked, "a cat?"

i was horrified. embarrassed. humiliated. (i could go on, but i can't think of any other adjectives to properly describe my state of shock. oh, there's another: shocked.)

"Um... er..." what could i say? i decided to respond with a question of my own: "What are you?"

"I'm Batgirl," she easily replied.

that's when i noticed the the Batman logo emblazoned on the black belt that encircled her waist. things were going from bad to worse. luckily, i was just small fry and she and her friends went off to find someone else to torment.

i was devastated - i didn't even look like Batman. as class was about to begin, i quickly decided upon a course of action: i removed the cape and ears. Unfortunately, at that tender age, i had no idea who Zorro was; i could have passed for him.

if i had to dress up today, i think i'd go as myself. i can think of nothing scarier.

freak

does anyone remember that first ad for the iPod? at least, i think it was the first ad. it featured a brown guy dancing in his apartment, downloading music to his iPod. then in a moment of silence he picked up the iPod. as he put on the earphones, the music started again, and he danced his way out the door. i too can do such things with my mp3 player. it's no iPod, but it's more than enough for me.

i often listen to music on my way to school. sometimes, if the music gets loud, i wonder what people would think if they could hear it. i never feel bad if it's secular music that i'm listening to. but if it's Christian, i suddenly feel an urge to lower the volume.

why do i feel ashamed of my music? am i ashamed of Christ?

Jesus Freak
DC Talk

[What will people think when they hear that I'm a Jesus Freak?
What will people do when they find that's it's true?]

Separated, I cut myself clean
From a past that comes back in my darkest of dreams
Been apprehended by a spiritual force
And a grace that replaced all the me I've divorced

I saw a man with tat on his big fat belly
It wiggled around like marmalade jelly
It took me a while to catch what it said
'Cause I had to match the rhythm
Of his belly with my head
"Jesus Saves" is what it raved in a typical tattoo green
He stood on a box in the middle of the city
And he claimed he had a dream

[Chorus]
What will people think
When they hear that I'm a Jesus Freak?
What will people do when they find that it's true?
I don't really care if they label me a Jesus Freak
There ain't no disguising the truth

Kamikaze, my death is gain
I've been marked by my Maker
A peculiar display
The high and lofty, they see me as weak
'Cause I won't live and die for the power they seek

There was a man from the desert with naps in his head
The sand that he walked was also his bed
The words that he spoke made the people assume
There wasn't too much left in the upper room
With skins on his back and hair on his face
They thought he was strange by the locusts he ate
The Pharisees tripped when they heard him speak
Until the king took the head of this Jesus Freak

[chorus 2x]

People say I'm strange, does it make me a stranger
That my best friend was born in a manger
People say I'm strange, does it make me a stranger
That my best friend was born in a manger

[chorus 2x]

What will people think?
What will people do?
I don't really care
There ain't no disguising the truth

take 'em

Take Me To Your Leader
Newsboys

Isabelle is a belly dancer
with a kleptomaniac's restraint
tried stealing Helena's hand basket, made a fast getaway,
but McQueen she ain't
at the courtroom Joshua judges her ruthlessly
on account of Ruth walking out on him
in the Big House Isabelle is a-telling all
to the chaplin who's become her friend

she says:
I don't know why you care
I don't know what's up there
I don't know where or how
just take me to your leader now
take me to your leader now

Justin is adustin' to
the odor from Theodore's Evergreen Incense
but aroma therapy don't make him any younger
than Oliver's All Liver Suppliments
his late mate Marrilee merrily said immortality
can't be bought in a jar
this just in: Justin's had enough of cure-alls,
gonna quiz the neighbor kid with the
fish on his car

he says:
I don't know why you care
I don't know what's up there
I don't know how it's done
just take me to your leader, son

I see you've got the joy
I've seen you live it, boy

It's real, it's free, it's fun,
So take me to your leader, son
Take me to your leader, son

They don't know why we care
They don't know what's out there
They don't know how it's done
Let's take 'em to our Leader's Son

They see we've got they joy
They see us live it, oi
It's real, it's free, it's fun,
Let's take 'em to our Leader's Son

here i am

you can legitimately download the song Majesty by Delirious? for free here. follow the same link to download a few other songs also.

Majesty (Here I Am)
Delirious?

Here I am, humbled by Your Majesty,
Covered by Your grace so free.
Here I am, knowing I'm a sinful man,
Covered by the blood of the Lamb.
Now I've found the greatest love of all is mine,
Since You laid down Your life,
The greatest sacrifice.

Majesty, Majesty.
Your grace has found me just as I am,
Empty handed but alive in Your hands.

Here I am humbled by the love that You give,
Forgiven so that I can forgive.
So here I stand,
Knowing that I'm Your desire,
Sanctified by glory and fire.
And now I've found the greatest love of all is mine,
Since You laid down Your life,
The greatest sacrife.

Majesty, Majesty.
Your grace has found me just as I am,
Empty handed but alive in Your hands.
Singing Majesty, Majesty.
Forever I am changed by Your love,
In the presence of Your Majesty.
Majesty.

We're singing Majesty, Majesty.
Your grace has found me just as I am,
And I'm nothing but alive in Your hands.
We're singing Majesty, Majesty.
Forever I am changed by Your love,
In the beauty of Your Majesty.
Majesty.

Written by Stu Garrard/Martin Smith ©2003 Curious? Music UK

the agony and the ecstasy

still awake. yawn.

ever wondered what an arts student does? i can't speak for others, but i can do so for myself. i learn how to say things in as many words as possible. not because so many words are really necessary, but becuase i have a quota to meet.

here's an example. yes, i know it's a bit over the top, but i also have a deadline to meet.

A work of architecture, like art, is not just the creation of a single moment. Rather, it is the convergence of a million moments, a million thoughts, a million actions. It is the architect's consummation: his ideas and dreams, the tools he uses, the medium in which he works and the environment he wishes to transform brought together in a supreme instant of ecstasy. Such work is not built but created - it is brought to life. Fallingwater is such a creation; complete in its construction, in harmony with its surroundings. Such architecture transcends the ordinary into extraordinary. It is not only beautiful, it is sublime.

now i am listening to this song:

Out Of The Woods
Nickel Creek

I wish you out of the woods
And into a picture with me
I wish you over the moon
Come out of the question and be

If this is gonna run 'round in my head
I might as well be dreaming
Run 'round in my head

I roller coaster for you
Time out of mind must be heavenly
It's all enchanted and wild
Just like my heart said it was gonna be

If this is gonna run 'round in my head
I might as well be dreaming
Run 'round in my head

I wish you out of the woods
And into the picture with me
I wish you over the moon
Come out of the question and be

If this is gonna run 'round in my head
I might as well be dreaming
Run 'round in my head

If this is gonna run 'round in my head
I might as well be dreaming
Run 'round in my head
I might as well be dreaming
Run 'round in my head
I might as well be dreaming
Run 'round in my head

If this is gonna run 'round in my head
I might as well be dreaming
Run 'round in my head

question

so tired. heard this song on Scrubs a while back:

Question
Old 97's

She woke from a dream
Her head was on fire
Why was he so nervous?
He took her to the park
She crossed her arms
And lowered her eyelids

Some day somebody's gonna ask you
A question that you should say yes to
Once in your life
Maybe tonight i've got a question for you

She'd had no idea
She started to cry
She said in a good way
He took her by the hand
Walked her back home
They took the long way

Some day somebody's gonna ask you
A question that you should say yes to
Once in your life
Baby tonight i've got a question for you

avec fromage

today is cheeseburger McDeal day at McDonald's. that means you can get two cheeseburgers for the price of one. that's got to be somebody's version of heaven. not exactly mine, but still.

there's something so complete about a cheeseburger. i've heard it argued that a hamburger, without cheese, is perfect. but no, i don't think so. that thin slice of processed cheddar cheese - as unhealthy as it may be - completes the hamburger.

but really, we can't blame fast food restaurants for our over-consumption and ill health. admittadly, they're not making it easier.

i'm hungry though. maybe i should get myself a Royal with Cheese.

working

i am studying, or at least trying to. i am listening to this song:

We Can Work It Out
The Beatles

Try to see it my way,
Do I have to keep on talking till I can't go on?
While you see it your way,
Run the risk of knowing that our love may soon be gone.
We can work it out,
We can work it out.

Think of what you're saying.
You can get it wrong and still you think that it's alright.
Think of what I'm saying,
We can work it out and get it straight, or say good night.
We can work it out,
We can work it out.

Life is very short, and there's no time
For fussing and fighting, my friend.
I have always thought that it's a crime,
So I will ask you once again.

Try to see it my way,
Only time will tell if I am right or I am wrong.
While you see it your way
There's a chance that we may fall apart before too long.
We can work it out,
We can work it out.

Life is very short, and there's no time
For fussing and fighting, my friend.
I have always thought that it's a crime,
So I will ask you once again.

Try to see it my way,
Only time will tell if I am right or I am wrong.
While you see it your way
There's a chance that we may fall apart before too long.
We can work it out,
We can work it out.

morning

today looks to be a gloomy day. i however, am feeling much, much better than i was last night, or rather, earlier this morning.

but after reading that article for which i sent out a link yesterday, i am once again wondering where exactly the line between "Secular" and "Christian" lies. should there really be a line? i don't mean that in a "let's jump on the bandwagon" kind of way, but more like "should we be walking around with up turned noses?"

that of course brings up the whole argument concerning Christians who have chosen to make their living in a "secular" environment; i am speaking specifically of the music industry. honestly, at one time i would have pointed fingers at such artists and called them "sinners". but sin is sin and i'm just as much a sinner as they are. probably more so because i do even less than they do with what He has given me.

perhaps it's a little too early to discuss this. anyone else is, of course, very welcome to share their opinions.

here's a "secular" song by one of those groups that "sits on the fence". that's just fine with me; they make good music. well, i think so at least.

There She Goes
Sixpence None The Richer

There she goes
There she goes again
Racing through my brain
And I just can't contain
This feeling that remains

There she goes
There she goes again
Pulsing through my veins
And I just can't contain
This feeling that remains

There she goes
There she goes again
Racing through my brain
And I just can't contain
This feeling that remains

There she goes
There she goes again
She calls my name
She pulls my train
No one else could heal my pain
And I just can't contain
This feeling that remains

There she goes
There she goes again
Chasing down my lane
And I just can't contain
This feeling that remains

There she goes
There she goes
There she goes

down

today, in one of my courses, the topic of discussion was design theory behind the construction of mental health institutions.

the subject of melancholy came up. in the 18th and 19th centuries, the term melancholy was used to refer to what we now call depression. melancholia is now used by psychiatrists to describe a state of severe depression, apathy and withdrawal.

i don't feel depressed; melancholic sounds about right. but more in a reflective or contemplative manner, i guess. perhaps it is because, as HoMeBoY has suggested, i have no life?

here's a song i stumbled across today; i didn't even know i had it.

Tea And Sympathy
Jars of Clay

Fare thee well
Trade in all our words for tea and sympathy
Wonder why we tried, for things that could never be
Play our hearts lament, like an unrehearsed symphony

Not intend
To leave this castle full of empty rooms
Our love the captive in the tower never rescued
And all the victory songs
Seem to be playing out of tune

But it's not the way
That it has to be
Don't trade our love for tea and sympathy
'Cause it's not the way
That it has to be

You begin
And all your words fall to the floor and break like china cups
And the waitress grabs a broom and tries to sweep them up
I reach for my tea and slowly drink in

[Chorus:]
'Cause it's not the way
That it has to be
Don't trade our love for tea and sympathy
'Cause it's not the way
That it has to be
Don't trade our love for tea and sympathy

So fare thee well
Words the bag of leaves that fill my head
I could taste the bitterness and call the waitress instead
She holds the answer, smiles and asks one teaspoon or two

[Chorus x 2]

Don't trade us for tea and sympathy
Don't trade us for tea and Sympathy
We can work it out

Don't trade us for tea and Sympathy
Don't trade us for tea and Sympathy
We can work it out

Don't trade us for tea and Sympathy
We can work it out

cereal killer

you know, it's actually quite easy to write a review for a movie or book or music album - everyone does it. it's much, much harder to write a review for something so mundane that most people would never even think about it. that's the kind of challenge that i'm up to. by the time you finish reading this, two things will have happened: one, you will have finished reading this and two, you will be fully convinced that i am a nut. that's if you already are not convinced of that fact. that's quite fine with me - i'm as mad as a hatter. and you're not allergic to nuts anyway, right?

by the way, do you know where the phrase "mad as a hatter" comes from? let me tell you. quite some time ago, the process of hat making required the use of mercury. honestly, i have no idea why the mercury was used, but the result of constant contact with the mercury often drove the hatters quite mad. as in stark raving mad. i don't have references to prove this, but i'm pretty sure that i'm right. but i could be wrong. look it up when you have the time. in fact, i hope i am wrong. then you can post a message saying "Chris, you were wrong", and i'd feel satisfied knowing that someone finally said something.

okay, back to the review. i have decided that today, this morning, i shall review a box of Kellogg's CORN FLAKES. you laugh now. but first, a little history lesson.

CORN FLAKES were invented by accident. the Kellogg brothers, John and Will, were interested in developing new grain foods for John's medical establishment. one day, after baking some dough samples, they were called away on business. when they returned, the dough had dried. thinking something akin to "What the hell!" i'm sure, they put the dough through the rollers anyway. to their amazement, the dough came out in little flakes. and voila. Kellogg's CORN FLAKES were first made available to the public in 1906. yep, that's right, almost one hundred years ago.

now let's look at the box. it is 32.5cmx24.0cmx9.5cm. (that's 13.0"x9.5"x3.75".) why those particular dimensions? have you heard of the golden section? it's a ratio that has been studied as far back as Pythagoras. a line segment follows the golden section when it is composed of two uneven parts and the first is to the second as the second is to the whole. (a:b = b:(a+b)) it is considered most aesthetic. this box does not follow the golden section. beats me why they chose those dimensions. they probably used some funky equation to calculate the maximum volume using minimum material or something like that.

the slogan on the box says, "The Original and Best*" (the * means that you have to look for the fine print on the side of the box that says "*Trademark/Registered trademark of KELLOGG CANADA INC. (C) 2003.) the original and best what? perhaps the phrase below gives us the answer - "TOASTED FLAKES OF CORN". wow. what a revelation. and below that is this: "COR 246". i have no idea whatsoever as to what it means.

the graphic on the box is, of course, a bowl of CORN FLAKES*. (yes, that too is a *Trademark/Registered trademark of KELLOGG CANADA INC. (C) 2003. i should have mentioned that earlier.) the bowl, like the box, is white. the bowl rests on a white napkin that is placed towards the right side of the box. in the lower left corner of the box, is a strawberry. perhaps it was dropped there by the same invisible person that is dropping another two into the bowl of cereal, splashing milk everywhere. that would, of course, explain the presence of the napkin.

when i was a kid, i was always fascinated by the idea of the falling strawberries. what were they for? i tried many a time to figure this out, going as far as to get strawberries for my CORN FLAKES*. all to no avail. i even tried dropping them in like the ads on TV. they did not make the cereal taste better and they were usually the first thing i ate. they should have had someone spooning some sugar on the cereal. that's what can make it taste better.

in the background is the CORN FLAKES* mascot: Cornelius the Rooster*. get it? Corn-elius? (he too is *Trademark/Registered trademark of KELLOGG CANADA INC. (C) 2003.) he is red, green and yellow. he has no eyes, only empty sockets. poor, poor Cornelius the Rooster*.

and that brings us to the close of this review. i considered the prospect of venturing to the sides of the box but i shall not do that now. (the reverse side is the same as the front as this is a large 750g box.) there are no surprise trinkets in this box of cereal. that makes me sad.

but anyway, don't feel bad on my account. next time you see a box of CORN FLAKES* at the store or on your breakfast table, say a prayer for the sightless Cornelius the Rooster* and think of me. actually, don't think of me as that would just about make you lose your appetite.

and remember how i said earlier that two things would have happened by that time you had finished reading this? actually three things will have happened. by the time you finish this, you will have also read around 970 words of pure nonsense and wasted some precious time that you will never get back. so sorry.

i was not paid to write this. Kellogg's*, please DO NOT send me a lifetime supply of CORN FLAKES*. i like Frosted Flakes* better. - They're Grrrrrreat!*

(*Trademark/Registered trademark of KELLOGG CANADA INC. (C) 2003.)

wonderful

in retrospect, i'm thinking that perhaps it would have been better to have had my exam on the day scheduled last week. oh well. life's too short to waste time thinking on such trivialities as my post-secondary education.

life - with all its ups and downs, and aches and pains, and joys and sorrows - is wonderful.

really.

What a Wonderful World
(George Weiss / Bob Thiele)

I see trees of green, red roses too
I see them bloom for me and you
And I think to myself, what a wonderful world

I see skies of blue and clouds of white
The bright blessed day, the dark sacred night
And I think to myself, what a wonderful world

The colours of the rainbow, so pretty in the sky
Are also on the faces of people going by
I see friends shakin' hands, sayin' "How do you do?"
They're really saying "I love you"

I hear babies cryin', I watch them grow
They'll learn much more than I'll ever know
And I think to myself, what a wonderful world
Yes, I think to myself, what a wonderful world

stitched

i forgot to add that you can now find another large stitched picture here. it's the great hall of Toronto's Union Station.

tired i am

here's a review of Rufus Wainwright's new CD, Want One, also from RelevantMagazine.com. Rufus Wainwright is the son of Canadian folk singers Loudon Wainwright III and Kate McGarrigle. i suppose i could go into a strained discussion of his sexual orientation, but i won't; that's his business.

Harvester of Hearts
Rufus Wainwright

If a person should ever like a person
Then a person should like you
Being that I'm only just a person
What would you do?

If a person should ever like a person
Then a person should like me
Being that you're only just a person
It must be

Still I find it hard to get an answer
From the harvester of hearts
Always find it hard to get an answer
From the harvester of hearts

If a person should ever like a person
How funny that would be
If a person should ever like me

Not that I have that much to offer
God knows I have so much to gain
From the harvester of hearts
From the harvester of pain

If a person should ever like a person
Then a person should be free
Free to like whomever that they want to
Even though it ain't me

Not that I have much to offer
God knows I have so much to gain
From the harvester of hearts
From the harvester of pain

give

here's another article from RelevantMagazine.com: Give it Away. i've been thinking along similar lines recently and it really hits home.

Asleep In The Light
Keith Green

Do you see, do you see
All the people sinking down?
Don't you care, don't you care
Are you gonna let them drown?

How can you be so numb
Not to care if they come?
You close your eyes
And pretend the job's done

"Oh bless me lord, bless me Lord"
You know it's all I ever hear
No one aches, no one hurts
No one even sheds one tear

But He cries, He weeps, He bleeds
And He cares for you needs
And you just lay back
And keep soaking it in
Oh can't you see it's such a sin

'Cause He brings people to you door
And you turn them away
As you smile and say
"God bless you, be at peace"
And all heaven just weeps
'Cause Jesus came to you door
You've left him out on the streets

Open up open up
And give yourself away
You see the need, you hear the cries
So how can you delay?

God's calling and you're the one
But like Jonah you run
He's told you to speak
But you keep holding it in
Oh can't you see it's such a sin?

The world is sleeping in the dark
That the church just can't fight
'Cause it's asleep in the light
How can you be so dead
When you've been so well fed?

Jesus rose from the grave
And you, you can't even get out of bed
Oh, Jesus rose from the dead
Come on get out of your bed

How can you be so numb
Not to care if they come
You close your eyes
And pretend the job's done
You close your eyes
And pretend the job's done

Don't close your eyes
Don't pretend the job's done
"Come away, come away, come away with me my love
Come away, come away, come away with me my love"

gone to the dogs

here's an excerpt from Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K. Jerome. i guarantee that it will be one of the funniest books you'll ever read. also consider reading the sequel Three Men on the Bummel. finally, consider reading To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis, which is inspired by Jerome's book. all three come with my highest recommendations.

A Victim to One Hundred and Seven Fatal Maladies
from Chapter 1 of Three Men in a Boat

It is a most extraordinary thing, but I never read a patent medicine advertisement without
being impelled to the conclusion that I am suffering from the particular disease therein dealt
with in its most virulent form. The diagnosis seems in every case to correspond exactly with
all the sensations that I have ever felt.

I remember going to the British Museum one day to read up the treatment for some slight
ailment of which I had a touch - hay fever, I fancy it was. I got down the book, and read all
I came to read; and then, in an unthinking moment, I idly turned the leaves, and began to
indolently study diseases, generally. I forget which was the first distemper I plunged into -
some fearful, devastating scourge, I know - and, before I had glanced half down the list of
"premonitory symptoms," it was borne in upon me that I had fairly got it.

I sat for awhile, frozen with horror; and then, in the listlessness of despair, I again turned
over the pages. I came to typhoid fever - read the symptoms - discovered that I had typhoid
fever, must have had it for months without knowing it - wondered what else I had got; turned
up St. Vitus's Dance - found, as I expected, that I had that too, - began to get interested in
my case, and determined to sift it to the bottom, and so started alphabetically - read up ague,
and learnt that I was sickening for it, and that the acute stage would commence in about
another fortnight. Bright's disease, I was relieved to find, I had only in a modified form, and,
so far as that was concerned, I might live for years. Cholera I had, with severe complications;
and diphtheria I seemed to have been born with. I plodded conscientiously through the
twenty-six letters, and the only malady I could conclude I had not got was housemaid's knee.

I felt rather hurt about this at first; it seemed somehow to be a sort of slight. Why hadn't I
got housemaid's knee? Why this invidious reservation? After a while, however, less grasping
feelings prevailed. I reflected that I had every other known malady in the pharmacology, and
I grew less selfish, and determined to do without housemaid's knee. Gout, in its most malignant
stage, it would appear, had seized me without my being aware of it; and zymosis I had evidently
been suffering with from boyhood. There were no more diseases after zymosis, so I concluded
there was nothing else the matter with me.

I sat and pondered. I thought what an interesting case I must be from a medical point of view,
what an acquisition I should be to a class! Students would have no need to "walk the hospitals,"
if they had me. I was a hospital in myself. All they need do would be to walk round me, and,
after that, take their diploma.

Then I wondered how long I had to live. I tried to examine myself. I felt my pulse. I could not
at first feel any pulse at all. Then, all of a sudden, it seemed to start off. I pulled out my watch
and timed it. I made it a hundred and forty-seven to the minute. I tried to feel my heart. I could
not feel my heart. It had stopped beating. I have since been induced to come to the opinion that
it must have been there all the time, and must have been beating, but I cannot account for it.
I patted myself all over my front, from what I call my waist up to my head, and I went a bit round
each side, and a little way up the back. But I could not feel or hear anything. I tried to look at my
tongue. I stuck it out as far as ever it would go, and I shut one eye, and tried to examine it with
the other. I could only see the tip, and the only thing that I could gain from that was to feel more
certain than before that I had scarlet fever.

I had walked into that reading-room a happy, healthy man. I crawled out a decrepit wreck.

the jig is up

HoMeBoY, a reply is forthcoming. if anyone else would like to enter the fray, please feel free to do so.

but first i would like to testify, yes Virginia, there is a God. no Santa though. sorry.

as i arrived at my class to write an exam for which i was not prepared, i was pleasently surprised to find a note on the door that said the class/exam has been cancelled because the teacher's baby daughter is on the way. needless to say, i am happy. very happy. i wish that baby a long, happy life and God's blessings.

if i knew how to jig, i would be dancing one right now.

okay then. here's a song i was listening to today:

Brown Eyed Girl
Van Morrison

Hey where did we go,
Days when the rains came
Down in the hollow,
Playin' a new game,
Laughin' and a runnin' hey, hey
Skipping and a jumping
In the misty morning fog with
Our hearts a thumpin' and you
My brown eyed girl,
You my brown eyed girl.

Whatever happened
To Tuesday and so slow
Going down the old mind
With a transistor radio
Standing in the sunlight laughing,
Hiding behind a rainbow's wall,
Slipping and sliding
All along the water fall, with you
My brown eyed girl,
You my brown eyed girl.

Do you remember when we used to sing,
Sha la la la la la la la la la la te da

So hard to find my way,
Now that I'm all on my own.
I saw you just the other day,
My how you have grown,
Cast my memory back there, Lord
Sometime I'm overcome thinking 'bout
Laughin' and a runnin' hey, hey
Behind the stadium with you
My brown eyed girl
You my brown eyed girl

Do you remember when we used to sing
Sha la la la la la la la la la la te da.

holy moley

you know what i just realised? the Google ad banner at the top displays ads relevent to what i post.

i hate ads of any sort on websites. unfortunately, nothing is free these days. my apologies. i am working on a solution.

one. thousand. hits. mwahahahahah.

Dr. Evil would be proud.

1000 page hits as of September 27th, 2003.

how about that?

i'm likin it

i like McDonald’s.
it's my favourite fast-food joint hands down. it's fries are incomparable. it's a place where many of my greatest memories began. right. when i was kid, i used to go to Mickey D's for two reasons: the Happy Meal Toy and those funky Styrofoam boxes the food used to come in. that way, i got some cool action figure and a space ship for him to ride in. (all cool action figures are male. deal with it.) but then they got rid of the Styrofoam boxes and i became too old to get a happy meal. how sad. i think my favourite toys were the Batman Returns series and the Spiderman series. the Muppets hockey players were cool too, but you had to pay extra for those. unfortunately, i am also now too tall to play in the PlayPlace. where has my youth gone?

i like to laugh.
i often do so even if i really don't get the joke. heck, everyone does it, but i'm willing to admit it. so next time you speakers of the Indian language tell a joke in your language, chances are, i won't understand most of it. but i'll laugh anyway. so sue me.

i like girls.
surprise, surprise. actually, i would like to speak of one particular girl i do not like. unfortunately, i don't know her name. this afternoon, after a particularly engaging physics lecture i was walking up St. George, on my way to the subway station. as i passed by a girl and a guy standing on the side walk, the girl said, "Ooooh, you're so sexy." i thought she might be speaking to someone else, but she was looking right at me. now, i don't go around cat calling people, do i? in fact, i usually walk around with my eyes focused on the sidewalk, trying to avoid the cracks. actually that's not true, but i most certainly do not make fun of people out loud. i do it in my head.

now, i present a song that blends all three elements of my post: McDonald's, laughter and a girl. but please be assured, i am NOT in love with the McDonald's Girl.

McDonald's Girl
Dean Friedman

I am in love with the McDonald's Girl
She has the smile of innocence oh so tender and warm.
I am in love with the McDonald's Girl
She is an angel in a polyester uniform

I leave from softball practice every night
It's getting dark but the golden arches light up the way.
I turn the corner at the traffic light.
I count my money and then I rehearse what I'm gonna say,
"I'd like an order of fries, a quarter pounder with cheese,
I love the light in your eyes. Will you go out with me please?"

I am in love with the McDonald's Girl
She has the smile of innocence oh so tender and warm.
I am in love with the McDonald's Girl
She is an angel in a polyester uniform

She doesn't try to impress anyone
She's doesn't act real tough like all the other girls that I know.
She don't treat me like a simpleton.
She's not afraid to be the only other virgin I know.
And when my hamburgers cold, I get up ready to go,
She's only 15 years old, and I'm in love with her soul.

I am in love with the McDonald's Girl
She has the smile of innocence oh so tender and warm.
I am in love with the McDonald's Girl
She is an angel in a polyester uniform

one of us: addendum

on Friday, some of us had a short conversation concerning the song One of Us which i posted recently. most of the sentiments express concerned the second line of the refrain: "Just a slob like on of us". someone - i won't say who - jovially threatened to turn me in to the authorities for my blasphemous rendition of the song. (i had started to sing the refrain earlier.)

but, now as i think about it, the line seems quite appropriate. we... sorry, i should say i tend to forget how Jesus was viewed by the general populace during His day. His followers were a small lot; if there were more, the masses crying "Crucify Him" would never have gathered.

if Christ were to have lived today, He most probably would have been considered a "slob" by those around Him and perhaps even by you and i. He was also considered a bastard. schizophrenic. a terrorist. a vandal. and i'm sure, a host of other things that i can't remember at the moment.

what would we do if we were in the place of the "good believers" of His day? how would we react?

- His disciples didn't wash their hands before they ate. how unhygienic.
- it was common knowledge that His mother was pregnant by God knows who before she was married. how scandalous.
- He constantly heard the voice of His absent Father. quite crazy, really.
- His believers were accused of "turning the world upside down". so disruptive.
- He was known to have rampaged through the temple, throwing out the local moneylenders and peddlers of sacrificial doves. and in the name of His Father, no less. a real menace to society.

small wonder they wanted to kill Him.

i am no comparison to Christ, but how would you react if i came in to eat with dirty hands? or if i didn't know who my father was, but walked around claiming to hear his voice? or if my friends were arrested as public nuisances? or if i walked through the lobby at Ohio convention overturning the tape sellers’ tables?

think about it. reply if you want to.

please tell me if you think i'm wrong - that would be most helpful.

can't see through all this...

i've also been thinking... over the next few days, we'll be seeing a lot of each other. whenever you see me and think, "That boy needs a haircut." please remember, i know.

right now, i barely sleep. if i had a list of things to do, getting a haircut wouldn't even be on my list. (i think this is how i'm also going to justify any dozing you might see me doing over the next few days.)

relevant thoughts

AC recently introduced me to Relevant Magazine.

here's a few links to some articles that speak of some of the things i've been thinking of recently:

- I Choose Life Over Convenience
- How to Be a 21st Century Knight
- The Toy Witch

things are rather hectic at the moment, and i'm really not in the writing mood. anyone is welcome to fill the void. (in case it's not clear, that's another thinly veiled hint for SOMEONE to say SOMETHING.)

and, in case anyone is wondering, when we're not busy lambasting each other over the evilnet, AC and i get along quite well.

here's to the net for bringing out the best and worst in all of us.

cheers,

mud

one of us

i remember as a kid... okay, let's try that again. i remember when i was even more of a kid than i am now, there used to be an advert on the tailevision for those miniature frozen pizzas. the selling point was the fact that while normal pizza crust "tastes like cardboard" this pizza crust is so crunchy it'll make people around the house jump in their seats every time you bite into it. this fact was demonstrated by a kid who snuck around from room to room in his house biting his pizza crust to make various members of his family jump up in shock and awe.

although i was never fortunate enough to sample this culinary wonder, i have to agree with that advert to some extent: most pizza crust tastes bad. there is one restaurant who's pizza crust i like, but i will not mention it here. (Pizza Hut, if you're interested in signing an advertising contract with me, you can reach my by clicking the "email" button to the right.) as a result, i've always eaten the crust first and saved the rest for last.

in the past few years even this simple pleasure has been taken away from me in the form of these new fandangled dipping sauces. you see my dilemma, don't you? either i get rid of the crust first in order to enjoy the rest of my slice or i save the crust for last in order to use the dipping sauce. i am so bewildered as to what i should do that i just eat the pizza in the normal manner (crust last) and completely forget about the dipping sauce.

but why are we so obsessed with food anyway? why do we go to such great lengths to construct it and then deconstruct it?

did you know that beer was first brewed in 5000 BC? or, did you know that coffee is an aphrodisiac? i did not know that, so no comments on my coffee drinking habits please. what's that you ask? am i feeling randy? i am most certainly not, thank you very much.

those two factoids i just provided you with are courtesy of a new ad campaign that has recently hit the subways. the Food Network is hawking a new show called Unwrapped. it claims to reveal all sorts of wonderful stuff about your favourite foods. where else could one learn such useless trivia as one goes about his or her business but on the TTC? that's why it's "The Better Way" folks.

but the fact that i'm talking about this proves that it's actually a pretty good ad campaign. another advert that is also gracing the subways these days is for Life Network. i suppose this one too is successful, but for the wrong reasons. it's a poster for "America's Next Top Model".

the advert gives the viewer a rear view of three females, clad in red and black two piece swimming suits and black stilettos. they are, it seems, clawing at each other and each other's clothes in an attempt to reach the spotlights that are shining in front of them. i haven't looked at it close enough to be sure.

i haven't looked at it closely because, quite frankly, it embarrasses me. i can't believe that it's being placed in subways that are ridden everyday by thousands of children. the show has a 9:00 pm time slot. if the network knows that the show should be on late, don't they also know that it should not be advertised in this manner?

i think they do, but i don't know if they even care.

i admit that perhaps i'm being premature in my criticism, especially considering that i have not seen the show. if you can prove me wrong, please do so.

One of Us
Joan Osborne

If God had a name, what would it be?
And would you call it to His face
If you were faced with Him in all His glory?
What would you ask if you had just one question?

CHORUS:
Yeah, yeah, God is Great
Yeah, yeah, God is Good
Yeah, yeah, yeah yeah yeah

What if God was one of us?
Just a slob like one of us?
Just a stranger on a bus
Trying to make His way home

If God had a face, what would it look like?
And would you want to see
If seeing meant that you would have to believe
In things like heaven and in Jesus
And the Saints and all the Prophets

(CHORUS)

Back up to heaven all alone.
Nobody callin' on the phone
'Cept for the Pope maybe in Rome.

(CHORUS)

Like a holy rolling stone.
Back up to heaven all alone
Just tryin' to make his way Home
Nobody callin' on the phone
'Cept for the Pope maybe in Rome.

Text & Music: Eric Bazilian

completely unrelated song? sure, i guess. it kept me company today though.

red?

HoMeBoY, one question: does your mother know of your preferences? i think that if she were to read what you said, you would find your @$$ ruled red.

but this brings up another question and another One Word Poll: Who's better? Veronica Lodge, Betty Cooper or Cheryl Blossom? everyone has a favourite. i've thrown in Big Ethel to liven things up a little.

but seriously, that's a really good question. who am i? i don't know if i have an answer to that. would anyone like to try and describe me? no holds barred.

and i guess the fun begins tomorrow, eh?

what are the chances?

i forgot to add that i never read into anything too deeply. it's not so much the year that i was thinking about, but the chances of the quarter having been minted in any particular year.

personally, i think that chance is absolutely necessary for us to have a free will.

what do you think AC? and please, don't stay up late thinking about it. if you really want to stay up late, i can think of other things you can do... like bouncing around on your bottom made out of springs.

anyone else, please don't hesitate to contribute. poll suggestions are also welcome.

finally, if you ever wondered What's the "Scroll Lock" key on my computer for?, then check out this article

and here's an interview with Neal Stephenson. his new novel, Quicksilver, is receiving mixed reviews on Amazon.com. it's about "the Seventeenth Century's role as being the source of so much of the modern world". anyway, he wrote the book using a fountain pen. a man after mine own heart. the book Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert A. Heinlein is also mentioned. another fascinating read.

and AC, as excited as i am about the possibility of a date with you, what does your smitten kitten have to say about that?

(as you can see, i'm really smitten with that phrase, smitten kitten)

defining moments

Dear AC,

How are you? I am doing well. I hope your family is also well.

I am still perplexed as to why you insist on referring to yourself as "AntiChris". Why would you want to be against anyone? But why of all people would you want to be against Chris? Chris is what you should strive to emulate. Chris is what people refer to when they say "Be the Best You Can Be". I could wax eloquent on the many virtues of Chris, but I won't; I'm quite sure that you are well aware of them all.

[Ed Note: Maybe he just can't think of any virtues at all, eh? And sweet saramma, he's so arrogant.]

Whatever the case, learn to enjoy the place you're in right now. Kismet has brought you here; fate is on your side.

[Ed Note: This guy is an ass. Why can't he just say that kismet means fate in Turkish?]

Unfortunately, I do not understand what the stairs have to do with Tudors. The lip is not large enough to facilitate entry into the car, is it? Whatever the case may be, it is not really important.

[Ed Note: Lies, Lies, Lies. You know he really wants to know.]

I too have a friend studying in Newfoundland. We were also speaking about hair, but more in the line of what the fair sex does with it. Is it true that when girls toss/play with their hair, they do it to get your attention?

[Ed Note: What a loser. Obviously never happened to him. Maybe some of the ladies who read this would deign to answer that question. All you blushing brides out there, is that what you did to get your smitten kittens' attention?]

That bit of advice sounds like something one would read in a publication like Maxim or Cosmo. That is why I always say "Reader Beware".

[Ed Note: Sheesh. "Caveat Lector" means "reader beware" and along the same lines, "Caveat Emptor" means "Buyer Beware". And how does he know what’s in those mags?]

AC, Are you a loyal Tim Horton's coffee drinker? Even though they are now owned by Wendy's? Why is Tim's so popular anyway? It's offerings are not particularly better than that of any other establishment. However, I have heard it said that its coffee is worthy of the gods. That's going a bit far. I think Tim's is popular because it always tastes very much the same - a double double in Vancouver will taste very similar to a double double in St. John's.

Please do not attempt to frighten me with your references to our forthcoming football game. First of all, I may not attend. And even if I do come and you run, run, as fast as you can, you can't catch me I'm the... er... mud.

[Ed Note: So lame. Someone get this guy some wit.]

"Why are our soldiers in Afghanistan?" You ask? I have been asking Mr. McCallum the same thing repeatedly. He refused to answer any of my calls, but sent me a letter. All that was inside was a paper that said "Restraining Order". Oh well, I'll try again tomorrow and let you know that he says.

[Ed Note: Groan with me now.]

Finally AC, I found it most amusing that you ended by saying "Mud and I" and "man-to-boy". Guess what that makes me? Now don't be sneaky and go and edit your post.

Digitally Yours,

Mud

fallingwater

i forgot to add that Fallingwater is located very close to Somerset, PA of YC/YAR fame. and yes, it's built on the waterfall.

kismet

i've always thought it strange how we never notice the little details in life. here's a random list of some things i've noticed in the past little while:

why do some stairs have lips at the edge of each stair? I'm talking about stairs that look like this:

       ____

       |_

    ____|

    |_

 ____|

 |_

  |

perhaps it has something to do with the way our feet naturally fall as we walk? either that or somebody decided it would be really funny to make people like me who have two left feet trip every time they attempt an ascension. sweet saramma, some people are so evil.

around three years ago, my father found a quarter with a hole in it among some change he received; i've had it on my key ring ever since. yesterday i took a careful look at it and noticed that it was minted in 1979. why did the fates decide to send a quarter with that year on it my way? why not some other random date? and while where on the topic, is there such a thing as chance, or does everything that happen to us happen for a reason?

have any of you seen the print ads for the Toyota Echo Hatchback? they're appearing in subway cars and in some stores around the GTA. if you ever see the one with the guy loading a flying saucer into the back, take a closer look at it. the guy in the ad is leaning back to get a look at the alien's posterior. i'm serious. in another, a woman is taking a giant banana out of the trunk to present to a King Kong-like figure hulking off to the side. if i'm correct, they're on Martin Street. why Martin?

sorry to send all this drivel your way.

earlier today i was doing some research for a project and learned that Frank Lloyd Write, one of my favourite architects, was the inspiration for Ayn Rand's The Fountainhead, one of my favourite novels. i don't really subscribe to the philosophy of objectivism, i just think the book is a good read. anyway, i've chosen Wright's Fallingwater as the topic for my assignment.

i'm tired; i'll stop here. please comment, answer a question or criticise my spelling as you feel the urge. yes i agree, the spelling line is getting old.

also, i guess i should say that any text on this site that is blue in colour is a link. so you can click on the word "Fallingwater" and you'll see a picture of the house. i'm sure most of you know this, but just in case.

(spell) check this out

The Spellchecker Song
my knew favorite songue.

The Sweatshop News
The Sweatshop News is a weekly online newsmagazine that aims to keep people busy. Indeed, our goals have been set quite low; they are much easier to accomplish that way. Our publication aims to keep you, the reader, up to date on all of the cutting edge news that doesn't really happen.

We tell the stories that other news organizations refuse to tell because we are bolder than they are. We pursue leads where other investigative journalists come up empty because we are grittier than they are.The Sweatshop News gives condiments like relish to the food bank because we don’t eat hotdogs and relish tastes weird on pastrami sandwiches.

To read the stories that no one else will tell because they have better things to do with their time, then you have come to the right place. Welcome to The Sweatshop News.

one down

any one here ever not use CTRL+ALT+DELETE? here's an article about the guy who "invented" it: Thank this guy for ‘control-alt-delete’.

why did they spell out "control" but not "alt"? i might be wrong, but i think it's "alternate" or maybe "alternative". anyone know?

and about the hot chocolate. i think it's another great example of how the good Lord looks out for me. it was so watery that there is no way it could be compared to a Dairy Milk. i am however very interested in this "fool-proof" way to keep the tab thingy in place. please enlighten me.

and speaking of enlightenment, the exam i just wrote concerned architectural discourse and practice during the "late seventeenth- and eighteenth- centuries". did you know that when Dickens writes stuff about the squalid conditions of life in England at the time, he's refuting the work/theories of Jeremy Bentham? i didn't know that a few weeks ago, but i did for the exam. perhaps i didn't do too poorly. isn't the feeling one gets after completing an exam wonderful. of course, it's often ruined when you think about how bad you did, but i'm going to avoid that part for as long as possible.

i'm at the library right now also and i made reference to it last time because i was hoping to use the fact that i was hurriedly using a public computer as an excuse for any possible spelling mistakes i might have made.

and names that are suffixed with "amma" are not only Malayalee; there are several Tamil variations also.

i am over my ears. i've been over them since around grade one. but, as has been proven here, they still make an excellent discussion topic.

finally, what's with all these doubts and questions concerning the work of Disney? such things, though they may confuse our lesser minds, are all done for a reason - they are too great for us to comprehend. rest in the knowledge that Disney chacha knows best.

and AC, i hate to break it to you but you are not a Tigger. there is only one and he lives with Kanga and Roo. you live in Toronto with your wife and kidlets. oh fine, you live in Mississauga, but that's still far from 100 Aker Wood.

caveat lector: accept no imitations.

hope this is grammatically correct and well spelt.


Tigger's Song

The wonderful thing about tiggers
Is tiggers are wonderful things!
Their tops are made out of rubber;
Their bottoms are made out of springs!
They're bouncy, trouncy, flouncy, pouncy,
Fun! Fun! Fun! Fun! Fun!
But the most wonderful thing about tiggers is
I'm the only one!

Oh the wonderful thing about tiggers
Is tiggers are wonderful chaps!
They're loaded with vim and with vigor;
They love to leap in your laps!
They're jumpy, bumpy, clumpy, thumpy,
Fun! Fun! Fun! Fun! Fun!
But the most wonderful thing about tiggers is
I'm the only one!

Tiggers are cuddly fellas.
Tiggers are awfully sweet.
Ev'ryone else is jealous.
That's why I repeat and repeat:

The wonderful thing about tiggers
Is tiggers are wonderful things!
Their tops are made out of rubber;
Their bottoms are made out of springs!
They're bouncy, trouncy, flouncy, pouncy,
Fun! Fun! Fun! Fun! Fun!
But the most wonderful thing about tiggers is
I'm the only one!


and no, i am not a walking repository of all things Winnie the Pooh. look here for a hunny pot full of good stuff: Woo's Wonder World of Pooh. please get your mind out of the gutter.

now i go back to the books; two more exams to go.

listen to this

two great saturday shows on the radio:

GrooveShinny – a musical cage match between a musicologist, a recording artist, and some nobody we dragged in off the street. Will this week's "perfect stranger" stun the nation with their profound knowledge of seventies disco, Chicago soul, German choral music and Honeymoon Suite? Or will they head to the showers early via the trap door beneath their chair?

What A Week is a half-hour political satire. Rooted in the week's top news stories and contemporary issues, What A Week presents biting impressions, pointed sketch comedy, contemptuous editorial commentary and satirical songs. (on right now.)

check your local times using the CBC Frequency Guide. the shows are on CBC Radio One

more MS? and no, that's not Multiple Sclerosis

i am really starting to dislike Microsoft. From Slashdot.org:

dtjohnson writes "According to this story, Microsoft has entered into an agreement with BIOS maker Phoenix Technologies to integrate the BIOS with Windows. This has the potential to turn PCs into Windows-only machines and also could result in widespread incorporation of Digital Rights Management (DRM) technology into new PCs. It looks like Microsoft is beginning to flex their marketplace monopoly muscles again, after taking a couple of years off."

Read Full Article: Microsoft moves to integrate Windows with BIOS

move

you know, not only are my ears big, but as someone recently pointed out, they're also mismatched. oh well.

i returned a little while ago from the late night prayers. i am feeling rather contemplative. i'll let FFH speak for me.

Lord Move, or Move Me
Jeromy Diebler

I can't find the words to pray, I'm a little down today
Can You help me, can You hold me?
I feel a million miles away, and I don't know what to say
Can You hear me anyway?

What I need is for You to reach out Your hand
You have taught me no matter what You'd understand

[Refrain]
Lord move in a way that I've never seen before
'Cause there's a mountain in the way
and a lock on the door
I'm drifting away, waves are crashing on the shore
So Lord move, or move me

I've looked everywhere to find a simple peace of mind
But I can't find nothin' on my own
So I gotta leave myself behind, take up this cross of mine
Give away everything I hold on to

Lord, I know the only way is through this
But Lord, I know I need You to help me do this

[Bridge]
Out of this place of complacency
To a place of fellowship with Thee
'Cause I am weak, but Lord, You are so strong
And You know it's been way too long
It's been way too long

red letter, red nose

today is a red letter day. for the first time in my life, a Tim Horton's Hot Chocolate lid stayed open, locked in place. i had given up the idea that the lid would ever stay open for me. it's a good thing that i don't purchase hot beverages from Tim's very often because if i did, i'd be walking around with a permanent bruise on the end of my nose from being repeatedly hit by the tab thingy.

unfortunately, my joy at being able to drink my hot chocolate unhindered was marred by the uncharacteristically watered down state of said drink. even a Tim's coffee would have tasted better. and no, i am not enjoying this fasting thing.

now, on to other more important things. a special thank you to the guy who's wife is a teacher (and thinks i'm a freak) for pointing out the error of my spelling ways. and you're right - it was quite ironic. my life, it seems, is a series of ironies.

unfortunately, as suggested by AntiMe, it was not done on purpose. but, i did notice it and decided not to change it. that has to count for something right? i have heard of that rule before, but not the part about weigh and neighbour. thank the good Lord for mnemonics like that - they're the reason i've gotten this far. which is not really very far, but you know what i mean.

if i understood what AntiMe was saying, my official status as "cute" is being hindered by my ears. i must speak to my plastic surgeon about this. but really, you're going to have to be more cruel than that if you plan to get a sniffle out of me. let me warn you ahead of time that monkey, Dumbo and Spock references have all passed through these ears of mine. something a little more creative please.

i've also decided to take your advice about swearing. i'm not even going to use phrases like good greif. (i really did it on purpose this time.) instead, from now on, whenever i wish to express my exasperation, i shall say... drum roll please... sweet saramma.

so, Premier is spelt without an "e"? sweet saramma, i can't believe how bad my spelling is.

finally, something funny i read today: "There are only 10 types of people in the world: Those who understand binary, and those who don't."

don't get it? what's 2 in binary? now you get it.

yes, i know i'm such a nerd. but i make it look so good. (sweet saramma, that was arrogant)

digitally yours,

mud

PS: LG, please don't sue me.

how cold is it?

AC, after reading what you said about snot strings, i was reminded of a way in which one can get an approximation of how cold it really is outside. consider the following:

- you know it's cold if your glasses fog up when you enter the house after any period of time spent outside.
- you know it's really cold if your snot freezes in your nose as you step outside.

i am currently attempting to ascertain whether it would be possible to determine the exact tempterature by measuring the time it takes for your snot to freeze. unfortunately, for the first part to work, you need glasses.

i am at the library... please excuse my spelling.

windows + ie == bad

i will reply to the recent posts of others, but now i need to go to class.  take a look at this:

A zero-day exploit targeting an Internet Explorer (versions 5 and forward) vulnerability is being used to install a Trojan on vulnerable systems. Experts warn that it's only a prelude to a series of attacks that are likely to be highly successful. 'This zero-day exploit is huge. It will likely be a major and highly successful, vector of attack upon thousands of computers for some time,' says Ken Dunham, malicious code intelligence manager at iDEFENSE. 'We have verified that attackers are installing backdoor Trojans and dialers on targeted computers at will.' 'Multiple examples of the exploit code are available for attackers to analyze and use in crafting their own attack,' adds Dunham. 'This type of code availability and underground activity traditionally foreshadows a flurry of malicious attacks.' " (Marc Erickson)
[Lockergnome's Technology News]

soccer, eh.

Canada stuns China to reach World Cup semifinals

so sweet. i am happy. Canada plays Sweden next.

and it's over..

okay, so it's not technically over yet. anyway, from cbc.ca, the results so far:

LIB: 71
PC: 25
NDP: 7
OTH: 0

Last Update 9:26 EDT

and, oh horror of horrors... quoting the CBC site: A unidentified voter takes her ballot at the Church of The Redeemer in Toronto. it should be An undentified voter... how ironic that it's me of all people who noticed such a thing.

and wow, i've said a lot today... i'll shut up now.

all the ducks are swimming in the water...

and so it's done - i've cast my ballot. i hope (all of) you did so also. i was a bit disappointed that i was not allowed to keep my voter card. everyone else seemed to be allowed to do so, but i was not. why? because they made a mistake with my name. with my middle initials actually. so they got to keep my card for reference or something like that.

after i voted, i walked to the store to buy some milk. a four litre bag of 2% to be exact. i heard a joke once, "You know you're Canadian if you can say the words 'Homo Milk' without laughing." in case any of you didn't know, our neighbours down south, as far as i know, call it 4%. anyway, i digress.

it's so cold outside, i was swearing all the way to the store. i'm not really sure why i was swearing, because i wasn't really upset about the cold. i think i was imagining that i would sound cool to all the people who might hear me. but i was swearing to myself... in my head.

crap. (i'm too polite to swear online.)

but that's okay. i'm sure the other people that live inside my head thought that i was cool. well, even if they didn't, i did. so there. i was also glad that earlier today, i stopped trying to be macho and got out my winter coat.

i am of the suspicion that there is some sort of underground used-bag market. let me explain. we buy our milk at this little Bangladeshi store near our house. they're too cheap to get bags with their store's name on them though. i mean, they're to... to... cheap. sorry, that's the only word that comes to mind. (if you're ever on the Danforth between Victoria Park and Main, look out for Sarkaar Foods on the north side. that's them.)

so... what these people do, i suspect, is buy bags that were once the property of other stores. they're new bags, mind you, but they have the logos/names of other stores on them. interestingly, the bag i got today, is from a store called O Nosso Talho - The King of Meats. big deal, you say? let me finish. Nosso, as we call it, has two branches. one is located on Dundas West, near our old neighbourhood. i wonder if this means they've gone out of business. that's too bad. they used to sell interesting things like partridge. never tried it though.

and just in case you're wondering, no, i was not serious about other people living in my head. my head is already too crowded with just me. i don't take myself seriously and neither should you.

now, sing with me...

All the ducks are swimming in the water.
Fal-deral-deral-do, Fal-deral-deral-do.

All the ducks are swimming in the water.
Fal-deral-deral-do, Fal-deral-deral-do.

Hava Nagila: correction

for all the grammatically correct persons out there:

of course, this is not good, especially on those occasions where my family or i take long road trips

Hava Nagila

i have a confession to make. no, don't worry, this does not involve a closet. whenever i walk into a restaurant, i feel bad if i don't buy something. what i mean is, i feel terrible for using the facilities and just leaving. of course, this is not good, especially on those occasions where i or my family take long road trips.

this happened to me a few days ago. i went to the Tim Horton's at Bedford and Bloor to blow my nose, but ended up leaving with a medium hot chocolate and a Boston Creme. and while we're on the topic, i dislike Tim Horton's coffee. don't yell. that's just my personal preference, and no, it's not becuuse i don't like coffee. i love coffee; i drink at least three cups a day. i also love Dr. Pepper. just thought i'd let you know.

Do any of you know what Klezmer Music (or Klesmer) is?

Quoting from Joys of Yiddish by Leo Rosten:

Klezmer Music is a style of music that is inherently Jewish in nature. The word Klezmer comes from two Hebrew words, clay and zimmer, meaning vessel of music or song. The idea is that the instrument ie. the violin, clarinet, takes on human characteristics like laughing and crying. With a joyous exuberance or a soulful wailing.

Klezmer music was a product of Eastern European Yiddish Culture which the Jewish immigrants brought with them to the United States in the 1880's.

Klezmer musicians (also called Klezmorim) were an informal group of musicians. Many were itinerants who went from village to village in Eastern Europe. They played traditional music, folk songs, folk dances and solemn hymns before prayers.

These musicians rarely knew how to read music. What Jews could afford music lessons and who in the shtetl would teach them? They earned very little money and had to keep moving, seeking out country fairs, weddings, synagogue dedications, Purim festivities etc...

Although untrained in any formal sense, many were extremely gifted men. So superior was their playing that Polish nobles often engaged them. As characters, the shabby Klezmorim were familiar to all Ashkenazi Jews. They were regarded as drifters, odd types and itinerant minstrels. They are a recurrent theme in the paintings of Marc Chagall and Chaim Gross.

A typical group contained three to six musicians. Their music was played on trumpets, bugles, flutes, clarinets, fifes, violins, cellos and drums. In some ways Klezmer music was like the music of Jazz combos in that it grew out of improvisation, ingenious harmonizations and solo innovations.

i'm going down this path after hearing an interview with David Buchbinder of The Flying Bulgar Klezmer Band. he and his Toronto-based band have recently released their new album Sweet Return. although this shouldn't really be an issue, i think it's very nice that he's Jewish and his wife's a Christian Palestinian.

so, mazel tov to all of you. (that's "good luck" for all of us who don't speak Yiddish. and it's not really appropriate in this case, as it should be used after the fact. like at a graduation. oh well) and before i forget, the bathroom in that Tim Horton's was filthy. avoid if possible.

Hava Nagila

Hava Nagila
Hava Nagila,
Hava Nagila,
Hava Nagila,
V'nis m'cha.

Hava Nagila,
Hava Nagila,
Hava Nagila,
V'nis m'cha.

Hava n'ra-na-na,
Hava n'ra-na-na,
Hava n'ra-na-na,
V'nis-m'cha.

U-ru a-chim
B'lev-sa-me ach,
U-ru a-chim
B'lev-sa-ma ack,
U-ru a-chim,
U-ru a-chim,
B'lev-sa-me ach.

But what does it mean?

Let Us Rejoice & Be Glad

Let us rejoice
and be glad

Let us sing

Awaken brethren
With a cheerful heart.

yes, you have heard this song before; it's on the Snatch soundtrack. if not there, then somewhere else.

good greif

i never cease to be amused by my atrocious spelling: it's Concorde, with an "e", not Concord.

anyway, here's an article from the Toronto Star about it.

new premiere, new poll

well, if the last poll can be trusted, it looks like Mr. Hampton will be our new Premiere. i however, predict that Mr. McGuinty will win - sharp, pointy head and all.

anyway, i've posted a new poll. sorry if it seems a little chauvinistic. it's not, really.

last flight of the Concord: update

provided by Brian Dunn of www.yyznews.com

The inbound flight is BA097 sked to arrive today (Oct 1st) at 1530hrs from London-LHR.
It is sked to depart at 1800hrs tomorrow (Oct 2nd) to JFK.

so, it's arriving at 3:30 PM today in Terminal 3 and leaving at 6:00 PM tomorrow. you can check the Toronto International Airport Website for updated Arrival and Departure information.

last flight of the Concord

heard on the radio this morning that the Concord is coming to Toronto for the last time. unfortunately, i don't have any solid details. I do know that it will be leaving Toronto for New York tomorrow (Thursday) at 6:00 PM. if you're interested, this will be your last chance to see her.

i'll update if i find out more.