uncharted waters

Monday, November 29, 2004

Do you know what I hate?

People. That's right...you heard me.

I am so frustrated right now that I think my head might actually explode.

Fuck.

Liberated at 11:32 a.m.

Friday, November 26, 2004

A clarification...

I suppose that I should elaborate on my previous post. It's not that I'm unhappy with my work, or that I feel like I'm selling out. I just feel like I've been sucked deep into BusinessLand [insert ominous music here] and I can't locate the real world anymore.

Just need a little more adjustment time, I suppose...

Liberated at 12:54 p.m.

Wednesday, November 24, 2004

Sigh.

I feel like a corporate whore today.

Liberated at 7:14 a.m.

Tuesday, November 23, 2004

Politics and religion, religion and politics...

E-Day Goodness
(aka "a haiku for the Liberals"...thanks to poor,
befuddled Portia Clark!)
So we had this discussion at work this morning, and I thought I'd put it out there to see what everyone thought.

In my opinion, anyway, I think we just created a more right-wing monster than we had before. Liberal and ND gains were made almost entirely in the urban areas of Alberta, mostly in Edmonton with a few in Calgary. So who were the Tory MLAs who we booted? They were the centrist members of caucus - the ones who provided a little lefty balance. So now that we've booted these (relative) voices of reason out of the PC Caucus, are the Tories now free to privatize health care and quash same-sex marriage even more than before? Did we just do more harm than good?

Relgion...or is it?
And on a totally unrelated note, why is it that whenever someone sees an 'image' of the Virgin Mary (i.e. the recent grilled cheese sandwich story), why is it immediately the Virgin Mary, and not just some woman? Seriously, of all of the supposed images that I've seen, I've never once thought "hey...that looks like Mary!". *If* (and that's a big if) I use my imagination to even see an image at all, I say "hey...that looks like any random woman, but since she'll emblazoned on the side of a grilled cheese sandwich, I can't quite make out her features!".

Liberated at 7:57 a.m.

Thursday, November 18, 2004

Quote of the day...

"I'm not sure that 'old white man' will go over well with this community."

- me, working hard (no seriously, I really was!)

Liberated at 11:03 a.m.

Monday, November 15, 2004

Guilty Pleasures on a Sunday Evening...

There are many things for which I have a weak spot - far too many than I'd care to admit. The usual are the ones that most of you already know - politics of any kind, my fishies, random venting sessions and gossip. There are many more, however, that I'd rather not admit to...but *this* one, I can't help.

I'm such a sucker for those cheesy, made-for-TV disaster movies. I can't help myself. So last night when I was flipping channels at around 10:30 or so, I was beyond excited when I hit the jackpot...Category 6: Day of Destruction!!! It had everything a girl could ever want...a B-movie horror soundtrack, glaringly obvious foreshadowing, horrible acting, special effects that I probably could have put together on my laptop! And then, *gasp*!!! Last night was only PART ONE OF TWO!!!! Oh, the excitement!

But it just kept getting better. After focusing my full attention to this marvel of ridiculousness (I was distracted because I needed to do a water change for the lately-neglected Grumblefish...he was giving me a rather forlorn look that demanded attention, although I couldn't quite tell whether it was because he needed new water, or because he - like me - was getting sick of the bass that comes with living above a bar), I discovered the best part of all. This movie (as with many that are set in Chicago) was filmed in the 'Peg!!! It clicked in when I saw several soon-to-be-doomed characters sitting on a bench in a mall where I spent much of my youth. All told, by the end of the night, the movie was filmed at no less than three of my former workplaces - Polo Park Shopping Centre, the Manitoba Legislature and the Forks Market. All three were easy to identify, despite the the "nuclear power plant" that was in the midst of boiling the Assiniboine River which lurked behind the Forks in almost every shot. Despite all of the uproar from 'Peggers lately about their failing movie industry, it seems to me that there has been a steady string of films lately in which I can identify my old haunts (most recently, Shall We Dance - although, let me be clear...I won't be paying money for that one).

However, in between playing the 'name that place' game, and basking in the glory of horrible special effects, I began to get a little annoyed with the movie. Why, you ask? What could possibly be wrong with all of this goodness? As the vast majority (do I even have regular readers whom I don't know?...probably not) of you know that I work for a major utility company. Although I haven't been here that long, I have been known to get pretty defensive when there are criticisms directed towards my company. So when the giant "Lexer Energy Corporation" started cutting corners and screwing people over in exchange for higher profit, I was a little miffed. Then came the heartless executives (including the "Senior Vice President of Public Affairs...hey, *we* have one of those!), the fancy boardrooms, and the laughing at all of those unfortunate power customers...well, I'd had enough. Not enough to make me stop watching, mind you...but...uh...enough nonetheless.

It struck me that if I didn't know what I know about the energy industry in Alberta, I'd be pretty swayed that those mean ol' corporate execs were just like the ones in those boardrooms in downtown Edmonton. Not because I'm stupid or can't form my own opinions...but the amount of energy conglomerate bashing in this flick was far greater than the your average bit of bad PR. The bottom line? I hope that - as it deserves - this movie garners terrible ratings...the last thing I need right now is people in the midst of this supposed Alberta election deciding that the energy companies are out to get them...

Oh, and I admit it...I can't wait for Part Two to air!!!

Liberated at 7:34 a.m.

Sunday, November 14, 2004

Social Tips for Rednecks
(a.k.a. Welcome to Alberta!)

From yet again another email forward...

In General...

Never take a beer to an interview.
Always identify people in your yard before shooting them.
It's considered tacky to take a cooler to church.
If you have to vacuum the bed, it's time to change the sheets.
Even if you're certain that you're included in the will, it's rude to drive a U-haul to the funeral.

Dining Out

When decanting the wine from the box, make sure you tilt the paper cup and pour slowly so as not to 'bruise' the fruit of the wine.
If drinking directly from the bottle, always hold it with your hands.

Entertaining in your home

A centerpiece for the table should never be anything prepared by a taxidermist.
Do not allow the dog to eat at the table, no matter how good his manners are.

Personal Hygiene

While ears need to be cleaned regularly, this job should be done in private using one's own truck keys.
Even if you live alone, deodorant is not a waste of money.
Use of proper toiletries can only delay bathing for a few days.
Dirt and grease under the fingernails is a social no-no, as they tend to distract from a woman's jewelry, and alter the taste of finger foods.

Dating (outside the family)

Always offer to bait your date's hook, especially on the first date.
Be assertive, Let her know you're interested: "I've been wanting to go out with you ever since I read that stuff on the bathroom walls two years ago."
Establish with her parents what time she is expected back. Some will say 10:00 PM. Others might say "Monday," If the latter is the answer, it is the man's responsibility to get her to school on time.

Weddings

Livestock usually is a poor choice for a wedding gift.
Kissing the bride for more than 5 seconds might get you shot.
For the groom, at least, rent a tux. A leisure suit with a cummerbund and a clean bowling shirt can create a tacky appearance.
Though uncomfortable, say 'yes' to socks and shoes for this special occasion.

Driving Etiquette

Dim your headlights for approaching vehicles, even if the gun is loaded and the deer is in sight.
When approaching a four way stop, the vehicle with the largest tires does not always have the right of way.
Never tow another car using panty hose and duct tape.
When sending your wife down the road with a gas can, it is impolite to ask her to bring back beer too.
Do not lay rubber while traveling in a funeral possession.

Liberated at 7:17 p.m.

Wednesday, November 10, 2004

I hate...

caffeine
my growing dependency on caffeine
that pretentious fuck on the Food Network who says "spa-gee-tti" and "fett-two-cine"...seriously, we get that you're Italian. Now shut up.
that I haven't felt well-rested in weeks
mushrooms
that I can't sleep in anymore
partisan politics...especially in Alberta
that I can't pick up and leave at the drop of a hat
that I feel old
voicemail, but only at work
mornings
that I'm currently sitting at my desk, and not on a plane about to land in some exotic locale
Excel
people who cannot have discussions, only arguments to prove their point
knowing that I'll never have it all figured out
that I wasn't built properly
finally finding something out, only to discover that there are now five new things that I don't know but need to
that I've only run once in an election, and it was uncontested
feeling overwhelmed
failure

What do you hate, blog-reader-folks?

Liberated at 3:30 p.m.

Thursday, November 04, 2004

A picture is worth a thousand words...

Or maybe it should be a picture is worth 59,000,000 votes? A few of my favourite election graphics...

Liberated at 6:14 p.m.

Wednesday, November 03, 2004

Well, at least we'll be able to have fun pointing
and laughing for a while longer...

Read Paul Wells today. Read it, I said!

My favourite excerpt:

The majestic Howard Dean coalition - youth, new voters, the "wired," the "disenfranchised" - remains the France of electoral coalition-building: genuinely useful, if only it would freaking show up for the freaking fight. Sorry, but I'm a bit bitter about this. Participation soared across every demographic, including the underestimated People Michael Moore Likes to Make Fun of. But the young-new-"disenfranchised" set sat around and played Halo 2 on the X-box instead of, you know, freaking voting. These are the same people who couldn't be arsed to pick up the phones at Dean headquarters in South Carolina when I was there in January. (Fun Canadian fact: the Canadian leader who has put all of his hopes - and I mean all his hopes - on the Howard Dean coalition of non-voting non-voters is Jack Layton. Explains a lot, really.)

Liberated at 8:37 a.m.

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