Urban Dictionary

Cool: Urban Dictionary

Used stuff

This might be of interest. It's a site that Joyce turned me on to:

Used Canada

word: anfractuous \an-FRAK-chuh-wus\ adjective

anfractuous \an-FRAK-chuh-wus\ adjective

: full of windings and intricate turnings : tortuous

Baby you can drive my car

Did this fast (in Montreal):

Buspass @ $63 = 32 trips @ $1.92 ($1.92 being the discounted ticket price if you buy 6, else it be $2.50 per segment)

Average #WorkDays per month = 20

20 x $1.92 = $38.40 x 2 (i.e. the round trip) = $76.80 @ the discount


So that's pretty easy. Now let's drive:

Average cost per litre = $1

Average KM/L = 15KM (this is being generous)

This is just my day, not everyone's, but…

Approx KMs one way to my job (average suburban living) 22KM
Approx KMs to say head downtown/friend/store after work 8KM

Approx KM for a roundtrip day 60KM

60KM / 15 (KM avg. per litre) = 4L
4L x 1$ = $4
$4 x 20 days = $80 (approx gas budget required to drive 1200KM/month)
$80 + $400/month vehicle cost (again, generous because I'm including insurance, maintenance, parking, tickets, etc…) = $480/month

$480 / 1200KM = $0.40 per KM

So one day at work with a roundtrip of 60KM:

60KM x 0.40 = $24 per day (and again, being generous)

How much was that bus pass again? And that, in my opinion, should not be the primary reason for considering public transit. I often hear people tell me "I don't have time to sit on a bus" but…

"Buy this car to drive to work
Drive to work to pay for this car"
- [Yumily Haines from Metric]

Feel free to look at this from the EPA (1 US gallon = 3.7854118 litres) .

Oh Chloé, you're so fine, you're so fine you blow my mind

One word; one piece; one more reason to get up & out: Chloé

...and in four words: Les Chocolats De Chloé

Shout out: Mike Lenczner

This is the first in a series I want to call the "Shout out" and it's just that… a chance for me* to give a shout out to prop and praise the passionate, particular, and remarkable… today's special:

Mike rocks – he's simply a great guy. Very considerate and aware of himself and those around him. He is also working hard to get something done within the "we the people" quotient à la Ile-Sans-Fil, not exactly a rarity in these times, but his perseverance and apparent selflessness** surely are. I guess we met as a result of some of these common traits (i.e. through the ISF connection).

* Me? What do I know? Really, it's just my way of saying thanks to the many and to put some positive energy out there…

** haven't know him that long, but sometimes you can just tell ;)

French goddesses and socialettes

God damn are there some beautiful women in the city (in fact not all French), and moreover, in this here building. Trouble lies in focusing on any given one, so I'll focus on all of them, equally, and hope for something/someone that will elude my conscience mind; just take me; eliminate concepts of craving and aversion in whatever new relationship awaits me. In the mean time, I'll allow my heart to aneur. And how does one go about meeting and greeting these wonderfully… pause…

I've been eating dates. They are desirably sweet, moist, delicious and good for you. Could that be where the idea of "going on a date" originates? ;)

…wonderfully and desirably sweet visions and a proof of a higher power: the socialette. I HATE SMOKING, but love smoke breaks. The social cigarette has forever been a pillar in all my extroverted mandates. It provides we smokers with the indispensable ability to leave our desks, GO OUTSIDE, leave work behind, and discuss whatever over the 3 – 5 minutes we have together under the banners of "Wow. Are we ever dumb fucks for smoking!" and "Damn it's nice/cold/wet out!" and "So what's up/new/your name?" You'd be amazed how flattering it can be when someone chains a second socialette just to make it a 6 – 10 minute rendezvous.

I must figure out a way to maintain the qualities of socialette-isms without the inescapable 25 year reunion in a cancer ward and painfully reduced quality of life; pink has always been my color of choice. ;)

Maybe I could just light them and let them burn? Wash my hand after and done?

Scissor sister

The bank tells me I may never own a house and I'm able to smile it off. My sister, on the other hand, got me mad, and for the first time since my meditation, because she wouldn't (again) drive me the remaining 1.8km to work this morning. I am always willing to walk, it's just... well, I just think she could've done it. Lol. It was like my yesterself knew just what I would need to read first thing this morning.

My anger or disappointment was, after half a kilometer, replaced with compassion. She is so angry at everybody, and seemingly at herself, but I don't think she realizes it. She uses my mother's car on a daily basis, thusly leaving my autumned mother home alone without her wheels. The two of them have been getting, um, warm and warmer about the issue. Yesterday, I tried to suggest the realistic concept of sharing a day here and a day there - it bought me an ear full and another day on some dusty streets; like it was all my fault. Oh, and forget any possibility that I might need a car on occasion (i.e. tonight would've been good as I am invited to dinner in the city – and once again a choice between a 10:30 public transit curfew vs. the absorption of a 2 hour bus ride and then a 2km walk uphill).

Somewhere between doing nothing and concern for the well being of others has to exist a tier of constructive and non-intrusive compassion. Reconfirmed is that patience for the challenges in the lives others is a choice merit in situations like these, in trying to help others; ourselves; impermanence.

So sis, I'm sorry you're so upset with whatever it is that drives you to these mad road rage-ish behaviors that I keep seeing. Observation seem to yield that it's killing you softly. I'm sorry I got upset with you this morning, for my own sake at least, and even though I didn't really react. Let me know what I can do help, and let me start with more variable kilometer days on some dusty streets and umpteen hours on city buses. I will not only handle it, but find ways to enjoy it. You know where I am if and when you want to talk.

My dad asked that I keep the family outta the blog, so no more… enter Ms. Pink ;)

So behind

One week at work and I feel one week behind... time management... need to read and write and then read again... I'm verging on feeling bad about letting myself down... but I haven't. I'm doing what I must; mostly.

Went to see the banks today about the whole "behind" thing - got escorted out.

"You'll have to find another financial institution sir" - nice.

Royal - out. TD - out. Who’s left and why do I care? Credit? Houses? Cars? RRSPs?

Convenience and comfort are mechanisms of ingenuity and acceptance and, when no one can drive, always be willing to walk ;)

Testing the an email post...

...which will allow me to post from work :)

Day away

I am so happy that this day is almost behind me. It is official; I am getting older - slowly.

Got an email today from the top brass stating that they are going to further restrict web access. As it stands, I can barely count on getting through to Google. Hm. Roger's managed over-changing me again – that's right, again – so that makes them 0 for 4 in the accurate invoice department. Jebus. Didn't get all heated this time around. Just asked for it to be fixed and they fixed it. I was considering picking up one of these GSM wificards to work around this Chinafication of my corporate internet, but I'm positive less is more with cell companies. Too bad… anyone have any ideas regarding being your own cellphone VoIP service provider?

We can walk it out

Used this to determine how far I'd have to walk home at say 3am. After a 30 minute ride on a night bus (that's not including the expected cross city core westbound jaunt, so add about a hour or a $10 – 15 cab ride), I get to walk a refreshing 1.7km uphill and burn me a whopping 180 calories.

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/

the 8:10 red eye

I was early for work today, but only as result of not getting home last night. Headed to Laika to work on an Ile-sans-fil application portal demo. Mike met me there to go over some of the details and we ended up getting hosed; licked; mashed. I crashed at his place and then came into work. I think I might keep a complete change of clothing here so that I might avoid wearing certain clothes two days in a row (obviously happy I wore layers yesterday). I look fresh but feel like curling up in a ball under my desk. I wonder when these types of mornings will become a memory.

On a brighter note, work has started to groove… getting used to smells, sounds, French, interactions, pace, and brightness (not so much on that one today). Heading home after this to watch a movie in bed. I think I'll have to add pain killers to that list of office survival wear... ouch...

Newjo like Cujo (evil by nature and not the dog's fault)

New job... hm... so far, so French, so freckled in the fringe of my mind, so fascist, so fuckin'... fuckin' good to get working - optimistic - my blog only loads to about 50% of what should be there; half full; find equanimity.

I'm at work now, making this posting because they ain`t gots nothing for me to do yet. "Accès Interdit" at every other click; dirty desk (like Mr Clean dirty, not Einstein dirty); sticky keyboard; water rusty; chair stained in just the right places; lights fluorescent; clocks that tick backwards; grey cubical walls; bad coffee in Styrofoam cups; coffeemate and stir sticks; overhearing consumerist manifestos; recycle nothing but the air, which between 10:30am and 2:00pm smells like tomato by-product on a bed of starch; MSN gone; RSS gone; POP/SMPT/WebMail gone; Firefox gone; BlogThis gone; This gone... find equanimity; understand impermanence, and... YOU CAN`T TOUCH MY IPOD YOU PROXY BITCH!!! (that was meant to be funny, not angry... yet)

Ok. Whatever. Gotta get outta my house and I need my bike back (lotsa Montreal/Sutton rounds trips expected this summer) - this should get those goals accomplished and I will accept it on such premise; observe it; not react. My family is so happy about this job while the people who love me cry for me. Don't cry... I'll figure it out.

One word...

...Vipassana.

I have returned a different man; diminished ego and a faction of the man I used to be, but a fraction of a whole. I've been such a fool for so long; forever. I love you all and I'm sorry I didn't do this sooner - we would've all had it a little better...

This is so hard. I am hurting in the most beautiful ways, but it really does hurt. Reality has fully morphed on me. Details to come I guess, but I'm not sure when...

Let's see if I can copy/paste this from Mot de Microsoft to the blog...

...nope; Blogger gone. Maybe I'll cry just one quiet tear... equanimously... diligently... aware... half full; half full; half full... breathe... live... love.

It doesn't matter how hard or long or well you iron your shirt, wrinkles will arise once you start to wear it. Keeping the wrinkles out requires a continuity of practice, and it's quite a challenge to iron a shirt all day; everyday - especially if you're still wearing it.

Really quickly

got a job: CCQ
gone meditating: see this
the irish suck: back on the 19th - it's a celebration - takers? (i think?)

The Sun Online - Bizarre online: The Simpsons come to life

D'oh!

By VINCE SOODIN and VERONICA LORRAINE (The Sun) - MAKERS of the hit cartoon The Simpsons have filmed the show's opening titles using real actors.

In the hit viral going around the world we get to see what Bart, Homer, Marg, Lisa and Maggie would look like if they were humans.

And you can be among the first to watch the hilarious titles, filmed over 18 months in Britain, by clicking one of the link below.

The clip re-enacts the title sequence to a tee beginning with the camera zooming into a schoolroom to see a blonde Bart scribbling lines on the blackboard.

Simpson’s maker Matt Groening has approved the human version of the show’s opening credits to promote the brand new series.

Sky One will broadcast the promo as its viewers gear up for the The Simpson's 17th season which begins on March 20.

An insider said: "We're really excited about it.

"We used regular actors, not so much for their resemblance - as you can't copy a bunch of yellow characters - but becuase you can easily identify with them."

A balding actor plays Homer as he leaves work dropping some nuclear waste out of the window on the way home.

While a baby girl copies the scene where Maggie appears to be driving Marg’s car.

The opening montage ends with the whole family squeezed on the settee ready to watch the cartoon version of the show.

The Simpsons come to life

Audi World Site > New Cars > Driveline & Suspension

Not sure what you might understand by reading this, but these transmissions are truely "outside the box". Got a chance to see one of the Multitronic systems at the UN climate change conference that was hosted in Montreal in Dec 2005... and yes, very cool.

Audi World Site > New Cars > Driveline & Suspension

OpenID: an actually distributed identity system

OMG... you ask, some answer...

OpenID: an actually distributed identity system

How fun is this?

Social obediance gone awry?



Thanks for that Stevey...

Ferrari North America - Ferrari Driving Experience

Hello hello; what's all this then? More money I "could" spend... to the tune of $8,500 USD. I think I can drive an F1 in Belgium for $12,000 USD... not sure what might be more productive - I KNOW I'll never get the chance to hop in an F1 car in "daily life", and know that people do own Ferrari's, so a) live the dream b) acquire a "reusable" skill set...

Ferrari North America - Ferrari Driving Experience

Neither fer now (lol!), and I'd have trouble spending that kind of money on myself without some way to reapply that skill-set... maybe those bank robbers in the UK with the 100M are looking for another driver ;)

BBC NEWS | Telescopes 'worthless' by 2050

Sad... I like stars... and traveling:

BBC NEWS | Science/Nature | Telescopes 'worthless' by 2050

"Ground-based astronomy could be impossible in 40 years because of pollution from aircraft exhaust trails and climate change, an expert says."

word: vacuous

Main Entry: vac·u·ous
Pronunciation: 'va-ky&-w&s
Function: adjective
Etymology: Latin vacuus
1 : emptied of or lacking content
2 : marked by lack of ideas or intelligence : STUPID, INANE
"a vacuous mind" "a vacuous expression"
3 : devoid of serious occupation : IDLE

synonym see EMPTY
- vac·u·ous·ly adverb
- vac·u·ous·ness noun

WordPull

Done. Apache, mySQL, PHP, WordPress...

I wasn't hard; it wasn't easy (context and approach needed a little time).

So far, so good...

French-cais / Angl-ish

Traslation makes your mind work in a completely different fashion; like riding a completely different bike - still a bike, but different... different pedals, crank shaft, brakes, seat, wheels, gears, etc... it changes your canadence, endurance, and strength range... adjustment required.