Content DISCLAIMER: Some content contained within this site is of a mature nature. Not recommended for those under 18 years of age. Use your own judgment and discretion.
Personal DISCLAIMER: Brian is NOT a politician (nor a wannabe); NOT a member of a political party (never have been); NOT in any religious organization (nor religious for that matter); NOT currently under ANY contract with any government, government agency or private firm; NOT a full-time employee on 'the corporate payroll' (if such was the case a serious failure to communicate $$$with my bank account has occurred!); NOT an actor or film director (flattering but not true thus far in life); NOT currently in a committed relationship (Oh Really? And who is she? I must know the name of my mystery luv-thang friend!); NOT married (I've preferred co-habitation or separate residences vs marriage anyway in past liaisons); NEVER was married thus never needed a divorce.
Personal CLAIMER: After the "NOTs" there is "JUST a ..." category. Brian is JUST A free-agent entrepreneur-consultant-producer-writer seeking new business opportunities; JUST A radio producer & broadcaster (a volunteer at a community radio station meaning I don't get paid); JUST A single man (def: not married, not engaged, not living with a woman, not currently in a relationship ... and Nina is my dog, not a woman LMAO); JUST A reasonably healthy soul despite a few sports injuries; JUST A little perplexed and vexed at all the fuss and interlopers.
... Yawl have a nice day! 'Tis The boring truth as it may be.
CHAPTER III Quebec Civil Code: RESPECT OF REPUTATION AND PRIVACY:
35. Every person has a right to the respect of his reputation and privacy.
• 1) No one may invade the privacy of a person without the consent of the person
unless authorized by law.
• from 1991, c. 64, a. 35; 2002, c. 19, s. 2.
36. The following acts, in particular, may be considered as invasions of the privacy of a
person:
• 1) entering or taking anything in his dwelling;
• 2) intentionally intercepting or using his private communications;
• 3) appropriating or using his image or voice while he is in private premises;
• 4) keeping his private life under observation by any means;
• 5) using his name, image, likeness or voice for a purpose other than the
legitimate information of the public;
• 6) using his correspondence, manuscripts or other personal documents.
• from 1991, c. 64, a.36.
____________________________________________________________
The DILLY DIARY (BLOGS) BRIAN R DILLON: For the Year 2008
Last Updated: Sunday December 28, 2008
Copyright © 2008 Brian R Dillon. All Rights Reserved.
____________________________________________________________
Click here to Download the DILLY DIARY 2008 (Adobe PDF version): My_BLOGS_FOR_2008
December 2008
Wednesday December 31, 2008: Like the year that it was, it ended damn cold. Something like a temperature of -17 Celsius late morning. In fact, the temperature was lower than a bad day on the TSX Index the past fall. Sure, we could do a Top-10 or Worst-10 for a number of subjects for 2008 but its too cold to bother.
Happy New Year! Best at ya for 2009!
Tuesday
December 30, 2008:
Sunny, windy, cold. Blogging as I listened to “Michael Strogoff”
by Jules Verne being read on XM RADIO' channel 163 “BOOK RADIO.”
The talking book channel if you will. I loved reading that novel.
First read the novel as a CLASSIC Comic Book some time around grade 6
before reading the full length Jules Verne novel a few years later.
How fitting to revel in a novel with action in Siberia while the
current weather condition were pretty much Siberian.
Then
“Imagination Theatre” with the “The Further Adventures of
Sherlock Holmes” read by John Patick Lowry as Holmes in “The
Vampires Kiss.” Not quite in the same vampire vein as the very
popular “Twilight” film of late 2008. Still, it had bite. LMAO.
My
own fiction read to battle the frigid year-end is a sensuous novel by Saskia
Walker titled “DoubleDare.” With the enticing caption, “You
have to be daring to experience the ultimate pleasure.”
Walked
it down town in the afternoon to exchange a hoody with a zipper
problem. Snooped the stores down town. Still many a Boxing Week sale
going on. Side walks still pretty greasy and slippery. Atlanta and
Toronto was the TSN hockey game.
Monday December 29, 2008:
Stiff. No pervert, not there. You've such a gutter mind. Not that that
is a bad thing just stating the obvious. Feeling stiff from a good
workout on Sunday after doing squat other than doggy walking over the
past week. And with the dog now out in the country that means
diddly-squat minus doggy walking.
It looked decently sunny outside. Somewhere around the freezing point.
Some office types were toiling over keyboards across the way but the
'hood was pretty mellow as many must be on vacation. I have a few corp.
items to wrap for 2008 but it'll be mostly a chill-out and unplug week
for moi.
Huh, Team Canada Juniors met and trounced the poor lads from Boratstan
AKA Kazakhstan. I know a few of the country's players have made it to
the NHL but this 15-0 win isn't something you like to see for either
team. Sucks to lose that bad if you are a BorartStan player. It did
nothing to prepare Team Canada for tougher competition as the series
progresses.
Indeed, the Monday evening match of Team Canada and Team Germany was far better to watch. It was 2-1 Canada into the 3rd period before our boys opened it up to win 5-1. Canadian Captain Thomas Hickey was named Player of the Game.
…
Yet
we have the 2009 New Year's Day Bridgestone WINTER CLASSIC outdoor
game to look forward to if Team Canuck spanking Team Borat didn't do
it for you as a hockey fanatic. The 2009 Winter Classic will be held
at Wrigley Field in Chicago, where the host Blackhawks will meet the
Detroit Red Wings at 1 p.m. ET
Here
are my “classic” hockey cards kindly passed to me by my older brother. Back in 1963-64 if the Red Wings visited the Black
Hawks it would have been Roger Crozier (5'8", 165 lbs)in nets for Detroit up against
Glen Hall (5'11", 180 lbs) of Chicago. I also had a card of the 1962-63 Chicago
Blackhawks team photo.
As
a kid and new collector I was so disappointed to hear older
generation of the family had once had hockey cards dating back to the
1930s including Montreal Maroons and the New York Americans that had
been lost or given away through the years.
These
cards aren't in mint condition. Noppers. The friends I know as adults
that collect hockey cards buy em and put them in plastic coverings
right away to maintain them in mint condition. As kids we used to
trade cards a lot.
We also used to play a game called “edgers”
where you'd line up 10-cards at about a 30 degree angle up against a
wall. Your opponent would use one card as a “frisbee” to throw at
your line-up cards and whatever he knocked over he got to keep. I forget if we had two or three throws but that was the principle of it. Then
we'd change turns and I'd have the same chance to knock over and win
some of his cards. Thus, few of my cards are in mint shape. We used
some of our lunch money to make stops into the store to buy bubble gum packs
of hockey or baseball cards.
1963 Goalie show-down:
In
2008 I presume the show-down will feature Chris Osgood (5'10", 175 lbs) or Ty Conklin (6'0", 184 lbs) for the Wings
and Nicolai Khabibulin (6'1", 196 lbs) or Christobel Huet (6'0", 194 lbs) for the Hawks.
2008 Goalie show-down:
1963 to 2008 Goalie Equipment Evolution: Notice how
goalie equipment has evolved over the past 25-years. Compare Glen Hall (5'11, 180) to Khabibulin (6'1", 196) in the photos below and despite being close in weight and height Nikolai Khabibulin appears much bigger due to the heftier body armour this generation's goalies wear on ice.
You needed lots
of balls to be a goalie in those days when the Jacques Plante goalie
mask was just being introduced. It hadn't caught on with old time
goaltenders. Glen Hall had started to use the mask while Roger Crozier, I think, hadn't bought-in to the concept yet.
Sunday December 28, 2008: Whoze the Prince of the Pigskin? Who? Who? I
could
watch football and gloat knowing I'd won TWO NFL Fantasy Football
Championships in Fox Sports the week before. Yessirree Bob, The PIGSKIN
PLAYBOYZ and the PIGSKIN SWINE SWILLERS won their league championships.
Won "diddly squat" over in the Yahoo Football Pools.
Weirdly warm @ 10 Celsius (50 Fahrenheit) and weirdly windy with gusts up to 90 KM/ Hour (50 MPH or more.)
Two windy for sports and activities outside unless you were into ice sailing on lakes or our icy side walks.
NFL Football, book reading and music listening was the afternoon agenda.
RANT TIME! Alas, I had
to waste time recovering this BLOG for 2008. By some strange
occurrence of Up-Geeks-Creek the entire web page including the source
disappeared after I published an update. I speculated another
hack-attack.
I
could understand a problem with publishing compilation but the
source BLOG page and a photo album disappearing didn't have a logical
explanation. Well, the logical explanation is that the source was
deleted but it wasn't deleted by me that's for sure. Possible culprits?
That Internet Explorer security issue glitch on passwords being
jackable? Some creep using PassWord-Blaster or other? Not happy. Very
Not Happy over this.
Now,
If anyone has an “issue” with me or
what I publish here find the courage or intestinal fortitude to get in
my face or pick up the
phone and call me to discuss "your issue(s)". The phone number and
email address can be found right here on the "make contact" page or
just look me up in the phone book or Canada-411 on-line! I presume if
you can hack a PC you can actually read? You must have some IQ? Fuming
pissed.
Monitoring
or hacking my business
and personal computers or usage is not legal and an invasion of my
privacy. Ditto for ANYTHING that goes on in my residence or place of
business. Pissed! Had it with you people be you the Information Technology people from one
or more media organizations or genuine low-life hackers. Yello ... CHAPTER III Quebec Civil Code: RESPECT OF REPUTATION AND PRIVACY.
I
may
not handle my rather bizarre notoriety very well. I realize that. But
not knowing
the source of this stupid notoriety has been infuriating and does not
equip me with a perspective to 'manage' the seemingly insane moments
and people I've had to deal with in the past 10-years. Lots of good
people met along the way, don't get me wrong. Not all bad by a long
shot. But constant privacy invasion attempts have made for an ugly, bitter, nasty war.
But as I'm NOT a
famous actor or movie star; never been on TV other than a few
man-on-the-street interviews by CTV (The "M" Metro Montreal logo issue)
and way back on TQS (Daniel Briere of the Flyers on his 1st game in
Montreal and Ground Hog Day); not some buffoon in a reality TV skit;
not a rock star or even an up & coming Montreal Indie Musician; not
a politician nor do I wish to become one of "those people"; not from a
silver-spoon, wealthy-old money family; not a comedian; not a star athlete or NHL player; not a religious
or spiritual guru; hardly a renown broadcaster from being on a
community station for just 2 1/2 years; not a NY Times top-10 fiction
author
though
apparently some of my private journals and fiction pieces were
pilfered likely via an FTP utility
... back the fridge off or explain. You didn't pay for me. You
don't own me. You don't dictate what I do, who I do, or where I do it.
Capeche? "Money Talks, Bull Shit Walks." I don't see no money so take
the walk.
…
NFL
PRE-GAME: Going
into week #17, the last week of the regular season, about half the
play-off spots were still up for grabs in the NFL. As always,
depending on the permutations and combinations of winners and losers
we eventually settle the Divisional Leaders and Wild Card spots by
the end of week # 17's matches.The high winds of the Eat Coat promised
to make a few matches interesting just a now had made for adventures in
week #16.
I
could gloat that my # 1 NFL team, The Pittsburgh Steelers (11-4), had
locked up yet another Division title in the AFC North.
My
# 2 NFL team, the Baltimore Ravens (10-5), had a good chance at a
Wild Card spot in the AFC provided they could beat the Jacksonville
Jaguars Sunday @ 4 pm.
The
best of the “bitter” would be a showdown in the snow-down of
Wisconsin. Yes, the hapless 0-15 Detroit Lions would have a final
shot at NOT ending their season win-less as they headed into Green
Bay to face the Packers. Bitter 'cause the temperature was looked
pretty cold in Green Bay. Bitter as both teams were out of the
playoffs long before the ball even got to be snapped. Bitter for the
Lions that they haven't been able to win a single match all season.
Bitter for the Packers that the first season post Brett Favre with
Aaron Rodgers was not a roaring success though Rodgers showed much
potential in his 1st
season as starting QB.
…
NFL POST-GAME: A
couple of thrillers in the early matches with the Minnesota Vikings
beating the New York Giants 22-20 with a closing seconds field goal
to win their NFC division. The Carolina Panthers sealed the deal in
the same fashion with a closing seconds field goal to beat the New
Orleans Saints 33-31.
And the ugliest of ugly outcomes awaited the
luckless Lions of Detroit as they lost, yet again, for the 16 th time
of the season, to the Green bay Packers 31-21. Thus supplanting the
previous “best of the losers” regular season losing record of 0-14
by the Miami Dolphins.
Correction,
my
bad,
didn't do my research. Make that the 1976 Tampa Bay Bucs @ 0-14.
The Dolphins did just miss the honor or dis-honor by going 1-15 in
2007. They were 0-13 until the won one against the Baltimore Ravens on
December 16, 2007 by a score of 22-16.
Several teams JUST missed the 0-FOR fate. getting but ONE victory. To name a few ...
The 2001 Panthers were 1-15; The 1991 Colts @ 1-15; The Patriots were
1-15 in 1990; The 1980 Saints were 1-15; The 1973 Oilers @ 1-13; The
1971 Bills @ 1-13. Oh, I also found out that the Lions had another
0-FOR season but all the way back in 1942 when the went 0-11.
My
#1 NFL team the Steelers whipped the Cleveland Browns 31-Zip to finish
12-4 but Quarterback Ben Rothlisburger was carted off the field. OK,
the Steelers have a By-Week so he has 2 weeks to recover and our #2
Quarterback Byron Leftwitch is no slouch having been the starting QB
for the Jaguar a few years back. My #2 Ravens bagged & tagged the
final AFC Wild Card Spot with a 27-7 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars.
They'll head off to face the Miami Dolphins to start their playoffs.
Saturday December 27, 2008:
Rainy, mild and icy was the recap. Headed up to the Sun Youth
Organization's building on St. Urbain Street to catch interviews with
Sid Stevens (co-founder) and JD (working the donations reception area)
pertaining to their Emergency Service program (food baskets.)
Sid
Stevens thanked Montrealers for their out pouring of support. With
some 13% greater demand than last year for food basket people came
through. Sort of a throw back to helping one another a-la THE Ice
Storm.
Then
zipped it up to the radio station. Uploaded my interviews from the
portable recorder to my PC as in MP3 file format while I slurped a cup
of joe @ KG CAFE.
The
masses were out in the streets. No civil uprising just that the damn
side walks were pure ice skating rinks. From kids holding mom's hand,
to seniors using a ski pole for support, to the hip teens and
20-somethings one and all were sharing the streets with the cars and
buses.
Program
#99 of THE EARTH LOUNGE (2:30 pm) radio show and the last for 2008 was
thus themed around the Sun Youth Organization's Emergency Services
(Food Baskets program.) Music by the Pete Moss Band (Pawnshop Dildo);
National Parks (Powerline), Danko Jones (Play the Blues) to rock out
the old year. That's a wrap on Year Two of the program which launched
in January 2007.
And no, I don't
do the radio program as a tool to weasel into politics. The ugly rumour
and slur of politics just never seems to go away. Someone implied that
recently and I was tempted to smack them with a cross-jab-upper-cut
combination followed by a solid round house kick.
I
just dig producing and broadcasting. Its a little community support
thing. I get some broadcasting and producing experience as a newbie.
Why an ecology show? Why not. That station didn't have an ecology
program in English so it was an opportunity to fill a programing subject matter void.
Urban
Ecology? We all breathe the air. We all drink the water. We all go for
walks in the parks and use the green space. I go for an infusion or
grafting of 'real life' to urban ecology issues to make it relevant or
interesting to everyday people not schooled in environmental sciences.
I also dig Indie music. I've done other shows and themes, other topics,
I have a variety of life interests and pursuits in life.
Like
I told one person, "I'm a producer doing an Urban Ecology show. NOT an
Ecologist using radio as a medium to spread a message. " Big
difference. As someone outside the eco-industry I approach it a dose of
support and scepticism.
The
NHL Montreal Canadiens hosting the Pittsburgh Penguins was early
evening entertainment featuring skating on a rink versus the day of
skating on the side walks that Montrealers had dealt with.
Friday
December 26, 2008:
Boxing Day. I didn't attend any boxing matches nor were any to be had
on TV. Whats with that? There should be boxing matches on the sports
channels for Boxing Day.
Anyway, my shopping was limited to a run
over to Home Depot for cleaning supplies.
While
you were shopping I was mopping.
Watched
the Team Canada Juniors thump the Czech Republic 8-1 in the evening as
they skated to a win in their first match that counted.
Thursday
December 25, 2008:
Excellent, Christmas Day was sunny in Montreal after the yucky rain
of Christmas Eve. A serene if slippery doggy walk Christmas morning.
Everything that was slush had frozen over. Even ole Nina was taking
a few wipe outs. Other than the doggy walkers and a few hardcore
jogger Old Montreal doesn't get much quieter and serene than on
Christmas morning.
Packed
the gifts and the dog into the car for a run down to the Eastern
Townships to visit family at my mum' home in the country. Good
driving conditions on the Autoroute. Made a pit-stop into the
Ange-Gardien Tim Hortons for a coffee to go.
Landing
into my mum's place late afternoon the dog frolicked in the snow
while we visited. The Christmas dinner @ home followed by the gift
exchange. Left the dog with my brother and mum while I headed back up
to Montreal late evening.
Wednesday
December 24, 2008:
Sweeeeeeeeet! Fresh snow for Christmas Eve Day. Yessirree, it was
looking pretty damn fine in Old Montreal on the morning doggy walk.
Far quieter than usual as many local offices closed or the staff took
the day off to enjoy or grind through the last minute shopping for
groceries, libations and gifts. Perchance dropping off a few grocery
items at a food bank a nice gesture as well.
On
the doggy walk, parked the dog to a street post outside and meandered
into the SAQ (Liquor Commission) of Old Montreal located on
Notre-Dame Street. My little tradition is to enjoy Porto (a
Portuguese speciality wine in the same vein as Sherry) on Christmas
Eve while munching back on chocolate truffles. As it was a
spontaneous decision to pop in I didn't have my enviro-sack with me.
So I bought one the the SAQ reusable tot sacks for bottles for $1.
Its cool as its divided inside the bag to hold up to 8 bottles of
wine or booze! Come 2009, if I heard correctly, the SAQ will NOT give
out their classic and very durable plastic sacks. Good ecology
choice. So buy one of their bags for $1. Its practical with the
bottle sub-divisions inside the bag and its looks cool.
Time
to rock hardcore! Yes, I dig either shopping or skiing to get pumped,
into the spirit of it all. I called down to the Eastern Townships to
get gift ideas from my mom and older brother during lunch as I
watched the news on TV. While yapping on the phone with mom a
Purolator courier arrived with my Xmas gift from me to me. That was
good timing to get it the day before Christmas.
Back
to the gift list. The list-exchange facilitates the happy-happy of
the XMAS exchange versus needing to fake-it upon receiving a gift you
really didn't want. Plus, it reduces the time wasted aimlessly
wandering the malls and stores for weeks before Christmas Day trying
to "guess" what people have not acquired recently since the
last time you saw them or were at their place. Further, my mom is
elderly, has difficulty walking (needs a cane or walker to get
around) so she only makes an outing or two with my older brother to
shop for XMAS so why not make shopping easier?
The
ideas I gave them were: A battery powered lantern for power outages
(like the previous Friday) so I read ... flash lights and candles
aren't great for man that needs glasses to read; three CDs that they
might find easily (and they don't buy music to download from Itunes
as they live out in the rural boonies and lack Internet access thus I
go with the more traditional CDs still) ... Guns & Roses:
"Chinese Democracy", AC/DC: "Black Ice" and not
the kind of black ice that is just nasty to drive on, Nickleback:
"Dark Horse"; A can of hot chocolate be it white or dark
cocoa; for a DVD idea "Batman, The Dark Knight" which I
never got around to seeing at the cinema; and a slow cooker (saw em
on sale in a Canadian Tire on-line flyer. I can't share their ideas
or I might let the gifts acquired be leaked out.
Then
walked it down town to shop @ THE BAY department store. Its a big
department store, sort of the Canadian version the the USA's Macy
department store. They have great decorations plus all those lovely
women in their ground floor perfume sections. It smells good and
looks good. Most festive. Sweet deals were to be had! Much was 40%
off.
The
only thing I didn't find @ The Bay was the chocolate counter on
ground floor where I've usually picked up my chocolate truffles to
munch as I shop. Bummer that! Either I'm blind as a bat or its moved
or is gone. Found the rest of what I wanted. It was a short list and
we have been frugal for years @ XMAS in the clan. No over-spending is
encouraged or tolerated. Just a symbolic little gift or two. I'm
about as secular person as you'll find but the old Yule tradition of
trees, lights, good food, hanging with family friends, a lover, the
dog and a little present or two is something I still enjoy.
Walked
ole Ste. Catherine Street just for the fun of it while window
shopping. It was getting milder but no snow or rain had hit yet
around 4 pm. I enjoy the panic look of some hurried and harried
shoppers while we of the gloating its a done-deal sort are out for
the fun of it to enjoy the lights, the activity and scout for Boxing
Week deals to come back for.
Walked
back to Old Montreal. Stopped into the Dry Cleaner to pick up my
heavy-duty winter leather jacket that I'd dropped off for a button
job. The jacket was down to two of its original five buttons which is
not a positive, grunge look when its -30 Celsius. Forget
looking"kool" on cold doggy walks where its all about
staying warm. My grunge years are way past tense. My days of going
open-jacket, toque less and without gloves bit the dust in my teen
years. "I'm too old for that chit" as they say.
The
jacket was ready with all five buttons sewed on but one of the five
not matching the other four so I'd be taking back in a few days when
the re-open post Christmas to fix that problem but a least I had my
warmest jacket back. That was amusing since the counter check-in
convinced me when I dropped the jacket off a few days earlier to
change all five buttons versus just adding the three missing buttons
as I'd be looking silly with multiple button styles on my jacket.
lol. We see the humour of it.
Walked
the dog and brought her along for car ride to the grocery store on
Notre-Dame Street, the Metro Plus. She's a Black Labrador. All car
rides are and adventure she loves. Give her shotgun in the back seat
and she's doggy queen of the planet!
Just
a
few grocery items for us with the rest being acquired for food
banks. Mostly pasta. Dropped the dog and my groceries back off at the
condo. Picked up a pile of my pre-loved clothes that I don't use any
more. Slipped o the Santa Hat and slipped into my new "active climate"
boxers that not only are real comfy but @ 50% off in a buy three and
get the deal it was also very affordable. Good ole Stanfields, another
Canadian
classic that has kept us warm and comfy under the outer wear for
years. Men, we dig the simple pleasures of like like a new pair of
boxers. Just as shoes are for the ladies, a man can never have enough
boxers. I'm a boxer and briefs ho. I admit it.
Headed
over to the Salvation Army to drop off the pre-loved - vintage
clothes and the food bank items. Its my thing to drop off clothes and
food either on Christmas Eve or the day before. Reminds oneself its
not all about giving and receiving gifts. Its cold, its winter, a lot
of people are struggling more than one self to make ends-meet.
Realized
I'd omitted to pick up for the dog her Christmas Doggy Bone! Like
DUH! Damn it! Poor Nina. You always omit something on Xmas Eve last
minute shopping it seems. Tried heading back into the Metro Plus on
Notre-Dame but too late for they had closed @ 5:00 pm. It was 5:45.
Too late. Too Bad, Too Sad, the doors were locked. The hunt for
Nina's gift will resume XMAS Day. Must get her a dog bone.
In
Quebec its pretty much a "hard close" @ 5 pm everywhere as
the French-Canadian tradition is something called "Reveillon"
of eating, drinking, dancing and gift exchanging after midnight (or
midnight mass) versus the more English tradition of a Christmas
morning gift exchange. Everyone wants to cut out of the stores to
catch an evening power nap, to cook or to wrap presents. After 5 pm
its hit the drug store, the gas station or the convenience store.
Anyway,
a final pit stop @ Petro Canada (gas station and depanneur) for
magazines and cigars. Must have a cigar or two to savour with the
Christmas Eve glasses of Porto! Had forgotten toilet paper also on
the earlier grocery run. Another DUH!
Ah,
back to the ranch! Lit a cigar, poured myself a glass of Porto,
watched the evening news and flipped on the rock music. Aranda:
"Still in the Dark." Well, no power outage @ home
versus the previous Friday night but "coal in the stocking"
to quote a favourite "Bah Humbug" song from one of my
favourite animated characters, Foamy, from "Neurotically Yours"
to anyone who kept me in the dark and up chits-creek on a few
important matters in 2008.
A number of piss-offs, some in business,
plus the tennis elbow injury plus the tail bone injury didn't make
for the merriest of years in 2008 but there were a number of
positive, bright moments, people I met and events I enjoyed being
part of.
Getting
back into softball and beach volleyball in the 2nd
half of the year was great. Had to start back slow in July but ramped
up as the injury recovered. Playing softball and indoor beach
volleyball was a blast in fall. Good times and good team mates. Post
July got back into cardio kick boxing; in-line skating and cycling
plus my dear ole doggy Nina who provided many a good walk. Plus the
ole dog is a bastion of sanity when the world gets weird. Dogs are so
themselves aren't they? Never pretentious, no hidden agendas, they just enjoy hanging out with you.
Started
the
year a bachelor and ended the year a bachelor. Special kudos to
geeky-yet-freaky girl, lol, for just being you. Not seeing each
other any more but thanks. And thanks to a few other ladies I went on
dates with both for your enjoyable female company and the fact that
unlike certain individuals lacking class you knew how to use a
telephone and return voice messages.
Dating
has its ups and downs. False good
starts and unexpected good moments. Just like everything else in life.
I found that “coffee in” and
“dinner in” are good options when too many prying eyes and ears become
irritating out in public. Not everyone a soul date appreciates the
attention and scrutiny. Was none to thrilled about it myself many a
time. The scourge
of the red brigades just a bit over the top. Seemed a number of not
so coincidental bump-intos occurred while I was out on dates for me to
buy it all as
coincidence. Thus the need to fly under the radar sometimes just to get
a little privacy and intimacy.
Think
I thwarted someone' “lonely” plan. Ah well, sucks honey when a
plan dosen't work out huh? Such is life. I'm doing fine. The dog is
doing fine. LOL. Guess the plan had flaws.
To
the good people or those who have been good to me in 2008, rock on,
Merry Christmas, may the Naughty Santa bring you a wet kiss and much
more. Merry Kiss Moose and Happy New Beer!
So
... Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Joyeuses Fetes ... whatever you
have been or will be celebrating be it Ramadan, Hanukkah, Yule,
Christmas, yadda-yadda.
"Rudolph
with your nose so bright,"
"You
better high-tail it before day light,"
"Oil
prices have been fallin' so Texans, Alaskans and Albertans are feeling uptight!"
Tuesday
December 23, 2008:
We came, we saw, we shivered for it was friggen cold!
Liked
the way the Team Canada Juniors came out rocking in a 7-0 win over
the Slovaks. On the other hand, the Vancouver Canucks didn't look
very good, especially in nets, as they were thumped 5-0 by the San
Jose Sharks. They'll be happy when Roberto Luongo makes it back to
the line-up. The addition of their Christmas gift signing, Matts
Sundin, ought to make them a real force in the 2nd half of the season
come New Year. The hockey analysts speculated he will make it on to
the ice by Little Christmas (The Orthodox one) by January 6 or there
abouts.
Monday
December 22, 2008:
We came, we saw white stuff (and lots of it), we shoveled out the
car.
Sunday
December 21, 2008:
HAPPY YULE! Well, here it was, Yule. The Winter Solstice
arrived in Montreal with a exit from Saturday's deep freeze into a
mega snow dumping. Sunrise @ 7:32 am with Sunset to be @ 4:15 PM. A
whole 8-hours and 43-minutes of daylight. Yeppers, thats a really
short day.
But
far from dark, dreary and depressed by the shortest day of the year
we rocked!
Why?
Because it was time to be a "Fool for Yule" as big snow
flakes fell. If you had doubts about a White Christmas, Mehe, we got
coverage. Lots of coverage in fact. Snow, snow and more snow was
falling.
Frankly
Frank, after freezing the castanadas off both Friday and Saturday
night (both bitterly cold) the snow brought welcomed warmth.
A
picturesque Sunday afternoon in Old Montreal with a good 10 CM of
snow on the ground by the time the NFL east coast games hit the TV.
Montreal pretty much had the same look as the Patriots and Cardinals
match in New England.
Another
10 CM was on the way. It was windy enough for the blowing, wet snow
to cut visibility on the dog walk. We almost had a dog scrap as yet
another dumbass had let his dog lose, not on a leash and friggen
Lassie was running up to us ignoring its owner. I don't have an issue
with the "loose" dog thing if and only if the owner has
COMPLETE voice control over his dog ... as in if Lassie is sprinting
toward another dog or person he-she can yell out "Lassie! Back!"
and Lassie slaps on the brakes immediately, puts tail between legs
and heads back to the owner without any hesitation.
Why
must there always be some dumbass to throw slush & sleat onto
what had been a happy-happy, ho-ho, doggy walk in the snow covered
Old Montreal area. Eventually his annoying hound (which actually has
slightly bigger than my Nina so it would have been a fairly even
scrap) returned to his owner before making full contact with my dog
Nina.
I
mean, we have an official, fenced in park dog like 3-blocks from
where this incident happened. This chit keeps up I'll ask for a
Tranquillizer Gun for Xmas so I can do the "Mutual of Omaha Wild
Kingdom" thing as they do when the rhinoceros is charging in on
the safari Jeep. I'd be Jim Fowler (the sucker who did the nasty,
dangerous stuff with the critters) and you be Marlin Perkins (calmly
doing the narration safely back in the Jeep while ole Jim was about
to get skewered by the rhino or munched on by a croc.) "And here
we see the native dumbass ass hound bounding in on its prey ... sure
hope Jim reloaded his tranquillizer gun after yesterday's encounter
with the cougar."
Back
to football. The Pats apparently liked the snow more than the boys
from Arizona as they led 21-0 in the 2nd Quarter. Really, did anyone
on the Cardinals line-up ever see snow before? One or two must have
played in the Northern or Eastern states in college? I was seeing
fantasy points getting pelted to heck like surly snow balls with the
Cardinals players I have such as Warner, Boldin, Fitzgerald.
Aye,
the vibe was to throw another yule log into the hearth (OK, I'm
hearth less at the moment lacking a fireplace but conceptually work
with me), pour another glass of egg nog and sit back with your TV
remote to surf the NFL games whilst Mother Nature delivered a Yule
snow log of her own.
Sure,
I could slap on the X-Country skies for a jaunt but somehow watching
football, listening to rock and watching the snow fall had more sex
appeal for the early part of Sunday afternoon. Instead, after the dog
walk I went back out to the local Italian specialty grocery store &
cafe to get milk and a package of chocolate-orange, Made In Italy
cookies to scoff down. That would be my Yule Log ... orange-chocolate
cookies. Hey, its Yule, back off, I'll wear it off just trudging
through the new snow.
Saturday
December 20, 2008:
Ha! the power (electricity) was still out Saturday morning. A good
16-hour plus outage. Headed outdoors with the dog to see the Hydro
Quebec crews were apparently bringing in new transformers on a flat
bed truck. You know its a major outage when they are crating in new
transformers. I counted like five Hydro Quebec trucks on the very
windy, cold Friday evening dog walk. Catching CJAD and TEAM 990 on
the ole transistor radio I heard it was -30 C with the Wind Chill
Factor. "Feels like... " DAMN COLD!
A
section of McGill Street was without electricity between De la
Commune and William Street still on Saturday morning. I picked up a
warm cup of coffee to go at the Provi Soir over on Notre Dame some
blocks away that did have power. Ya know, it sucked to not have that
morning get-up-and-go shower and espresso. Creatures of habit and
creature comforts aren't we?
Given
I couldn't prepare my radio show at home with the power out headed in
before lunch to get the playlist together and what not. Grabbed
brunch over at Cafe Mosaik after sitting in on the annual 2008 Pop
Culture Quiz on The Arts Notebook program just after noon.
Walked
off the brunch of sausage, eggs and toast with a stroll though Mile
End stopping into the YMCA. Well, not really as I stopped into a
patisserie place called Pagel and grabbed six chocolate covered
walnuts to go.
Back
to the radio station to host program #98 of THE EARTH LOUNGE @ 2:30
pm. The kick-back Christmas Show. Chatting about winter sports and
activities in the hood, special pickups and scheduling for community
centers during the holiday period, the weekend basketball tournament
over at the Sun Youth Community Center. Radio goes better with
chocolate covered walnuts.
Another
sweet match by the NHL Montreal Canadiens as the thumped the Sabres
Saturday evening following Thursday's thumping of the Flyers. Two
thumps in a row! Alex Kovalev rocked again. Attended a Christmas
Party in the evening which was most fun & festive.
Friday
December 19, 2008: Dark
fruit cake, rum balls, egg nog, hot chocolate ... all good to avoid
hypothermia 'cause it was freaken cold in Old Montreal Friday
morning. The proverbial "Brass Monkey" did indeed freeze
off his "brass balls" and subsequently requested a furry
jock strap and thermal long-johns for the duration of winter. Good
scarf day.
The
Habs looked very sharp taking down the Flyers 5-2 after losing some
ugly ones in the past week. Was it the return of Komisarek on defense
or do they just have more edge against challenging opponents? Seems
they lack that same "growl" factor when up against the
likes of the lowly Tampa Bay Lightning.
Down
town for an afternoon meeting. Did some gift list snooping at HMV
(music) and Indigo (books). Friggen cold like -30C with the Wind
Chill Factor walking down McGill at day's end. The electricity kicked
out in my building and in our sector of Old Montreal Friday evening
abouts 6:30 pm and stayed off all night! Had to fall back on candles,
the flashlight and the classic Montreal Expos AM transistor radio.
Thursday
December 18, 2008:
Peachy. Now we have a hole in the earth's magnetic field? First the
ozone layer now this. Apparently that protects us from solar winds
that can mess up power grids, satellite communications, etc... Story
link:
http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/capress/081216/science/science_earth_breach
Wednesday
December 17, 2008:
"Walking In A Winter Wonder Land." Pretty much summed
things up. A dumping down for the morning dog walk with more on the
way. Dog loved it. Drivers not so much. The Habs held a penalty
festival down in North Carolina Tuesday eve losing to the Canes.
Checked
out the new cafe on McGill Street. Yeppers, a JAVA U between
Wellington and Williams.
The
snow was all so festive and all that yet escaping winter for a few
hours to play Indoor Beach Volleyball was better. Last matches of the
fall season for my team.
Tuesday
December 16, 2008:
Based on the morning dog walk through Old Montreal highlighted by a
pit-stop into McDonalds on Notre-Dame Street for a Sausage & Egg
McMuffin Trio there are survivors! The black ice of our sidewalks and
streets barely made a dent in the population. We're tuf. Drink more
Egg Nog. Have a good day.
Monday
December 15, 2008:
Such a "Ducky" Monday in old Montreal. Wet, raining, and
why go to the skating rink when the side walks would suffice? Nothing
to bring on holiday cheer at all. Bah! Humbug! Wet shoes for all!
Insulated rubber boots with metal spikes on the treads would be about
the only workable way to do Montreal side walks this day. Ice Climber
boots.
We'll
go with 'shoes' as the topic of the day, wet and all here in Montreal
but it didn't end there. Noppers, I saw that 'shoe tossing" is
now the in-thing for political protests. That Iraqi reporter winging
not one but both shoes as ole George W. on his visit to Iraq.
Politics has always "stunk" but this is a disturbing trend.
Will shoeless reporters become the new norm?
Obviously,
the testy Iraqi reporter must be a soccer player for his fastball
lacks a little "Umpa." I wonder if he practiced at home
before trying it out live? I don't see the Blue Jays picking him up
that reporter to replace AJ Burnett. His 2nd shoe toss was worse than
his 1st sailing high ... no consistency and he doesn't have a curve
ball.
However,
ya gotta give George W. marks for "the duck." He's pretty
agile. Must be all the mountain biking and the Texas Ranger games he
caught as an owner. Or he has just come to expect hostility from
reporters after 2-terms in office. You had to like that he didn't go
for the "bail out" like the heads of the auto makers
snivelling in front of Congress. He did the "duck' but stayed in
the batters box. Ducked but held to the podium. George W. must have
hit clean-up on his college baseball team. A spot in the line-up
where everyone tries to throw you a "brush back' pitch. In this
case I guess you'd call it a "Bush back" pitch.
But
there is an upside to this "shoe tossing" incident. What
prey tell you ask? Of course this means a slew of political reporters
will have to sign up for "yoga" and "pilate"
classes. Not a bad thing. Reporters will be in better shape. Better
Karma in their reports. Why? Well if I'm Obama coming into office I'd
make all press conferences "Sushi Dinner" style events.
Yessirree
Bob, SUSHI PRESS Conferences. Shoes off for ALL, no chairs, every one
just SQUAT on the floor in Yogi style and listen up. The scripted
procedure for CIA agents doing the check-in and security checks for
the press conferences to be, "Here is your pillow Sahib, find a
spot on the floor and sit on it. Oh, and hand me your shoes ("You
ever consider trying out Dr. Shoels or Odor Eaters Sir?" mutters
the poor CIA agent.) Perchance the leg cramps will keep reporter
questions and the conferences short and sweet.
....
People
still ask me for directions on the street. I don't get it. I'm the
King of U-Turns myself. Yer asking the wrong guy 4 sure. "I'm
looking for St-Pierre?" they'll chirp. Look, every 2nd friggen
street in Montreal and Quebec is named after a freaken saint. Do you
think we remember which saint hung out at which street corner? I've
only lived in Old Montreal for 7-years. I'm secular to boot and
not up on the local saints.
Must
be me walking with the Black Labrador that make me look like a boy
scout or something. The dog looks deceptively friendly from a
distance. She does that trotting, tail wagging Black Labrador stuff
real well until she spots another dog.
Really,
why not ask for a GPS at XMAS? If its a "she" driver or
walker and she's really "fine looking" ... OK if I must
help I will but ... Its a cheesy way for female drivers to pick up
guys but its a method. You could just look me up on Facebook.
I
gotta check my jacket and make sure it doesn't look like one of those
Montreal Ambassador outfits.
My
rain slicker has the "Team Sweden" colours so it beats the
hang out of me this Monday. The yellow is suppose to make even the
vision challenged see us and not turn us into cross-walk roadkill. I
could understand if they were asking for directions to Ikea or my
spin on who Matts Sundin will sign with, given my colours, but
otherwise WTF?
Anyway,
since the immigration building is right on McGill street we locals
can duck any Old Montreal direction questions by claiming to speak
neither English or French and do the Refugee, "I'm a newly
arriving refugee from Swahili. No Hablos Ingles Senor" thing.
My
advice? Get a smart phone with a GPS application loaded on it if you
are going to foot-it or get a car GPS that can un-dock and walk with
you.
...
Then
there are the "my dog is so damn friendly and obedient"
people that really irk me walking their animals without a leash on
the street. La-Dee-Friggen-Da. "I'm lassie's owner and I'm so
proud of it!" Go lick a window somewhere! They should let the
Green Onions nail these bastards for tickets.
I
know my dog is a "Doggy Delinquent" who will scrap with any
and all takers. I call her the Sean Avery of dogs. Unlike that
situation we can't part ways with a cash payoff. We put up with each
other's delinquent ways. Some days, we even revel in them.
Anyway,
I keep my pup controlled on a leash when walking on the side walks.
It pisses me off to end to have some dumb, happy go-lucky, I love
everybody Lassie type (owner and dog ... Lassie Types) stroll into
us.
Its
like watching Mr. Rogers (the ole TV show not the Communications
Company) stroll up to a street gang. You think you are going to walk
away from this still wearing that cardigan? I think not!
Some
days truly its as surreal as if if I'm in some weird-ass Disney movie
and these are bizarre "movie extras" picked up on the bus
run by the Salvation Army people to collect the street people at days
end. But instead of a warm meal and a bed, they are offered $10 to be
in the film for 3-seconds or whatever. On the up-side the slippery
side walks seems unpopular with the red-brigades so the doggy walks
were pretty event free.
Mondays,
good thing we've still got Monday Night NFL football.
...
Oh
ya, and as "Winter Tires" became mandatory this 15th day of
December 2008 why aren't "Winter Shoes" legislated? We know
half the dorks that wipe out on sidewalks are wearing bare soled
sneakers?
If
you can't dance there is "No Way" you will survive our side
walks.
And
how far does this "Traction Law" go?
-
If
its all about the depth of your grooves shouldn't it apply to
everything that pounds the pavement?
-
What
about those teenagers without the laces tied (unless its a Velcro
job) for instance?
-
If
you have a stroller for the rug-rats are you required to have winter
tires?
-
What
about cyclists? Skate-Boarders?
-
If
I have winter tires but my brakes are shot am I breaking the law?
I
love all the questions that go with newly implemented laws.
This
one is more fun than the "No Smoking" in bars and
restaurants legislation.
Sunday
December 14, 2008: Playoff
time in NFL Fantasy Football Pools. It warmed up from the past few
days per the morning doggy walk through Old Montreal and Griffintown.
In
Fox Sports Fantsy Football here's where its at for me:
-
Pigskin
Pork Chops (6-7) QB M.Ryan (ATL) vs. Mustangs (3-10) QB P.Rivers
(SD)
-
Pigskin
Playboys (9-4) QB D.Brees (NO) vs. Cape Clash (7-6) QB D.McNabb
(PHI)
-
Pigskin
Swine Swillers (10-3) QB C.Pennington (MIA) vs. P Wee (9-4) QB
K.Warner (ARI)
-
Pigskin
Potbellied Pigs (7-6) QB K.Warner (ARI) vs. Red Zone (10-3) QB
A.Rodgers (GB)
In
Yahoo Fantasy Sports - Football 08:
-
Skank
Ferrets (7-6-0) QB K.Warner (ARI) vs. All Stars (6-7) QB J.Campbell
(WAS)
-
Skank
Weasels (6-7-0) QB M.Cassel (NE) vs. Mobileshark (5-8) QB K.Orton
(CHI)
-
Skank
Dawgs (8-4-1) QB S.Hill (SF) vs. Drew Brees For MVP (8-5) QB.
D.Brees (NO)
-
Skank
Wolves (6-7-0) QB J.Cutler (DEN) vs. Go Pack (6-7) QB A.Rodgers (GB)
For
my 2nd Yahoo account, Yahoo Fantasy Sports - Football 08:
-
Muddy
Cheerleaders (8-5-0) QB T.Thigpen (KC) vs. Vikings #1 (8-5-0) QB D.
McNabb (PHI)
-
Muddy
Meatatareans (4-9-0) QB T.Thigpen sucked so bad they are out of the
playoffs.
-
Muddy
Wooly Mammoths (4-8-1) QB M.Ryan (ATL) vs. Sympathy4theDevil (7-6-0)
QB P.Manning (IND)
Overall
that tallies up to 75-66-1 thus not my best season in fantasy
football by far but over 500 anyway. Better than stocks and mutual
funds performance this fall anyway. lol. I'd laugh but it would hurt
too much.
In NFL CANADA I'm ranked 2125 out of all players.
Whoop-Dee-Doo. Not even near the Canadian leader who has 2307-points
while I have 1794-points. My current QBs are Drew Brees (NO) and Kurt
Warner (ARI).
Back at the real thing, the NFL, the match-up
between my #1 and #2 teams, the Ravens and Steelers, promises to be a
grinder. I don't expect either team to score over 20 points given the
tenacious defences of both squads ranked at the top of the NFL. The
games is in Baltimore.
The one venue where I've attended an
NFL game live was in fact Baltimore back in fall 2002. I was on a
consulting project near Philly, a 2-week business trip, staying at a
hotel in Wilmington, Delaware so it wasn't that far a drive to attend
the game. Wanted to see my #2 team play. Driving to Pittsburgh to see
my #1 team would have been a longer drive. It was a good game that
November 10, 2002 as the Ravens won 38-27 over the Cincinnati
Bengals. Ravens RB Jamal Lewis ran for 135-yards and 2-TDs per the
press clipping I kept. Clippings post game always a good thing to
keep for the ole sports scrap book. Another round-to-it requiring
updates.
Good tail-gate scene and fan vibe in Baltimore at
that game. I did a little Sunday drive post-game checking out the
sights of Baltimore and Washington. The home of Edger Allen Poe in
Baltimore plus the waterfront (revitalized) were pretty cool in
Baltimore which does have a few tougher hoods.
I had a
dumbass, Accidental Tourist moment while checking out the historic
sites and monuments in Washington, DC. when I thought I'd check out
the Pentagon figuring they had a visitor centre. Nope, a security car
pulled me over and ran me through checks as it turned out my rental
car had not only Kentucky plates but do to a gaff my the rental boys
the plate was expired! Good thing I had my Canadian Passport and my
L1-Work Visa on me. They sent me on my way to the exit el pronto.
Don't take that Off-Ramp is all I can say if you are a tourist. Being
a history buff I stuck to visiting historical battle sites circa War
of Revolution and Civil War after that in Pennsylvania. The other
monument visits were happily uneventful in Washington. If that sounds
lame keep in mind that pasties are worn are the gentlemen's clubs of
these states.
If my sports trivia is correct the NFL
Baltimore Ravens are in fact named after a poem scribed by Edger
Allen Poe titled, of course, "The Raven." Think it was a
fan name-vote thingy to come up with the "Ravens" name as
the Cleveland Browns franchise (well players anyway, kinda
complicated) relocated to Baltimore. The ole Baltimore Colts
(nostalgia would be 1960's QB Johnny Unitas) headed to the mid-west
to become the Indianapolis Colts way back. Between the NFL Colts and
Ravens you might recall the Baltimore Stallions that played in the
Canadian league, the CFL, in the 1990s and were the only USA based
team to win the CFL's Grey Cup (1996.)
The Jets and Bills plus
Dolphins and 49ers were the 1 pm games. The 49ers look better under
new coach Singletary and I like Sean Hill at QB.
Saturday
December 13, 2008: After
a brisk walk to the grocery store on the dog walk took the Metro
(subway) up to Radio Centreville in the Mile End of Montreal to host
Program #97 of THE EARTH LOUNGE at 2:30 pm. The boys from the Indie
Progressive Band MANORAY, Jon, Mat, Nathan and Patrick were my studio
guests. Check em out @ CAFE CHAOS on Saturday December 13 or @ SALSA
ROSA on January 24, 2009.
Beat
it over to the CLUB MAA on Peel Street by walking and Metro (subway)
to play my second match in the SQUASH Tournament. Went down in defeat
to an up & coming whipper snapper. lol.
When
I made it back to Old Montreal I caught the end of the Habs and
Capitals game while doing my Podcasting. Pack Ice and Ice Gel, an
elbow's best friend. Habs lost scoring just 1-goal.
Friday
December 12, 2008:
Snow oh glorious snow once again. Damn it. Had just dug out the car
Thursday. Fluffy snow again. Car covered in the white stuff again.
Habs didn't look so hot in their 3-1 loss to the Lightning Thursday
night. Overall, a good home stand. Liked the wins over the Rangers
and Flames in particular. But that was 2-points that they should have
had against a struggling, weaker team. Plus in the loss Captain Koivu
hurt his foot.
Wednesday
– Thursday December 10-11, 2008:
Dis and Dat. Working, meetings, indoor beach volleyball, researching,
dog walking. Digging out the car from all the snow and ice pelts.
Thursday evening Christmas Party for the volunteers (we don't get
paid as producers or announcers thus a nice annual thank-you for
their efforts) at a venue on Blvd. St. Laurent.
Tuesday
December 9, 2008:
Snow oh wondrous snow! It fell and kept falling all day long. The
futility of the masses attempting to drive, yes drive at days end, to
the South Shore, Laval, West Island truly incredulous. Knowing, yes
knowing if they have any vague recollection of past snow falls, that
they would be snarled in crawling traffic slower than a solo
three-footed husky pulling a sled of obese Inuit amazed me.
Surely
common sense would dictate the wise call would be: (A) Stay down town
and watch the hockey game @ a sport bar (B) Make a dent in your
Christmas shopping (C) Catch a movie (D) Frolic with colleagues over
a few martinis at a watering hole. But no, they insist on embarking
on the futile journey.
Does
evolution truly exist he pondered watching the slowest parade of the
Christmas season?
Why
go watch the "Nutcracker" at the ballet when can experience
the AC/DC song "ball buster" dished out by Mother Nature?
Skiers and boarders rejoice ye of the snow and powder hounds.
To
be the manager of an auto garage or tire store will be a busy, busy,
busy day come Wednesday. One presumes their phones will be ringing
off the hook.
Go
Habs Go!
And
go they did to a triumph win over the flames. As in
shot-down-in-flames! Ha! And Kovalev working through the dry spell
with two more assists. He's played well. His game looked sharp again.
No problem really. His line rocked.
I
dig that new "Hollywood Undead" track. Yessirree Bob, be a
DJ and proud of it. Oh, the politically correct will call you a
"on-air radio personality" but in your deepest, grimiest
corner yer still a "DJ" and proud of it. You likely played
45s on a cheap turntable that was an all-in-one and loved every
second. Snap-Crackle-an-Pop.
I
used to use the figurines they stuffed into Red Rose Tea boxes way
back to keep the needle from jumping off my 45s on my first turntable
(to the non politically correct it was called a "record player"
in fact!) Blew out the cheap, built in speakers cranking punk and Zep
music shortly after the acquisition.
In
the new millennium the term DJ means pretty much only for those
spinning tunes in Clubland. But some nifty new vinyl players are to
be found again in home entertainment retail stores. I saw em last
Christmas shopping period at Urban Outfitters. I think its the album
art work we all sorta missed of that era. Downsizing art to the CD
format never worked for the eyes.
The
wondrous 8-track cassette deck ought never to return. Their glory
moment being that you could bring YOUR music to the car for the first
time. Apparently the previous attempts at playing records in a moving
vehicle didn't work out any better than the Studebaker. The "hiss"
factor deterred you from cranking up the music on 8-track and its
successor, cassette.
Worked
a summer as a teenager on a tree farm planting trees, cutting brush,
fertilizing, trimming Christmas trees, digging drainage ditches,
whatever, at a couple bucks an hour to buy my first, illustrious
sound system ... Harmon Kardon receiver, a real Pioneer turntable,
Sound Dynamics speakers.
Every
black fly bite every wasp sting, every sweaty, grimy shift earned
another chunk of that sound system. I was happier than hell when I
went shopping for that system though my parents likely felt
otherwise. You knew you had decent firepower when the chant of "turn
THAT music down" was hurled your way. My bedroom adjacent to the
front room I had better firepower than the family TV with that sound
system.
Aye,
the grand old days when the term "warped" referred to your
vinyl and not people's disposition.
So
be ye a platter-spinner of 33 1/3; CDs, or an Avante-Garde MP3-Jockey
playig a tune off the computer, hey, yer a "jockey" so ride
that pony! "Giddy up little pony!" To the finish line!
Every shift. Yap and play them tunes 4 its what we do.
I
recall ticking off one personalty way back for calling her a DJ. Oh
well, cost me her lust - love but it was true. So touchy, my-my.
Delicate feelings and all that. And that was when the did play
"disks" a-la vinyl. The 90s. "Insensitive brutes"
we are called when we poorly choose our words. Yer a "DJ",
be a good one, rock the platter! If you don't play music, hey, yer a
"talk jock." But ya, ask anyone under 30-years old what a
DJ is they'd respond with the answer "a music spinner in a
club." They wouldn't even associate the term "DJ" with
"radio."
If
ya get paid more to be called a "DJ" than a "On-Air
Radio Personality" does one truly care a rats ass? I venture
not. If it makes the Human Resource people happy, live with it. Be
thankful its not the information technology guys or you'd have been
coined "Delivery Manager for Acoustic and Audio Waves to the
Listening Public." There's a mouthful for you to chew on.
"He
stays home and watches hockey" was a bard thrown at me. No chit!
(A) I dig hockey (B) When I have a slow billing period as a
consultant its cheap, enjoyable entertainment. Its even caught on
with hundreds of thousands, nay millions of North Americans. Just
like playing sports, walking the dog, getting in a good workout. Its
all good. In fact, the debauchery continues on DVD nights and Fiction
Novel Reading nights.
Any
volunteers to finance a soirée out, hey, call me I'll keep you
company on your bar tab. Better yet, you want to take me to a Habs
game, great, love to be your tag along. Really, is logic so rare?
Evenings Out = Revenue $$$Coming In ... Basic Math. Not all of us
grew up with a silver spoon in the mouth. Lean times, many are left
feeling like timber wolves during a cold, Siberian winter. The next
meal ain't easy to come by. Music and hockey? Good, cheap fun! The
best tag-team game in town.
The
motto is "I don't play games, I play sports."
The
only games I dig are board games, table-top hockey, poker.
"Head
Games" are for those with truly, little between the ears.
Speaking
of speaking-your-mind former NHL Tampa Bay coach Barry Melrose had
his say.
By the late evening dog walk the snow had turned to
ice pelts. Ugly. Nice and slippery.
Monday
December 8, 2008: Aye, 'tis days like this for which we coined
ugly terms like 'wind chill factor' and 'hypothermia.' Under the
pleasant mask of sunshine from the inside looking out it was
bitterly, bitingly cold out doors in Old Montreal. My ears heard -26
Celsius with the wind chill factor from the morning radio shows. When
the dog, a resilient Black Labrador - Husky mix had a cold paw and
looked to be limping on the walk its damn cold.
Cursed
myself for not voting in the early polls for the Quebec provincial
election. I did that option for the federal election. Now I have to
trudge out on this nasty, cold day to go vote in this Provincial
election.
Sunday's
NFL football games in the cold were 'winners' for me. The Steelers
came back to knock off the Cowboys 20-13. Then the Ravens knocked out
the Redskins 24-10. I like it when my #1 and #2 teams both win.
Dragged out th
