Damn Ebay or Spending Too Much Money Again

Sometimes I get carried away... It's usually while on Ebay mind you... I've been looking a couple of Xbox games for a bit and could not find 'em here in the Peg. That led me to try out ebay... ouch... $250.00 and 7 games later, I am the proud, soon to be owner of a much bigger game collection. At least I only got good games... and if you take the average cost per game, it's hovering around $20.00, which is great. The only problem is going to be finding enough time to play them all through... Oh yeah, I also remembered a board game that I used to play with my dad and brother a lot when I was a kid. It was called Dungeon! and the mere thought of it had slipped from my consciousness for the past 12 years or so... well, ebay has brought it back! If all goes according to plan (knock on wood) I should own it again real soon! It was super neat, with different monster cards (like the evil black pudding!) and hero characters represented by colored pawn tokens! It's gonna be sweet to play that thing again! I also tracked down the old WWF board game that we used to play all the time. All I can remember about it was that it had cut outs of the wrestlers that we used to play so rough with, that they all became bent to shit. It also had a bizarre pin and fall counting thing with tiny push tokens. Hopefully I can re-acquire it too. I'll bet Lee would get a kick out of it.
I was called in to work for 8 hours today and it was a hell of a shift. Insanely busy and tiring. Added to the fact that I have been working for 6 days straight makes me tired out. But not tired enough to avoid hanging out with Rob. (We watched "12 Monkeys" as he couldn't remember it at all.)
Oh yeah, last night I saw "Hero" , which was awesome, with Dave. The movie wasn't really what I was expecting at the same time as it WAS what I was expecting. It was such a great "film" as well as an entertaining movie. I wish I understood more of the meanings that each primary colour used in the scenes had, because from what I gather, they all had precise correlations to Chinese myths, folklore, and philosophies. It's something that would be better picked up on by people from that culture, but it was still damn stunning to look at.
It's late and I've spent too much money... time for bed.

Watching What I Say or I Don't MEAN to Piss People Off

Sometimes I need to watch what I say, especially on this blog. While never meaning to abuse anyone's trust or anger anyone, I tend to say anything. Whether this is interesting, or tasteful is not something that always pops in my head. When someone says something to me that I find newsworthy (to me) and that something is a tidbit that I would like to remember, I write it down here. I consider this blog my journal. The only difference is that my thoughts are on display. I basically just sit down and type whatever comes into my mind at the time. Is it always something that I should write down? No. If it's something from my own life, it has no consequences, as I don't get embarrassed at my foibles or believe in locking who I am away inside (I've done that enough in my life) but when it is something from another's life I need to perhaps be more cautious. Applying my lax attitude towards my own life to others is unfair to those that might not want personal details posted online for all the world to see. Even omitting names does not suffice (although I might want to practice that come to think...) Now it's not that I don't think confidence instilled in me is a good thing, I'm just not always the best judge of what is supposed to be a close knit secret. For me, if someone wants to know something, I don't mind saying it... If that person wants to tell other people what I said/did, so be it. I guess my natural instinct is to just assume that all people are like that. Clearly they are not, as I have learned on a few occasions. Each of those occasions has come as a complete shock to me. In the future, if something even seems remotely like information that shouldn't be talked about in a "public" setting (let's be honest, I don't think too many people read this) I will either avoid mentioning it altogether or just ask first...
To the person who I appear to have offended, rest assured that it was in no way, shape or form intentional, and I think you should know me well enough to know that.

Movies Movies Movies or Lameness

Not too much to report recently (what else is new?)
I've seen a bunch of movies lately, which include: Garden State (great quirky comedy), Coffee and Cigarettes (THE definition of uneven, with some shorts being awesome (Alfred Molina and Steve Coogan) and some being crap (the twins)) the international version of Leon: The Professional (I liked it a lot more than when I saw it at 12... ), The Ice Storm (kinda depressing, but still interesting melodrama... it was weird to see both Frodo and Spiderman young and in the SAME movie!). I also have some sitting here waiting to be viewed (I've seen some of them already) which include: School of Rock, Happiness, Election, Pom Poko, and Envy.
Rob and I had planned on checking out some apartment buildings today, but he took forever to call back (as he was watching Canada lose in baseball) so we ended up just visiting his tatoo place (metamorphisis), Into the Music (I picked up some LP's), and Rag Pickers (who had a kick ass velvet suit that I wanted, but it was RENTAL only..... that and they also had a ton of cool shit that was too small for me... stupid being tall....)
I was called in to work tomorrow for 4 hours at 7 am to "count the through freight" which I didn't want to do ( I hate getting up early) but was convinced at the ease of the shift... it damn well better be easy....
If this post seems a little disjointed, it's because I'm trying to carry on conversations on messenger and surf the net at the same time as I type...

The E True Hollywood Story of Steve's Wedding or Blondie's Bigger Better Burgers

Ok then, first up is Steve's "Bachelor" Party that wasn't really a bachelor party. Going into the occasion I had both no expectations and low expectations. Steve, while not a blatant "I Love Jesus and you should too" Christian, is very religious and hangs around with a highly religious group. I doubted that the party would be much like the picture you conjure up for that type of event. I was right, although the thing was still fun. First up was a camp fire and a hat full of dares that Steve had to do or face being written on in permanent marker. To his credit he did them all except 1 (jumping into the Assiniboine river... more stupid than plausible). The dares included: Eating a duck fetus (a delicacy in some country), allowing a dog to lick peanut butter off his tongue, getting wrapped up by saran wrap to a lamp post in his boxers, and something else that I can't remember.... After the gross out, we went bowling (there was about 18 people there, of which I new Steve....) Now, when I go bowling, I don't take it a lick seriously... I bowl like a maniac; tossing the ball in as many different ways as possible down the lane, launching myself down the lane, hurling the ball as fast as possible, and generally making a fool out of myself. I guess this was more than the uber-Christians had ever seen, because I was soon the hero and man of the night. They thought I was insane and couldn't stop laughing and cheering... it was weird... especially since that's how a lot of us who bowl a lot play the game (Matt, Jon, etc) It was nothing special for me, but to them, I became I legend... either that, or a lunatic...
Now Thursday I had to work, which was a busy and tiring day. After which I went with Ritchie (a co worker) to Lee's to watch Capturing the Friedmans, a great Doc about how a family gets torn apart by allegations of child abuse. It was super interesting and really allowed you to judge for yourself whether the situation was real or a figment of the children's imagination. Personally, I think that the father did the deed for sure, but the son was a little more confusing. It went both ways... sometimes it seemed like he had done it, while other times it didn't... Either way, the movie is riveting and totally worth seeing.
Friday afternoon I went to Blondie's with some people from work. Blondie's is famous for massive burgers that run the gamut from 1/8 of a pound to 9 pounds. I had a 1/2 pound burger which filled me up for the day. One of the guys had a 2 pound burger which was like a foot wide... He ate the whole thing... He is my size... It was nuts.... Oh yeah.. the burgers were awesome, but I don't think I ever want to see that much meat again in my life.
After the beef adventure was the wedding and it was truly a day of contrast. I was surprised at being invited, as I am not THAT close with Steve, but I was super grateful. The service part of it (the part I hate) was pretty good. Steve had written a song that he played and seemed to really affect some people in the audience. The father of the bride (I assume is a missionary) kind of took over the preaching part from the church's minister (which I assume was supposed to happen) and kept rambling on and on about how they were making a solemn vow to God. It was almost like he didn't think it would last and wanted to put the fear of God in 'em. At least that's what the cynic in me says... He also kept going on about how God is this and God is that. No one seemed to mind... The first minister guy also talked a lot about Jesus and God and how great they were... To me, someone who dislikes organized religion but believes in the source, it was really grating and annoying... But then the day wasn't for me, it was for Steve and Larissa... as long as they were happy then who gives a shit what I think.
The reception thing was awkward, as I didn't know anyone. The only people who I would know weren't able to make it (Dave and Trevor). I was seated at a table of people who were flying solo. Some dude from Ontario, a guy from BC, and a crazy long haired old guy who went to school with Steve. There wasn't very much conversation through the evening, but it wasn't 100% awkward... only about 50%. The reception line thing was probably the most awkward for both the fact that I am not one for small talk and because I was only a friend from high school. The parents didn't know me (even Steve's) and just politely shook my hand. Even Larissa didn't know me (and I've met her a few times). I literally only knew Steve...
The food was awesome; a Salmon dish, penne, cheesecake, salad, etc. Most of the speeches were good; short and to the point... with the GLARING exception of the sister of the bride, who rambled on for TWENTY minutes. She kept rambling on and on about how her faith in God was strengthened by Steve and Larissa and how much Larissa had meant to her growing up. I had nothing against the point, just that she kept repeating the SAME THING OVER AND OVER AGAIN. She literally said the stuff about faith in Jesus and God 100 times... I wanted to gouge out my eyes and ears... Again though, the day wasn't for me, so my opinion is meaningless. Once the dance started, I said my quick goodbyes to Steve and left. I felt really out of place there, surrounded by people who were all super religious and all knew each other. I appreciated being invited, but I don't think I really belonged there... but it was an honour to be thought of. Steve is a great guy and deserves the best.
After the wedding, I hung out with Ryan, Andrew, and Tina at Ryan's place. Playing some Halo and NFL 2K5. Tina and I teamed up and through our lack of any kind of football knowledge managed to only lose in overtime. I blame Tina, because she kept hitting the dive butting and moving the wrong way... We missed SO many catches and tackles because of that. :) If it had been ME alone, I would've smoked those two.. Not that it matters...
Today is a work day that began with me getting woken up by my parents being loud and annoying in the morning and having to pay my car insurance (which is too expensive). We'll see what amounts from that tremendous start....

Forgetting to Update or Morrowind is Done, Let Us Never Speak of it Again

I totally forgot about updating over the past few days, if anyone actually reads this, I apologize to you for the lack of new and interesting things to discover.
I'd been playing the hell out of Morrowind: GOTY for Xbox and finally beat it. Near the end, it became an exercise in tedium and I just wanted it over with. I have ZERO desire to play through the expansion quests as the main quest more than fulfilled my need for long, monotonous, and text filled adventuring. Oh well, its done.
I was talked into, well not so much talked into as decided... buying ESPN NFL 2K5 for Xbox as both Andrew and Ryan have it. This way we can all play online together. Not knowing a damn thing about football makes playing the game strange, confusing, and random. Ryan flips out at me for always picking the "Coach's pick" plays and then proclaims "how can you not know anything about football?" as if EVERYONE should have intimate knowledge of the game. My skill base comes from anecdotal intelligence in the ways of the gridiron, but I don't mind. Hail Mary's are fun! I'm able to hold my own decently enough when we play, being neither pushed more towards the loss column than the win one.
My new work schedule is a 3 day one, Thursday to Saturday 5:15pm to 11:45 pm. The nice thing about that is that I don't have to wake up early. It might make hanging out with certain people more difficult, as I'll miss whatever movie they decide to go to (then again, they always see shitty ones... which they end up LIKING... like AVP) Seriously, Matt and Kostas are blind when it comes to good movie making. I'm not talking about film, I'm talking movie. Simple action or comedy that isn't trying to be deep or insightful. Even within those confines, the past few flicks I've seen with them would be sub par, but these guys thought they were the greatest thing since sliced bread. I mean AVP was ASS. Zero originality or points of interest. It's like they figured they could just toss some aliens at some Predators and have a good movie... sorry, but it takes a little more than that... On the plus side, Collateral was a great movie. It was different than the average thriller and actually had some good acting. (I was expecting Jamie Foxx to suck the big one, but he was really good!)
Tonight I attend a "bachelor party" for Steve (whose wedding I attend Friday). I use quotation marks because I doubt it will be very much like the image of that type of occasion that pops into your mind. Well, who knows... maybe it'll be a wild and crazy time...

Wrestling DVD's or Cyndi Lauper can Still Go!

Not a ton going down lately...
I started to re-read the Lord of the Rings Books, as I last read them 10 years ago and only have vague recollections of what actually happened. So far, I'm about half way through the first book and there's so much going on that a) I didn't remember and b)wasn't in the movies.
I also received my order from Amazon yesterday (which took a grand total of TWO days to arrive) it mostly consists of wrestling DVD's but also a Cyndi Lauper concert DVD from her most recent tour. It's freakin' incredible! Her pipes are amazing, and she can still totally freak out. You'd never guess that she was fifty, because she sure as hell doesn't look like it. She also curses like a sailor in the special features (where she films the footage to be projected on screens during her songs). It's super funny.
The wrestling DVD's are: Hard Knocks: The Chris Benoit Story, Rey Mysterio 619, Best of Confidential Vol.1 and No Mercy 2002. The latter two DVD's were on sale for 6$, so I figured "what the hell?" That and No Mercy 2002 supposedly contains a match that's blood content ECLIPSES that of the famed Muta match from years back.
Next week I'm back at work downtown which'll be much more interesting than the warehouse. The only negative thing is that I'll get a lot less reading done... then again, I'll get a lot more girl watching done, so it balances out...

I Read the Whole Thing in One Day or I Have to Work a Long Shift Tonight

I absolutely devoured the Ric Flair book, finishing it the SAME day I started. It was so interesting and entertaining. He had some great stories and he really opened up about some of his real life problems that never had any idea about. His crippling anxieties that arose from how he was treated in WCW in the 90's, his tax problems, the fact that he spent more money than he earned during his career, how Vince and his family helped him overcome his insecurities... it was all very human. Especially for a character that's been larger than life for more than 30 years. It even brought a tear to my eyes at the end, when he did a little soul bearing. Totally worth the time and money. If you are wondering, he does go off on certain individuals, such as Mick Foley, Eric Bischoff, Shane Douglas, Sid, etc.
I agreed to work a full shift tonight, from 3:30 to 12am... Full shifts are tiring where I work, but the money is good. While I'm not really looking all that forward to it, I probably won't be too bad... and it'll get me back in the groove for when the warehouse is gone and I'm downtown all the time...

The Ric Flair Book or Boozin' it Up

The weekend was fairly uneventful. Friday, Lee and I watched "Jerry Seinfeld: Comedian" which is an interesting movie, if a little too lenient to Jerry. I guess being the executive producer of a documentary has its perks... either that, or he has no real failures in anything he tries.
Saturday, post work, saw Ryan, Tina and I enjoying some Boston Pizza (where Ryan spilled his beer all over my Cactus Nachos, ruining them) and attending a house party hosted by someone whose name I forgot to get. Ryan had given me TERRIBLE directions (as he was taking Tina home first) and I almost gave up trying to find it. He had told me Ness avenue when it was a street OFF Ness... Anyway, we found it and joined in on some drinking game thing. Box head made his appearance once more.
Sunday I did dick all... I tried to find someone to go to a movie with, but everyone was either too lazy, not home, or busy...
Today made up for that though! The Ric Flair autobiography showed up in the mail today! I'm already half way through and it's super awesome! Everything I hoped for and more. He's always been my favorite wrestler and his story is crazy entertaining. Must read more!

Back to Work or Morrowind is a BIG Game

Not a whole hell of a lot to report over the past few days. I've been playing the Morrowind Game of the Year edition for Xbox, which I picked up after trading in some unwanted DVD's. (Nothing good, ie) Top Gun, The Tenant, The Batman Animated Series Solo Dvd's, and a solo Scooby Doo DVD.) Christ the game is huge! Having played it before, I already knew that, but still!
I am back at work now, counting down the final days of the warehouse. It's been both fun (lots of spare time to read) and a drag (bitter and lazy co-workers) to work there. While I've gotten a lot of reading done, being around the people that work there is a huge bring down. All they do is bitch and complain about either the company, co-workers, or their lives. It'll be nice to go back to the depot, where at least there's more people to talk to. People who aren't all depressing to be around.
I've been listening to a lot of my parents old LP's lately. They had a ton of old 60's folk music, like Gordon Lightfoot, The Kingston Trio, Simon and Garfunkel, etc. Some of it is really interesting. For those unaware, The Kingston trio was the inspiration for the fictional group "The Folksmen" from "A Mighty Wind." It certainly makes listening to their stuff more amusing. Other types of LP's found include: Hawaiian beach music, Jazz, weird folk jazz fusion, 60's rock, and lots and lots of crooners (Elvis, Sammy Davis Jr., Mario Lanza, Tom Jones, etc). It's not the type of music I would track down, but it is certainly interesting to listen to. While I'm on the subject of music, 70's era Deep Purple rocked! I got a bunch of albums from that period and they are kick ass. Rock/metal/psychadellia/blues mix.
I really want to own my own apartment building... that'd be cool... Rob and I were thinking about going halfers on one; each getting smaller loans, splitting the caretaking duties, maintaining part-time jobs, and generally paying off the loans quicker. I've been scanning the available stuff a tad, and it seems like we'll need between 200 000 and 300 000$ for a good sized place (26 suites) The only issue is that we have no experience, and very little downpayment... Well, I have some money, but he doesn't really... Oh well, maybe its just a harebrained scheme, but I'd like to think it'll happen someday soon!

What if you Threw a Party and No One Came or Harold and Kumar

Playing catch up here...
The time without my parents was filled with playing Vice City (and beating it!), taking care of the house, getting a bit of a tan, watching Spider-man (60's) and generally doing dick all.
I did so much prep for the party, baking 2 cakes (confetti angel food with pudding icing and blueberries), making fruit dip, setting up covers for couches , and making extra room in the house for a bunch of people. I even set up the PC downstairs with a 940 song 80's mix playing... Then only 3 people came... Ryan, Andrew, and Brad. Everyone else no showed.... Some had excuses (moving, not in town) others did not (fell asleep). I would have been pissed, but it ended up being alright in the end. We played video games and drank. I recommend that you never do a shot of Fire Rum because it will make you gag and feel ill...
Went to Pharaoh's on Saturday (which sucked) and then Moxies after. Tina was not feeling good and Ryan wasn't helping, so I took it upon myself to cheer her up with disgusting stories of people we know... It seemed to work. I had some dish that they told me was the spiciest there, but ended up not being hot at all... until I ate a chili whole... YOWZA! That fried my tongue for a good while... Ice Cubes and water were no use, I had to wait for it to wear off.
Last night I went to Kum Soon Garden (unfortunate name) with my parents for their anniversary and had some Chinese food. The place had 3 sizes of soups and we figured that a small was a one person size... Boy were we wrong! It was easily enough for 2 or 3, but we had ordered it as an appetizer for our meal... We couldn't just not eat it all, so we all finished our portions and we not able to eat as much of the actual food as normal. Well... I tried and only succeeded in gorging myself silly...
Checked out "Harold and Kumar go to White Castle" last night and was SUPREMELY disappointed... After reading positive reviews in the paper AND from Roger Ebery, I had high hopes.... they were dashed... While I didn't HATE the movie, it was not nearly as funny as anticipated... In fact "Dude, Where's My Car" was way better. I had issues with the way that Harold and Kumar acted. They were supposed to be stoned but did not act any different than usual. Having both been stoned and been around stoned people, I can tell you that they act very different. More goofy, hazey eyed, and slow. These two guys were no different. I did laugh a few times, but overall, not that much... I would classify it as a waste of money UNLESS you were also stoned... but I'm not going there again.
Checked out Gimli beach with Rob today and saw the ladies in their bikinis. Also ran into Melissa and saw her in her bikini. Overall it was a positive day!