It's That Time Again!

Happy only time most people can get away with wearing orange Day!*







*This message not intended for employees of A&W or their subsidiaries.

From the vault: my post entitled I Was A Teenaged A&W Cook. The horror! Oh, but there's royalty in the story too.

The War Room

Inestimably talented Doc knows just how busy a life I lead and has captured it perfectly. Can someone come and clean the litter box please?

Boo Who?

If proud parents can place questionably cute photos of their little tykes in Halloween regalia on our intranet at work to torture me with, then you should have no trouble torturing the blog world with your own photos showing your Halloween spirit as represented by your childhood selves.


It’s just about time for The Big Wicked Online Pageant to go live and it needs your help. I'm sure you recall me shilling for this recently. I even posted a photo of a younger version of myself to entice you with. Although I wasn't in costume, it sure was frightening.


Here’s another to help you get in the spirit. Behold the beauty that was my young self in a photo I call “Most Uncomfortable Looking Boy in the World” or as Coaster Punchman has called it my ‘Ma Vie En Rose’ lookalike shot. Again, not in costume but if you squint, I might pass for the Hamburglar as played by Prince Valiant.
Send Beth your entries and help Bubs fulfill his dreams.


If you don’t have a shot of you, feel free to substitute a shot of your little sister (you know she looked ridiculous that year!) or even one of your dog (does he know no shame?).


Enjoy and look for the winners and losers on a blog near you soon. Full rules and details are posted there as well.

War and Peace - The Comic

After seeing some excellent cartoons done by the multi-talented Doc at Social Zymurgy The Culture of Beer, I commissioned one and by commissioned, I mean begged.  He came up with a perfect depiction of me and some of the goings on I've described here.  Hey Ma! I made the funny papers!  You can read his accompanying explanation and check out the comments here.  

  

Doc's timing was perfect, opera season at the Canadian Opera Company has begun again in earnest with a little production of War and Peace by Sergei Prokofiev based on Tolstoy's novel.

At nearly four hours, the opera was only a bit longer than Napoleon was tall but the show was epic befitting the source material.  The orchestra and chorus were excellent as they always are and the leads poured their souls into it as well.  Doc tried to save me the time by letting me know it was all Napoleon's fault and he was correct.  He didn't mention the strumpet at the heart of several love affairs but I had more than enough time to get to know her.  For a full review of the show, you can read more here. 

Due to scheduling issues with Deborah, I had to switch my usual Friday night slot for a Saturday afternoon show and so the seats were different as well.  Rather than my usual orchestra seats I sat in the third ring (there are five horseshoes in this joint) and from there, I could see the production well but there was also a lot to distract me.  

While I don't mind sitting on high in judgment above the madding crowd, even Hekyll and Jekyll might have found this perch a bit much.  The sightlines to the stage were excellent but along the way, there's also a full view of the orchestra, the exit signs and of course the heads of codgers nodding off everywhere.  I'm the most distractible person I know so I'm glad that next Friday, order will be restored and I'll be back in my regular seat for Don Giovanni.

Thanks once again Doc, I love the cartoon.  Now get back to your anniversary celebrations with the lovely Flannery Alden.

Places Everyone!

Today's the day that blogging cyberstalker extraordinaire Coaster Punchman and his longtime love Poor George walk down the aisle in sunny California ahead of a looming weather change due to the threat of Proposition 8, an initiative to ban gay marriage. While I want them to happen, I'm hopeful Prop 8 won't.  Here's how you may be able to help.

They're a couple of the loveliest fellows around and will be married by their good friend and blogging wonder woman Melinda June ensuring it's a special day all around.  

May their best gifts include many more happy years together, all the fish tacos they can eat and the defeat of Prop 8.  

For those about to wed, we salute you!

Abandoned Pools

The security guard in the lobby of my building at work has begun whistling the notes to Summertiiiiiime and the livin' is eaaaasy over and over. This could mean that I’m spending far too much time in the lobby but more likely, it means that he's accepted that warm weather is becoming a memory and so must I.

I had noticed a two day trickle of water running down Honeypot’s driveway last week but I thought she was just marking her territory. The blanks were filled in with the treat of seeing her emerge from her nearly drained pool wearing a sweat suit and rubber boots, a fetching look to be sure. I suppose my dream of seeing her try to ice skate across its frozen top should be put aside.

The trees have also been doing their part to warn me. After a brazen display of colour, they’ve been readying themselves for raking and the nights have definitely grown colder. Perhaps the most obvious sign was watching the snow fall through the train window on the ride home yesterday. Snow, in October, that stayed into today.

It’s not all bad and I'm not really complaining. It's exciting to think that it's time again to start working through the sorting of acceptable distances between the sofa and essentials (snacks, drinks, remote controls) in preparation of my annual near hibernation.

This year I may even give up the pretense that I hate it when the weather’s bad and officially declare myself a shut-in. I wonder if there’s a minimum age before you can apply for Meals-On-Wheels?

Very Very Frightening Me!

I remember it as though it was only 2 years ago...blogging sensation Beth at A Cup of Coffey hosted the wonderful Little Miss Sunshine Online Pageant dedicated to, well, some of our more awkward phases captured in photographic glory.  She's at it again, this time working on inspiration from none other than magic man Bubs of Sprawling Ramshackle Compound!

This time, the challenge is to show off your finest Halloween costumed selves as young 'uns and be a part of The Big Wicked Online Pageant.  Don't make us go back in our time machine and ridicule you in person.  Instead, scan your photo(s), post it/them on your blog on Monday, October 28 and then email Beth (the address is in her sidebar) so she can link everyone up.

Good thinking Bubs!  Good hosting Beth!  Good Lord Dale! (this is one of my Little Miss Sunshine entries - I'm still shuddering).

Go see Beth and Bubs - they're good for your soul. Come on, you're not using it anyway.

Praise You Like I Should

It’s time for the Thanksgiving Day long weekend again here in Canadaland.

I am thankful

- that I got to see a Monarch butterfly land on the cab of a parked cement truck on a warm October day and then continue on its journey

- that the cement truck was painted all in pink complete with a huge Breast Cancer Awareness ribbon

- that I don’t have to drive that truck

- that I can experience the wonders of the world from the comfort and safety of the great indoors via the BBC Series Planet Earth

- that you’re all there

- and that I don't look like this poor guy anymore (the surgery worked!)

Videodrome (Audio Blog)

These days for me, it's all about work.  How to manage it, avoid it and ultimately survive it.  To find out how I'm doing, click on my GCast player on my sidebar and you'll get an audio idea.  I've got to run, I have an elevator to catch.