It's about time!!!!!
Movie is not far off, just some audio post and music and final cutting to go.
Here's the trailer, set to AC DC's "Thunderstruck" (go buy it!)
Monday, December 29, 2008
Monday, December 22, 2008
Snow Wovel for Slava

Monday, December 15, 2008
Mysterious sounds at the office...

Mysterious sounds were emanating from a corner of the office that Wednesday. Someone came out into the hall and said "What is that?"
There wasn't a consensus as to the possible origin of the sound.
"It sounds like someone writing on a whiteboard with a marker.."
"No, it sounds like a running shoe rubbing against a kick-plate.."
"Naw.. it sounds like a bird..."
BINGO!
We have little birdies in our office. It's supposed to be a secret but the constant chirping is kind of giving it away. I haven't verified this (and won't bother to - because it' a secret) but I suspect that because of the OC Transpo strike, a volunteer can't come by the place these birds usually stay and feed them the frequency they need to be fed during a normal workday, so someone had to step up and take care of these poor orphaned birdies.
CHEEP CHEEP!
Never a dull moment in this place(grin). That damned OC Transpo union. Add little orphaned birdies to the list of those they've inconvenienced.
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Real Estate 101
I hope I don't come off as a big meanie writing this blog entry. It was a stressful couple of weeks and the reason for the big hiatus in entries.
One Saturday about 7 weeks ago, a real estate agent knocked on our door. My wife answered. If I had answered, I probably wouldn't have to write this post, but I was too lazy to get up and answer that day. Next thing I know, we're going to look at houses just for fun. And you know what? Damn it all, there was one out there calling for us to buy it. It had all the stuff we like(plus a pool!! and no neighbors in the back!!! Just bunnies in a forest by a field!!! AHAHAHAHA!).
As it happened, I had gone on a retirement course this summer, and it seems I have like, 16-17 years left to work or some such thing and if I'm gonna change houses, now would be a good time( you want to pay that sucker off by the time freedom 55 or 56 rolls around). Our youngest kid started school and her hefty monthly daycare payment disappeared into smoke, woohoo! Let's take that and get into more debt!!!!
Still in the oddly coincidental timing department, 6 months ago Scotiabank (who owns some of my house) sent me a letter saying my mortgage was up and to call them to renew. Well, said letter fell behind the cookie jar and by the time I found it and called them, TOO LATE! No worries! They had helpfully auto-renewed my mortgage at 6.2 % (ouch) for 6 months without me having to sign anything! Didn't matter that I could get almost a point less anywhere else, they have my (their) best interests at heart. Sure, they call me when they want to sell me stuff, like a high interest credit card with them, or mortgage insurance, or other crap like that I don't need, but call me to let me know my mortgage is up and they haven't heard back from me? Naw... Not lucrative for them. Still, it's my fault. Which means my mortgage is set to expire December 1st (you can bet I put that one on the google calendar right away).
So.. For fun, in these soon to be crappy economic times, I decided to put my house up for sale just before the snow flies, when houses move as about as fast as rocks..
Why not!!!!
And we went with Grapevine, that sell it yourself service to save ourselves the 5% commission in the neighborhood of $13,000 to $14,000 (thank you very much). Tons of people came to see our place through grapevine - it was great!. The thing that amazed me the most though, was how just as many scummy agents (yes scummy - SCUMMY!!! SCUMMY!!!!!) found us on grapevine and called and/or emailed me to get my listing. They fed me all kinds of lines about how I am not going to sell in these times without being on MLS bla bla bla, I can't possibly be bothered with paperwork closing a real estate deal, bla bla bla, we look out for your best interests bla bla bla. MSL MLS MLS (multiple listing service)!!!.
As it turned out, I had a freind that did real estate part time and he made me a deal to put my house up on that MSL thing. Still, more scummy agents called. They led off with stuff like.
"I have someone very interested in your house! Where are you moving to? Would you consider me as your buying agent if I bring them in or if it doesn't work out, your listing agent and I can put you on MLS?"
As soon as I said, "It's already on MLS "
"Oh.." click... Lying Scumbag! Potential buyer my ass.
After I got wise to that song and dance the phone conversations were short.
AGENT "Bla Bla Bla..."
ME "Excuse me, it's simple, you bring someone by with an offer sheet and we'll talk. Bye bye.."
Then we had the agents who bring people to your place and they make you sign some 12 page thing that says, if their client buys your house we'd pay the agent 2.5% for doing squat. Sure!! I signed it. The stupid cost of doing business I guess. It's funny though, they don't let their client inside your house unless you sign it and they are usually waiting right outside the door while the agent covers their ass. I never caught on to how silly this was in time to refuse to sign the paperwork just for fun, hike the door open and say "Come on in stranger, your real estate agent is being creepy, take a look around the place!!!"
I realize they have to make a living, but a fixed percentage that high is a bit ridiculous. Especially the listing-only agents who get money just because someone happens to buy a house with their sign on the front.
We also had agents who were helpful enough to show our house to clients who were not able to afford our asking price. Not even close. Of course you find this out afterwards. I hope they had a nice visit. We love cleaning the crap out of the place before a showing and shoving our kids somewhere for an hour while we give the guided tour to someone who won't be able to buy it.
Ditto for the parents shopping for houses for their kids overseas who are concerned about bus routes because his son with 5 kids living in Indonesia can't possibly afford a car. Gee. You think he'll be able to scrape up the cash to actually buy my house? I'd stay in Indonesia. Pity about the compulsory military service at age 12. I guess he should have thought about that before he moved away from Canada (it ain't so bad here).
Then there was the agent who said to me, as their client was taking a look at our place, "My client seems very interested. If we make an offer, make sure to make the period to negotiate the offer 24 hours so we can trap them in the sale..." NICE!!! Well she ain't ever gonna be my agent. These people are looking out for your best interests folks.. Remember that!
Then there's that one neighbor. There's always at least one. The neighbor who comes to an open house and feeds you the song and dance about how his brother in Toronto is moving to Ottawa and needs a place next month and this would be perfect and they are just here looking at it for them and gosh they'll have to move fast on this bla bla bla.
Why that's just what they told my other neighbors who moved away 6 months ago at his open house. They just want to snoop and see what you've done to your place. Geez. Just ask, no need to make up crap like that because maybe we'll believe it or something.
Well, lucky for us, we sold privately in two weeks, to a nice couple who came in and saw it on the first open house. All just buyer and seller talking and emails to two lawyers, no agents, no commission.
I'll never use an agent to sell my house. There is no need. MLS brought in about 6 or 7 people, Grapevine 25 or so.
And I have a new take on Real Estate agents. They are like OC Transpo bus drivers or department store Santa Clauses. Some are nice and some are really scummy.
One Saturday about 7 weeks ago, a real estate agent knocked on our door. My wife answered. If I had answered, I probably wouldn't have to write this post, but I was too lazy to get up and answer that day. Next thing I know, we're going to look at houses just for fun. And you know what? Damn it all, there was one out there calling for us to buy it. It had all the stuff we like(plus a pool!! and no neighbors in the back!!! Just bunnies in a forest by a field!!! AHAHAHAHA!).
As it happened, I had gone on a retirement course this summer, and it seems I have like, 16-17 years left to work or some such thing and if I'm gonna change houses, now would be a good time( you want to pay that sucker off by the time freedom 55 or 56 rolls around). Our youngest kid started school and her hefty monthly daycare payment disappeared into smoke, woohoo! Let's take that and get into more debt!!!!
Still in the oddly coincidental timing department, 6 months ago Scotiabank (who owns some of my house) sent me a letter saying my mortgage was up and to call them to renew. Well, said letter fell behind the cookie jar and by the time I found it and called them, TOO LATE! No worries! They had helpfully auto-renewed my mortgage at 6.2 % (ouch) for 6 months without me having to sign anything! Didn't matter that I could get almost a point less anywhere else, they have my (their) best interests at heart. Sure, they call me when they want to sell me stuff, like a high interest credit card with them, or mortgage insurance, or other crap like that I don't need, but call me to let me know my mortgage is up and they haven't heard back from me? Naw... Not lucrative for them. Still, it's my fault. Which means my mortgage is set to expire December 1st (you can bet I put that one on the google calendar right away).
So.. For fun, in these soon to be crappy economic times, I decided to put my house up for sale just before the snow flies, when houses move as about as fast as rocks..
Why not!!!!
And we went with Grapevine, that sell it yourself service to save ourselves the 5% commission in the neighborhood of $13,000 to $14,000 (thank you very much). Tons of people came to see our place through grapevine - it was great!. The thing that amazed me the most though, was how just as many scummy agents (yes scummy - SCUMMY!!! SCUMMY!!!!!) found us on grapevine and called and/or emailed me to get my listing. They fed me all kinds of lines about how I am not going to sell in these times without being on MLS bla bla bla, I can't possibly be bothered with paperwork closing a real estate deal, bla bla bla, we look out for your best interests bla bla bla. MSL MLS MLS (multiple listing service)!!!.
As it turned out, I had a freind that did real estate part time and he made me a deal to put my house up on that MSL thing. Still, more scummy agents called. They led off with stuff like.
"I have someone very interested in your house! Where are you moving to? Would you consider me as your buying agent if I bring them in or if it doesn't work out, your listing agent and I can put you on MLS?"
As soon as I said, "It's already on MLS "
"Oh.." click... Lying Scumbag! Potential buyer my ass.
After I got wise to that song and dance the phone conversations were short.
AGENT "Bla Bla Bla..."
ME "Excuse me, it's simple, you bring someone by with an offer sheet and we'll talk. Bye bye.."
Then we had the agents who bring people to your place and they make you sign some 12 page thing that says, if their client buys your house we'd pay the agent 2.5% for doing squat. Sure!! I signed it. The stupid cost of doing business I guess. It's funny though, they don't let their client inside your house unless you sign it and they are usually waiting right outside the door while the agent covers their ass. I never caught on to how silly this was in time to refuse to sign the paperwork just for fun, hike the door open and say "Come on in stranger, your real estate agent is being creepy, take a look around the place!!!"
I realize they have to make a living, but a fixed percentage that high is a bit ridiculous. Especially the listing-only agents who get money just because someone happens to buy a house with their sign on the front.
We also had agents who were helpful enough to show our house to clients who were not able to afford our asking price. Not even close. Of course you find this out afterwards. I hope they had a nice visit. We love cleaning the crap out of the place before a showing and shoving our kids somewhere for an hour while we give the guided tour to someone who won't be able to buy it.
Ditto for the parents shopping for houses for their kids overseas who are concerned about bus routes because his son with 5 kids living in Indonesia can't possibly afford a car. Gee. You think he'll be able to scrape up the cash to actually buy my house? I'd stay in Indonesia. Pity about the compulsory military service at age 12. I guess he should have thought about that before he moved away from Canada (it ain't so bad here).
Then there was the agent who said to me, as their client was taking a look at our place, "My client seems very interested. If we make an offer, make sure to make the period to negotiate the offer 24 hours so we can trap them in the sale..." NICE!!! Well she ain't ever gonna be my agent. These people are looking out for your best interests folks.. Remember that!
Then there's that one neighbor. There's always at least one. The neighbor who comes to an open house and feeds you the song and dance about how his brother in Toronto is moving to Ottawa and needs a place next month and this would be perfect and they are just here looking at it for them and gosh they'll have to move fast on this bla bla bla.
Why that's just what they told my other neighbors who moved away 6 months ago at his open house. They just want to snoop and see what you've done to your place. Geez. Just ask, no need to make up crap like that because maybe we'll believe it or something.
Well, lucky for us, we sold privately in two weeks, to a nice couple who came in and saw it on the first open house. All just buyer and seller talking and emails to two lawyers, no agents, no commission.
I'll never use an agent to sell my house. There is no need. MLS brought in about 6 or 7 people, Grapevine 25 or so.
And I have a new take on Real Estate agents. They are like OC Transpo bus drivers or department store Santa Clauses. Some are nice and some are really scummy.
Friday, November 07, 2008
Forever Finding the Remote Control(s)

Just as long as we don't misplace the couch they're tied too, and the kids don't garrote each other with them, I should be fine!
Thursday, November 06, 2008
Friday, October 24, 2008
Naked guy windsurfing in the woods

I kinda stopped what I was doing and crouched down to hide, just in case it was really a naked guy. I don't want to run into a naked guy in the forest. The only worst thing than running into a naked guy in the woods is running into a naked guy in the woods with an axe (that's another story).
The guy was standing pretty still, like he was doing the same thing I was doing, probably afraid of running into a fully clothed guy in the forest (you know how those nudists are). But something was fishy, so I crept closer. He looked like some sort of long-haired hippie. He was oddly familiar.
Turns out it wasn't a naked guy in the woods after all.
I got a picture with him. He never did say what he was doing out there in the middle of the woods...

Butterflies

Jazzy's Birthday!



BATGIRL!
Lusk caves Sept 2008



When we came out of the first chambers my wife thought that was it, but I said "No, check it out! it continues!!" So we attempted to penetrate the second set. That was the one with the big torrent of rushing water, so we ended up coming back. We'll save that for another day (or I'll come back with the guys! and do that one!).

Thursday, October 02, 2008
Cannington 2008 with Don Ross and Antoine Dufour.







Don's lovely and talented wife Brooke was everywhere at once, helping out and making things run smoothly (I couldn't get her to play though!! ;-) . A few of us roadied at the show and worked the CD both as who better but a bunch of guitar geeks to answer questiosn and suggest which CD's to buy.



Turns out it was humus. Which, oddly enough looks alot like un-melting walnut ice cream( I took a picture so people would believe me afterwards).

"That guy is like R2D2, he has just the thing you need when you need it, bla bla bla.. " What a compliment! And a Star Wars one at that!
Antoine's lessons were great. They focused on elements of his technique and featured a lot of small scale passages to teach your fingers how to alternate pick in fingetsyle mode.

He went over some songwriting stuff in great detail, like his writing of "Song for Stephen" explaining the Police type influence and we even managed to find out which Sting song the melody was kind of unconsciously plucked from. he even throws message in a bottle in that one and has a reggae break near the end.


"This is GREAT! I consume $500 worth of gourmet food and wine, and get guitar lessons, a concert and a place to stay for free!
You can see all 300 photos here.
Friday, September 26, 2008
Caving 101 in Gatineau park


"Can you, uhh, grab my backpack?"
"Sure!" I said as GrizzlyG scooped it up. "Just a sec.. " I whispered to Grizz.
We found some good sized rocks and shoved them in the bottom of Tripper's pack to give him some more exercise on the hike. I think he found them an hour later and called us names. (we'll have to remember that one)...



More pictures here.
A few weeks later I went to the Lusk caves north of here. Now THOSE are some cool caves!
Thursday, September 25, 2008
My New UFO!



Friday, September 12, 2008
Costume used in the Georgia Bigfoot Hoax
How to eat and chew bubble gum at the same time.

"Do you still have your gum?
We were eating spaghetti too.
She's my kid. It's a skill....
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Georgia Bigfoot Hoax

Speaking of purchases, why wasn't Jerry at the Horrordome contacted about shipping any of his costumes to Georgia in the last year?
A few things I like about their suit, the arm extenders. Very cool, the fake head that is not a see-through mask. One problem I have is fitting my mask to several actors and forgetting to put black eye paint, etc.. This is a fake bigfoot head on a helmet, that turns with the body, no more eyehold issues. Plus it's probably better to breathe in. It will take some acting to make it move convincingly, and good luck running in it like we do. I may keep the two of them and use the first as a "stunt-suit".
Oh well, it was a fun week none the less.
That Police officer that's part of the hoax is gonna be great on the stand when he goes to testify against the guy who supposedly shot him. I can see teh other guy's laywer now. "Are you sure it wasn't Bigfoot that shot you?" What an idjut!
Friday, August 15, 2008
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Another Bigfoot Hoax - Georgia Bigfoot body

He said this thing in the picture was originally in a block of ice (the freezer just happened to break - hoo hoo!) and he snapped this photo and tomorrow (Friday August 15th) he'll have a press conference and let reporters have a look at it as well as some 'scientists". Oh Well. It had promise.

I'll still watch the press conference though! If he gives the thing to a bunch of doctors and they confirm the guts are real I'll flip faster than a flapjack!
Here is an excellent morph of the body face to the costume face by plaidlemur

Monday, August 11, 2008
RottenNeighbor.com
Now THIS is a funny site. http://www.rottenneighbor.com/
People post text, photos and videos of their IDIOT Neighbors in action. You can even type in your address and see if anyone has complained about you or someone on your street! Apparently I have two within 1k of me. A post about someone being "deafeningly loud" and an "Enemy of marriage and family" (that is to say, someone who sleeps with already married people).
Check out this meatball with the ATV below. If you go to the site it shows you a google map of the area with the location of the rotten neighbor marked. Pretty funny!
I also liked:
How to wake up your neighbors in the middle of the night
Pam's Barking dogs
Lawnmower man
Stomping Day and Night
People post text, photos and videos of their IDIOT Neighbors in action. You can even type in your address and see if anyone has complained about you or someone on your street! Apparently I have two within 1k of me. A post about someone being "deafeningly loud" and an "Enemy of marriage and family" (that is to say, someone who sleeps with already married people).
Check out this meatball with the ATV below. If you go to the site it shows you a google map of the area with the location of the rotten neighbor marked. Pretty funny!
I also liked:
How to wake up your neighbors in the middle of the night
Pam's Barking dogs
Lawnmower man
Stomping Day and Night
Rescuing the impaled Robin




Freaky!
Monday, August 04, 2008
Vacation @ Sandbanks - July 2008

One day after a particularly righteous downpour, we packed the kids in the truck and headed to Toronto to do some indoor stuff at the Ontario Science center and CN Tower. I hadn't been to the CN Tower in awhile and the kids especially enjoyed that one.


Lovely..
After paying $75 for an elevator ride we ran around on the glass floor and took in the sights. I saw a plane take off from that island type thingy in the bay. Who the hell lives there?




The next day we drove back home (in the rain) and at the two hour mark we stopped a Tim Horton's 401 truckstop. My wife was inside for about 15 minutes. During this time I turned the key in the ignition half-way to roll up the windows. This started the air conditioner which, combined with the GPS, DVD player and Ipod music player sucked the car battery dry in 15 minutes flat leaving us stranded. I emptyed the entire Truck out in the parking lot looking for jumper cables and found none(they must be at home in the garage). I asked 50 peopel if they had jumper cables and then broke down and went to the gas station to buy some. They didn't have any but I made the guy check in the back. he had one pair left and was willing to sell them to me for $54! This isn't a jacked up on the fly price, he scanned them and up popped $54. He used to sell them for $34 but I guess Sunoco or whoever realized that people like me are desperate enough to pay anything.
When we got home we found that the power had been knocked out. So we went for lunch at Quiznos! A few days later my wife found the jumper cables - In the truck, under the spare tire.
Anyone want some jumper cables?
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