you owe it to the people

I haven't really got much to say today. I just figure I should post something, so I am going to go with the old random list. Seems to be a pretty good fall-back.

I did some laundry today. The laundromat has to be one of the most dodgy places. There are often homeless people, scary looking youth, and most frightening of all... children running around freely! But we all need our clothes to be cleaned... and we, the economically disabled of society, converge on this meeting ground to "faire la lessive."

my housemate/best friend was cooking mushrooms today for dinner. i hate mushrooms, they taste and smell horribly. and worst of all they're grown in concentrated amounts of horse 'piss.' i've decided they smell like fung-ass.

i'm listening to Pink Floyd right now. Wish You Were Here. i love it.

my room is currently 19.8 C... that's 67.6 F.

my watch battery died yesterday but i didn't notice it. today when i went to catch the bus i realized that it was a day late and a few hours short. I had to go to class right then so i couldn't go and get the battery changed. I don't think i've ever looked at my watch that much in a day. and not only that, i kept looking at it and thinking i had tons of time. when classes were over at the end of the day i went downtown to get the battery changed. what a relief. now that i know the time i feel safe. why? no clue. it's amazing how dependent i am on knowing the time.

1 disk, 4 paper clip, 1 heart shaped sticky notepad, a napoleon dynamite pen, and a blue bic pen. are all under the light of my lamp on my desk.

i have to go and renew my licence before thursday. photo and all. thank-you MTO.

vente, decaf, sugarfree vanilla, soy, extra hot, latte. 6 bucks well spent.

i can't wait till i am done school. that way i can go home and watch Freaks and Geeks and Undeclared. if you've not seen either of these shows you are missing out on some seriously quality tv. bill, sam, neil. lindsay, daniel, nick, kenny and kim kelly. i don't like jokes, i don't think their funny. if you know what these things mean you are a friend of mine.

my hands are cold, as are my feet. my desk is an old sewing machine table with the foot pedal. it makes my feet cold. but it's entertaining to make it spin cause it squeaks. it's pretty shrill. it has SINGER in rod-iron on it... i gotta figure out how to change the S into a W.

band/song of the blog
Pink Floyd - welcome to the machine

a war is on the horizon

i wonder if cell phones are a sign of an individuals fear of being alone with his/herself?

i ran this idea by one of my best friends and she suggested that it could also be that people need to feel important and this is how they do it...

sometimes i think that people are looking for distraction. if people can become consumed by manners outside of themselves they are content to ignore reality.

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this next portion of the blog is NOT intended to offend ANYONE. This is just something i've been milling around the past couple of days. please take what i am writing as a grain of salt.
or don't read it at all...
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speaking of distraction and ignoring reality.

i think that disney is one of the more brilliant forms of distraction produced throughout history.

i've been to disney, i enjoyed it as a child, i have no desire to return. i feel like there are a million sites/sights around the world that have such rich history and importance why would someone want to go somewhere that is entirely fantasy?

in a way i sort of feel like it's for the 'ignorant' masses... the proletariate [to put it in orwellian terms]. people that are more prone to accept rather then question and criticize. it's easier.

now... this is a complete generalization, and i believe this is coming from my loathing for the american public and their fullout unquestioning ignorance.

i don't know. i'm just thinking.

however,
ignorance is bliss... and i really believe this is one of the truest statements of all time.

band/song of the blog:
Black Mountain - Don't run our hearts around.

vidicated; i am selfish, i am wrong.

I realize that i really haven't posted in a very long time. this being the case i also realize that any 'following' i MAY have had is all but gone. oh well, they say a blog is for yourself and if others want to peak-in then they will...

random thoughts

i was walking from work to downtown yesterday and i walked past a funeral home. i looked at the sign and read that along with it being a funeral home it was also a crematorium. i looked up and saw the chimney and got way freaked out. i think i may have gone mad seeing smoke come out of it.

i am very restless with my music. i can't seem to find anything to really satisfy, i feel like i'm missing something. i am on the hunt for something new.

anyone need a chiropractor? call 741 4404.

i am currently reading a book called Three Day Road, by Joseph Boyden. I also get the honour of meeting him this coming week. he's coming to Trent and is going to be hanging out at a conference that i am helping to organize. it's pretty exciting. not only is it a fantastic book but Boyden is Smokin' Hot! i look forward to this week.

i still haven't used my expensive pen. [if you've not heard the tale of the expensive pen i advise you to read the entry that preceded]

i have so much work to do that i can't decide what to do first... the result of this being that no work has got done. tomorrow.

i've noticed recently that a lot of stores and shops have potted flower [that grow from bulbs]. everyonce-in-a-while i get a slight whiff of it. it brightens my day.

things are lookin more and more like i am going to be living not-at-home this coming year. i've applied for a job in ottawa as well as one in japan. i've got a call and an interview for one already. i hope something works out.

so my little sister tells me that this is the year of the dog, and also that the year that i was born in was the year of the dog. with all of the important knowledge i have been further informed that these two worlds colliding make it my lucky year. think i'll start buying lottery tickets.

i don't really like the picture on my calendar for February. it's a painting by Bertram Brooker called The Three Powers. google (or yahoo) it (whichever you prefer). 25 days till i can change it.

band/song of the blog:
beck - i'm a loser, baby

carried away by the wind

Today I had some errands to do downtown Peterborough. My friends and i are doing our Christmas tomorrow evening, i needed to get some lastminute items.

On top of getting these gift items i needed to go to Speak Volumes, a little independent book store, to pick up a required text for one of my courses. Last time i went to this store I made my purchase with my visa. They didn't have a pen available at the front checkout so the guy at the counter just grabbed a pen that they were selling. It was this nice pen that wrote really wonderfully... and since i needed to go back to the book store I thought i'd pick-up this wonderful pen!

I got into the store and pick-up the book that i needed, grabbed the pen and proceeded to peruse the shelves to find if there was anything new or interesting.

I went up to the counter and put my book and pen up on the counter to check-out. Jarett, the owner/guy at the counter rang in my book and picked up the pen and said "with this pen you get refill cartridges and get to pick the colour." the options were blue, black, and other blue. i chose black. The he said "and with this pen comes a penholder." It's this pen case that kind of looks like nouveau art. I'm thinkin this is a wicked deal! I love this pen!

Jarett turns from the pen and proceeds to enter the price into the register. $39.95. Yeah, thirty nine dollars and ninety-five cents. canadian. without tax. for a pen. that i, now, will never use. except maybe for my future wedding invitations!

All along i didn't think twice about how much this pen was going to cost me. It's a freakin pen! how much could it possibly cost!?

If i were anywhere else (like chapters or some chain crap) I would have told them where to stick it... and how! but here i just couldn't. i love this place, and they have always been so great to me. and i was such an niave ass.

why the heck didn't i put together that there was no pricetag...it came with refills AND a freakin PENCASE!!?

throughout the rest of the day i kept getting flashbacks of the damn pen. now, all i can do is look at it and shake my head.

aaaaand to put icing on this big-fat-cake... the pen is a CALLIGRAPHY pen... i don't know how to do calligraphy!!!

in other news i've signed myself up for calligraphy lessons.

band/song of the blog
the used - blue and yellow

tomorrow there will be another number

Five hours into 2006 and already there has been another shooting in Toronto.

The Mayor of the city (David Miller) cites that this shooting, like the others, is related to gangs and a bustling gun trade.

While I agree that this is probably related to gangs and guns, i believe it has more to do with class and poverty. Like many have said before, banning handguns is a bandaid solution. It fails to examine the root of the problem, which i would suggest is the poverty and oppression of these people. they are funneling their anger and frusteration that stems from being ignored into those handguns, which spew death and destruction.

this is yet another reason why i support a socialist leaning party which promotes a strong government. I am a firm believer in 'big government'. with proper management i believe that government can provide safety and balance (things which business cannot offer).

with the development of social programmes, increased funding for education, strong healthcare, and supportive welfare systems we can reduce and prevent these senseless killings.

bring on the taxes!

band/song of the blog:
stars - celebration guns

Son, go get it done, on the right (left) side!

Wow, so it's been a while since i've updated. I'd been busy writing papers and researching. And now that I am home for the holidays I've been decorating and shopping!

So, what have I got to say...?

Federal politics have been exciting... well, they were exciting for a while, now they are becoming the same thing over and over.
I began watching the debate lastnight but was interupted by a phonecall so i didn't quite get to see all of it. I must say though, the bits that i did see during the debate, and recaps of it post-debt were pretty predictable.

Martin: economy is strong, no deficit, united canada.
Harper: need accountability, change, the same old conservative blather
Ducieppe: independent Quebec, liberals are criminals, independent Quebec
Layton: for the people, put a stop to the privatization of healthcare, increase government support.

I really think that the debates are for those who don't really follow politics. If you have any prior knowledge of Canadian political parties these debates aren't really going to enlighten you. However, if you are coming to this a bit 'ignorant' (in the nicest sense of the term) of parties and general ideologies this is a good place to get your information, and get a feel for what the parties are all about.

Now I rant:
I really wonder how people can possibly CONSIDER voting conservative. really. I know i am generalizing and passing judgement, but conservative voters are selfish. there is absolutely NO consideration of society as a whole. healthcare - "lets forget those who can't pay for their own healthcare, i can support myself and that's all that matters!" Taxes - "Cut Cut Cut! That money isn't going anywhere!" and i'll stop there cause i really can go on forever.

I just really wish people would see the bigger picture and for once think of OTHER people. There are thousands, if not millions, who rely on government support. No, they aren't lazy, drains on the economy (though I do not deny that there are isolated cases). Some people are living in a situation that is fully out of there control. Vicious cycles, mental illness, job loss, and a variety of other contributing factors lead individuals and families alike to rely on government, long-term or short-term.

This leads me to my next subject... VOTE NDP! Why? Because they are for the people, and that's now just a catch-phrase.

And finally, in closing, i would like to say that whoever came up with the phrase "culture of entitlement" is a jerk.

Band/Song of the Blog:
Bell Orchestre - Salvatore Amato

armies marching through my brain

I say, I say.

Let's forget about the Liberals, New Conservatives, and yes, even the NDP. The new Canadian political party should be none other then .... the CBC Party!

Just imagine for a few minutes folks (thought bubble) ...

Mansbridge for Prime Minister... we all know him and trust him and wish he was our Uncle Pete! He's got a better record then most of the creeps in line. He's up and up on the important issues domestically and internationally, and is aware of 'what the people want.'

Members of the Cabinet:

Rex Murphy - representing the East. His hawk-like glare will crush the opposition!

George Stroumboulopoulos - in touch with the youth- tells it like it is. he would totally be the peter mckay of the CBC party!

Rick Mercer - Stephen Harper doesn't stand a chance with Mercers quick wit and sarcasm.

Ian Hanomansing - keepin it serious Ian's got the West covered.

Mitsou Gelinas - representing Quebec, Mitsou will keep the Canada 'in the know' on pop culture and current events in the french province.

Don Newman! - this guy kinda reminds me of Leatherface from Texas Chainsaw Massacre... HOWEVER he know's his stuff... where did his lips go anyways?

Bob McKeown - not ONLY does he stir the pot, he's the winner of the Grey Cup! Can't get much more Canadian.

Colleen Jones - she can be the minister of weather or something. She's a killer Curler... thanks for all those gold medals!

Cathy Jones - but only as the ranting old lady on 22 minutes.

and finally ... Ron Maclean - he's had to deal with interuptions from Cherry for years and years... the screaming in the House will be nothing for him!

We've already got Michealle Jean in place as Governor General... baby steps.

song of the blog:
Hockey Night in Canada... we all know that song!