Back from BEA. Things I learned included how to nap in a chair, what goes on at the Audies, that my effusive affection for McSweeney's is tragically out of proportion to their size and impact as a publisher, how best to pack several suits in one suitcase, at conventions you run into the damnedest people, why reading the scale of a map... Read More
You were here and you didn't tell us about your visit? I'm sure your time here was mostly filled with work obligations, but we could have at least pointed you toward a few decent meals. Next time.
Also, I don't care how small McSweeney's might be, they're great.
Someone once said that the thing about turning 30 is you'll spend a lot of time from then on doing whatever you'd been doing in your 20s. So for me that's a lot of school and selling books and walking dogs and watching movies with chickie.
Hm.
I don't really sell books these days (as chickie is quick to point out, now that "didja sell... Read More
The S.A.L.T. podcast is my favorite. I'm almost through the first year. What? Yes, I think they're better in order and I've been trying to get through my A.R.E., so I haven't had the time to pay attention to these recently. Lots of good topics, definitely a podcast you might enjoy.
Tonight between the hours of 8 and 9 pm wifey and I will be doing... whatever the hell we want with or without electricity. Fuck Earth Hour.
I'm not against energy conservation. I'm all for independence from fossil fuels for political and economic reasons. I'd like cleaner air in cities and I'm all for government subsidizing the research and development of energy harnessing technologies, and... Read More
The girl and I turned the lights off (she's an ecohippy and while I didn't necessarily share her view of the significance of the event, it was still important to her and that makes it important to me), although we didn't do the candles and conversation thing. My understanding was that the lights were to go off. I didn't hear any mention of TVs and Playstations so they stayed on, and the hour passed much like any other.
I have an absolutely brilliant view of downtown that you must come over and see. The local news certainly called the evening a success, but with the exception of a dark CN Tower, my view seemed identical at 8:59 and 9:01. Alas.
I came across the event in a soft-sell kind of way. The goal as I understood it was to get people to think a little more about conservation and about people who didn't have access to the abundance of resources that we enjoy. I can get behind that, and I like the idea that there are dozens of little things like those that you mention that can be done easily at the individual level. The stat that got bandied about last night was that Toronto saved enough energy during Earth Hour to power 150 000 homes. I'd certainly like to know how they got that number (was it based on estimated participation? did the folks at the generators call in to mark the difference?), and they didn't give a duration. Powering 150 000 homes for a week is certainly a better goal than powering them for, say, six seconds. Still, it was a nice example of "here's what Toronto can do collectively with its people doing small things at the individual level"
The fearmongering I can do without. To me, that kind of dystopic hyperbole always boils down to "the terrorists hate our light bulbs".
The lights were off at work for like half my shift and my eyes fucking ached from staring at the computer screen (yeah everything is on EXCEPT the goddamn lights) for 4 hours.
All my v-neck t-shirts were in the wash and it was too cold to go without anything underneath my shirt (and I don't like doing that anyway) and I really didn't want a white crewneck peeking up into view, so I decided to wear a tie to work.
That was a couple of weeks ago and I've kept it up for the most part. Today... Read More
Dear woman who lives downstairs,
I've made my peace with you listening to the news too loud in the evening and your tendency to speak just a hair too loud when you're out on the deck at night smoking. We renters can't be too picky and I've experienced a lot worse anyway. Besides, I'm sure there are plenty of noises we make up here that... Read More
Back from Mexico, Christmas just about done... THE HONEYMOON IS OVER!
Keep your eye on my wife's blog for links to photo albums. We had the best wedding photographer ever, supplemented by some really neato analog stuff in the hands of guests.
If I didn't know otherwise, I'd think you guys were professional wedding planners. The photos are really, really good, and that's a observation on the equal contribution of the journalist and the subject(s). Well done, and happy for both of you.
Winter storm warning for: City of Toronto Issued at 3:44 PM EST SATURDAY 15 DECEMBER 2007
A NEAR-CRIPPLING SNOW STORM WITH HEAVY SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW AS WELL AS SOME ICE PELLETS TONIGHT AND SUNDAY. THIS IS A WARNING THAT DANGEROUS WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE IMMINENT OR OCCURRING IN THESE REGIONS.... Read More
14 days until the wedding. Everything's coming together on schedule, and all the main parts are more or less in place. The nervous energy around the event is closer to excitement than stress. The week in Mexico that begins the Monday after the wedding is doing a good job of keeping us facing forward.
But the thing I'm most looking forward to is no longer... Read More
You'll share the wedding date of Baudouin, King of the Belgians, and Queen Fabiola. Auspicious. But I'll bet they didn't celebrate by swimming naked in the surf on the Gulf of Campeche, under the stars.
Also, I don't care how small McSweeney's might be, they're great.