Went to bed at 0800H yesterday morning after cooking my roomie breakfast. I was woken up at 1145H by one of my friends who was taking me to a lunch meeting I had forgotten about. I don't know how I forget about these things. So with just under 4hrs of sleep I presented myself in quite a slow quiet way.
I stayed awake until 1600H and fell asleep until 2115H. I decided that my body could finally use something besides an Orange Julius and a cigarette. To Quiznos! I've been pretty lazy about making food recently. Quiznos had closed by the time I got there, so I thought I would ride the bus to my favourite pizza joint downtown. On the way back, I figured I would catch a flick. Catch me if you can. Not too bad. Not great, but not too bad.
After the film I sat out on Granville under the buzz of the neon lights at the Cine-7.
I watched the cabbies come and go as a group of college girls discussed eating
spaghetti-out-of-a-can.
It was something to behold.
...a vagrant comes by and disturbs my train of thought by asking for a quarter.
I smile and say no.
He asks me for a cigarette. I give him the last of mine as I exhale the last of the
toxic smoke. He grumbles and swears...something about needing bus-fare.
Don't we all I think to myself. Where was I?
Yes, "McDonalds always wants you", my mother used to say.
It seems to be one of the last truths. Between that fact, hockey, beer, and
church, my life has a stable foundation.
New York, London, Hong Kong... Iraq.
-drj
ps. Latest toon is up: HERE
It has been a BUSY few days. Jam packed w/ so much stuff I don't know where to begin.
Let's get the boring stuff out of the way:
Friday: Technical test for a job I'm applying to. Handed resumes in to several other places.
Saturday: A friend of mine, Perg, arrived via Greyhound from LA. Hung out at my place. Made pizza, drank wine. Great time. Perg and I met in Thailand. He is a super great guy. Great climber. Good cook and can choose and excellent wine.
Sunday: Here's where it all starts. Perg and I decided to make the trek out to Coquitlam to check out the new climbing gym. It was pretty fab I must say. Dan: You got a good thing going there. Congratz! On the way back, got a ride from the owner and nearly got smashed by a train. It was pretty funny. :)
...got home safely via sky-train...did the three SH's. (Sh*t, Shower and Shave). Went out to Rugby's for some meat. It was grand. Perg: Thanks for dinner.
Went to the PIC pub to see "The D4". I would get a link, but I'm too lazy. :) It should be sufficient to say that this was a real ROCK'N'ROLL show. It brought back a lot of memories. Lots of drinking was done. Lots of singing... and I got to hang out w/ the band after the show....this is where things got messy. :)
Long story short I was voted as the volunteer to go back to my place to pick up some booze that I had lying around for the band. (They're a frick'n rock band and couldn't think to get liquor ahead of time... just kidding Beaver & Jimmy).
So I left my keys in the back seat of the cab on the liquor run, but didn't realize this until hours later. (oops)
Then on the tour bus. :)
Now let me just state for the record that everything that you ever see portrayed on a tour bus in the movies is EXACTLY like that in real life. I shit you not... It was pretty funny.
Oh, and in defense of the band members with wifes/girlfriends. There were no girls on the bus. The boys were all well behaved. A great lot.
On to the hotel for more drinking... :)
Wanting to leave by 0400H, but realizing my lack of keys would require waking my roomie at an ungodly hour. We stuck it out until 0500H. Home by 0525H. $20 cab ride from the airport. Coffee at the 24hr coffee place across the street from my place. Rang the buzzer @ 0545H. Rich was less than amused I'm sure. He told me today that he managed to fall right back asleep. (I'm still sorry though)
Crashed for a few hours then had an interview at 1200H.
I don't want to look at how much money I spent over the night. It was just so much fun.
Perg left to catch his flight to Edmonton. He's meeting up with a few other Canucks there.
So:
PERG: Thanks for the wicked time and picking up the tab for dinner.
rich: Sorry about the early morning wake-up.
james & beaver: Can't wait to see you guys in 6 weeks. :)
-drj
Well, I regret that I haven't posted much useful up here in the last little while, but I've been terribly busy with my new best friend alcohol. You see, I realized that the government was giving me all this extra cash for essentially sitting on my ass. I thought I should put some of the proceeds back in the government's hands by purchasing a vast quantity of cheep beer.
I have been drinking solidly now since my last post and I want to ensure you that I'm doing my best to keep up my reputation. I mean I don't do any of this .... well, picture Ben passing out on my bed after one too many glasses of wine... well, honestly that's shameful in comparison to making long wretching sounds with big stringy noodles of barf, pasta, and bile coming out of your cakehole just as your room-mate steps in.
"look at the mess you've made".
"what mess"?
"the fucking, noodles and shit on the floor".
"(barrffff)....fuck you".
and so, now not only have i squandered away lots of money in booze, but i've come to the conclusion that my room-mate doesn't want me living here anymore...
i vaguely remember something about "you're outa here by the first of February"... so ... if anyone has room for a raging alcoholic, I'm looking to pick up in Grant and Dave's tracks of freeloading on couches for months at a time...
anyone???
well... i gotta go drink another pilsner.
check out this if you're bored...
Guns-and-Roses-Wanted-in Vancouver
(burp)
-drj
....also the above story is entirely fictional... i have not yet developed a drinking habbit, thanks for your concern.
So today consisted of sleeping in late, getting re-awaken by Dave buzzing into the apartment at 1230H, making coffee, having a shower, making a mess of my bedroom, checking e-mail, going climbing, going shopping for groceries, making lasagne, going to church, coming home, eating more lasagne, washing the dishes, cleaning the kitchen, taking out the garbage, cleaning my room, vacuuming my room, installing yet more network cable, another router, checking more mail, installing more software and hopefully going to bed soon. :)
It was a tiring day and week to boot.
On my way to church, the bus I was riding in got hit by an egg. Now this normally isn't a problem except when the perpetrator gets an excellent shot and manages to get the egg smashing into the only open window on the bus. Luckily the egg only smeared towards the back of the bus where I wasn't sitting. Still rather messy. The dude next to me got a few drops of yolk on him. I was about to tell him: "I guess the yolk's on you", but I don't think he was very amused.
That was my exciting day.
-drj
Well this has truly been a pathetic week for me on soo many fronts, I don't know where to start. I think I should mention that women and myself don't get along...at all. Since returning from Thailand I've continued my Vancouver "no-date" streek. I would give numbers for this week, but they are litterally too embarressing to post. :) Oddly enough, everyone seems to have a good reason.
"Keep at 'er son"!
Weekend fun: Friday: Dinner at Kuzowskis on Commercial Drive w/ some long time friends. That was entertaining. Followed by Glow-in-the-dark bowling. I was in the lead until the last round until I got my ass kicked! Nice Job! It was a close game. Tons of fun.
Saturday: Dinner @ the Keg w/ my best old buddy old pal Ryan. Thanks for the laughs.
Sunday: (Tomorrow) : Prolly go climbing hang out, write some code and study for a test I have on Friday. Will go to church and if all goes well, will be the start to a relatively smooth week. Last week was a little bumpy in places.
Hope you all have a good weekend.
-drj
P.S.
For those who are interested, a new comic was just posted by my "artistic" friend Aaron. Here's the LINK
Went to Sonar w/ some friends. Danced to electronica. Was great. Had a few beers. Caught a bus home. Learned a few lessons:
1) Do not buy bus tickets from bums. Especially "pushy bum" from UBC. Drivers can print out tickets that "look" valid, but when put into a machine... don't work.
2) Do not eat pizza on the bus or the bus driver will call the transit authority. Even if you are a "hot - chick" you cannot "break the law". The driver explained to the transit police: "This girl was eating a pizza, and now it is gone". Hahahahhahaha... oh man... soo funny... Mike and I broke out into a beavis & butthead air-guitar riff "Break'in the law...break'in the law"...
3) Be nice to girls walking home and they will give you free passes to Luv-affair.
Must sleep now.
For more information on what i did today please check out (sick site of the day):
and if you liked that one:
-drj
I was going to tear a strip off the networking sector and the other bits of general crappiness about job searching in Vancouver, but I figured that this is moot and would not really aid in my job search. Infact it would probably hurt it, and make me look like a bitter resentful washed up computer science geek.
So, instead, I'm sending out a very big thank-you to all that are contributing in a positive way to my job-search. Extra thanks to those who have really gone out of their way.
In no particular order: Josef, Mittal & Sangeeta, "Captain" Doug, "f", "Saint", "right-round", "'b", Brad-L and Mike-b.
I'm still trying guys! I won't let the lack of progress so far get me down. I'm determined to find something good "come Hell or high-water'.
Also Josef: "Thanks again."
-drj
Today was a GREAT day. Although I'm pretty tired now, I had a super day.
I got up shortly after 0900H, did some dishes and took off at about 0945 to the Cultural Centre on Commercial Drive. I got some REALLY neat old ads from crates of "stuff". I need to get some frames, mat them in and then I'll display the results. (I wish my roomie had his camera fixed).
Dinner tonight was "Tom Ka Gui" or "Soup Galanga Chicken", but since Galanga isn't readily available it was "Chicken Ginger Soup". This was one of the things I learned to order while in Thailand. Note that this is massively different from "Khao Tom Gui" or "Rice Soup Chicken". A mixed up word and tone cost me dearly at breakfast one morning. Instead of my nice Chicken & Rice Soup, I was greeted with a bowl of "firey death" (aka Tom Ka Gui"). This is NOT a good way to start the morning of climbing. Makes you sweat though.
-drj
So I had an awesome day today. I went for a bike ride to Home Depot to get some 'art' supplies. I also went to Future shop to spend the gift certificate one of my brothers gave me for Christmas. I accomplished all of this via mini-bike from my room mates collection. (Thanks R.) I did some work on my art projects, and finished installing the last of the 100B/T switches for our place. Our entire network is more/less 100BT. Very nice.
I also celebrated my friends 25th b-day @ Rugby. (950 Broadway). Relatively nice place, good food, good service, and cheap drinks. I had a great time. After we got tired of there, "the boys" wanted to go to FRAMS. So we went out to S.W. Marine for some action. g/f's in tote. I think everyone had a good time there, although some (like myself) were less than enthused.
All-in-all a good night. I do believe now it is time to "hit-the-shit" proverbically speaking.
-drj
p.s. I think I have had one too many. :)
Today (now yesterday) was a relatively un-eventful day, but I felt that I got a lot accomplished and felt generally good about it. Unlike the day before, this day started out with coffee and some morning chatter along with a nice walk in the beautiful Vancouver sunshine along some train-tracks. (Jen thanks).
After some photography, and lunch I decided that it was time to get back home. I grabbed my climbing gear and snuck out to the gym. My second 'dip' into my secret obsession this week. I plan to start climbing w/ my friends again as soon as I get my strength back up. Should only take me a 2-3 weeks.
After climbing, I got some veggies and cooked myself up some dinner. This is the second time in 2 days that I've done this. I love cooking and it seems that I'm finally settling back into my life. And I'm happy.
...if I could only find a job... :)
-drj
Well, I have for the first time in my life prostituted myself. I have given up reign over my resume and handed it out to the masses. The list of corporations now in contact with my carreer are numerous and not many are ideal candidates (in my personal opinion) to work for. However, as my wise Mom used to say: "Beggar's can't be choosers". So, seeing as how I'm begging, I'm gonna shut-up now, take a job that I'm given, smile and be happy about it.
I can't wait until I settle for other things in my life. ARRGH. What a frustrating day.
Here's my post. Like it? Good! I thought so.
One point of interest, I was forwarded this today and it cheered me up. (Thanks r.t.)
http://www.pompom.org.uk/
Check out their game: "Space Trippers". This works on all 3 major platforms, so you don't have an excuse not to play it. :)
Peace!
(a bitter and slightly jaded)
-drj
Well NYE went down w/ a big bang! I had a few friends over for appies and drinks. It was nice. Then off to downtown for a little party action. Stayed late. The music was great! Thanks to my DJ friends. :)
Just got back from seeing "Gangs of New York". It was ok, but not spectacular.
Wish I had more to say, but I don't. Oh, yes. Still on the job-hunt.
-drj
