What's New!

Let's just say that I give up. I want out of the rat race.

This odd fragment of a speech, of sorts, is spreading like proverbial wildfire. It was part of Conan O'Brien's last words as host of the Tonight Show (hence the Keep Calm and Carry On - inspired graphic at right, designed by Clay Larsen).

Say what you will about pop culture and the manufactured distraction of the "Late Night Wars" but it really was a shitty way for NBC to deal with low ratings that, from my point of view, were entirely their own doing.

I think I may have come to the end of my fascination with the end of the world. At least I think I need a break from it. We saw The Road on Thursday evening -- at times, I could not even watch the screen it depressed and infuriated me so much. I told Hubby on leaving the theatre, "if it comes to a time where all vegetation has been destroyed, I'm out."

Located in a strip mall just off the busy Veteran's Memorial Parkway in Langford, Smoken Bones Cookshack is pretty unassuming from the outside. Inside is a very comfortable family steakhouse, average but for the menu. Smoken Bones features not only ribs, as expected, but also pulled pork and beef brisket -- definitely carnivore friendly.

For unearthing and sharing this lovely time capsule: travel bumf for Victoria and Vancouver from 1936 -- almost 75 years ago!!

Back in the 1980s, Coca-Cola came out with "New Coke"-- it tasted like Pepsi. I remember scouring the town for the last few bottles of real Coke. There was a civil war over which was better: new Coke vs. old Coke. Under much hoopla and pressure, Coca-Cola put New Coke on ice (so to speak) and Coke Classic came out in its place. The mega-corporation caved to the will of the people. More than that: the public fell for stunt.

Here are some winning motivational strategies by total tools. The net effect is a major backfire. Some people can have multiples of these. Worst of all-- these people are calling the shots. How did they get to run the asylum?

(long time passing.... sorry, got distracted there)

As our attention turns to Haiti with it's 100,000 - 500,000 dead, dying and injured, it's important to remember that Haiti has been the whipping boy of the Western world for some time. I have to think that Europeans have to shell to make up for some very tangible guilt we should be experiencing.

Haiti is the poorest economy in the Americas. Its GDP is $790 USD per capita is; or $2 per person per day. In its history, Haiti has seen 32 coups. Political chaos is a constant.

Sometime in my late teens or early 20s I started planning for the inevitable -- the collapse of civilization as we know it. (I had high hopes for Y2K but, alas, it was not to be.) I started learning how to do stuff myself and to collect books on pioneer and DIY skills. An earlyish version of my website included my luddite skillset -- stuff like building fires, growing my own food, and knitting.

From a mythical future:
Disaster struck the Bay Street bridge this morning. Last night, a worker on the Point Ellice Bridge ruptured a Terasen gas line. Vehicle traffic was blocked off from the area. Details at present are sketchy, but this morning as an unnamed government worker was biking to work while enjoying his morning smoke. The source of ignition touched off the gas leak and tragedy ensued. Emergency teams are still on the scene at this hour.

I'm sitting here enjoying a cup of tea as I type (basic orange pekoe, Salada, I think), reflecting on a busy weekend.

I am really tired of the stupid Facebook meme posting your bra color on your status. First off, most men cannot post in support. Second, women who have have double mastectomies cannot post either. Sorry, ladies, you've lost your breasts and your capacity to participate because you no longer wear a bra. Third, the goal of the "Think PinkTM" is not to cure breast cancer-- there is no cure. This isn't like smallpox where you can contain the virus and put the djinn in the bottle. Every woman may eventually have their body turn on them and give them a breast tumor. What we can hope for is to get mortality from cancer and metastasis down to almost 0%. You get cancer and you'll survive-- maybe even with both breasts unblemished. That's the deal with cancer, pneumonia, broken bones, heart disease and most illnesses: immunity will be hard to impossible. A solid treatment is possible with enough research and better prevention. In 100 years, women will still hear that they have cancer. Maybe in 20 years, they'll never hear that it's terminal.

As a rule, I don't wear ribbons or rubber bracelets, or poppies, or crosses, or much else that says anything about my beliefs, support, or alliances (aside from sassy t-shirts).

I have a friend who tries to be authoritative. He's also a little dim-- the worst kind of dim: the type he doesn't know he's a little dim. How does he exert his intellect? He tells you do the only thing possible; or he tells to do what you're already doing:
I get up from the table. He says, "Get up."
I'm about to reach for my coffee. He says, "That's your coffee."
I driving down the road. He says, "Drive the van."
Really?

Do you want to keep to those New Years promises to be more productive? If so, you should try the "Nag Timer" to limit the amount of time you lose to Facebook, Fail Blog, ThereIFixedIt.com and other spots on the Interwebs.

In no particular order, here are the lists that I've been reading today -- some of these will be re-read and referenced for some time.

1. Core77: Our Favorites from 2009 -- my favourite design blog

While I've done month by month reviews before, I think I will break from that format this year. Instead, here's a thematic look back:

We are hiding away in Parksville this year -- us and the inlaws in two cabins -- and I think I am going to go take some photos down at the beach.

Some of you may recall that I really don't like Charles Dickens (or most of his contemporaries) but there is one notable exception and that is his novella, A Christmas Carol. Earlier this year, I did go to see the filmed-for-3D version starring Jim Carrey. I was expecting utter crap (like, say, Jim Carrey as the Grinch) but was pleasantly surprised -- aside from one ridiculous sequence, it kept close to the original text. Very close, actually.

Sigh.