What's New??

Well, my work week began on Sunday night and each morning the drive home has been a harrowing, white-knuckle experience. Black as pitch on mostly rural roads; roads so covered in snow that I couldn't make out where the centre line or shoulder were; spots so icy it was like skating; aggressive drivers who have no respect for the laws of physics. Arrggghhh!!! Man! Weather! You name it; we've had it. Driving rain, sleet, freezing rain, lots of snow, fog..... the whole shebang. When I got up this afternoon there was rare and glorious sunshine so, in my tracks, a t-shirt, slippers and my robe I sat with a coffee and basked on the steps outside our kitchen door and enjoyed the rays. Beautiful!

Just outside a moment ago checking out the almost full moon and noticed Jupiter and Venus are slowly trackinng further apart in the southern sky.

Here at work the guys have been quiet this week - a good, focused group intent on recovery - and no one in crisis or with other serious health concerns. It makes my job a lot easier. It has also allowed me time to watch a couple of movies - something I rarely do on the job, perhaps 4 or 5 times a year.

I posted about having rented a particular one and Amuirin from Stop & Wander directed me to a post about it she recalled having seen written by Quoin Monkey over at red Ravine. 'It' being, 'I'm Not There', the Dylan biopic. After having watched the movie I headed to red Ravine to check out the post and it made it a fuller experience for me getting other perspective on what I'd seen. Of the 6 portrayals I was most impressed by Cate Blanchett's performance - we're talking Oscar caliber acting here. Definitely not to all tastes but I would likely watch it again (to see what I missed the first time in this multi-layered production). Thanks to Quoin Monkey for a great post and to all her commenters as well - see QM's post here: http://redravine.wordpress.com/2007/12/06/im-not-there-the-6-faces-of-dylan/

When I dropped those movies back at the store I grabbed one that Amuirin had referred to months ago; I recognized the image on the cover and recalled the name - 'The Visitor'. This one wouldn't likely have a wide audience but I really enjoyed it. It's a good story, a good character and plot driven film , well told in a linear fashion. A half hour is spent laying the foundation where you're wondering where this is going.... and it draws you in, pulls you along and succeeds in making you care about the outcome. I won't give any clue to the ending but I left it at home tonight for Lynda to watch. She called and left a message on my cell during our meeting tonight - 'I liked it but you know I don't like movies that end like that. Damn it, why would you recommend I watch it?' Well, I recommend you search it out and watch it, too. And thanks Am for the heads up.

A couple of shout-outs for significant milestones hit by blog buddies. Robin of Bountiful Healing hit the 'Big 5-0' last weekend. Kel from Xfacta and her hubby Mr X celebrated 20 years of wedded bliss yesterday. And over at Stop and Wander, Amuirin's daughter 'S' turned 11 years old!! Happy times!! Congrats all around.

Of the music I borrowed from the library I've listened to just two of them so far. Just finished Leonard Cohen's '10 New Songs' (2001) and enjoyed it. I'll need to have another go with the lyric sheet in front of me to fully appreciate it. The other is a CBC Records recording titled 'African Guitar Summit' (2006) which is simply great; nimbly flying fingers up and down the fretboards. A completely different approach to guitar playing than Western artists. Love it!! More info here: http://www.africanguitarsummit.com/home.shtml

Th-th-th-that's all folks.

Tag, I'm It

Thanks to Robin at Life In The Bogs and Bountiful Healing I've been tagged with a random facts meme. I've done this once before when both Robin and Kel at xfacta got me with the same one which can be seen here: http://constantchangeisthenorm.blogspot.com/2007/07/7-random-facts-meme.html#comments.

So, I'll scratch my head, ponder a bit and see what I come up with. This one is nice as it has no rules and doesn't necessarily have to be passed on ... heh, heh - we'll see about that part.

1) This could be a post unto itself but these days I have a bad case of 'itchy feet'. I'm dying for change on a number of fronts - to see some place new and walk different ground; a new vocation; more education; to see my kids and their kids. The list goes on and on but you get my drift. Also due in part to the international nature of blogging I'd like to see much more of the world. I've always had an interest in geography and different cultures. (Not entirely sure if that qualifies as a fact but....)

2) Best trip. No not the acid, mescaline or peyote type. It was a 2 week driving tour of Texas and New Mexico cruising around in a Cadillac. There were parts of Texas that I really liked but I just loved New Mexico. I'd have to visit again and spend more time but I'm pretty sure I could live there quite happily. That trip was almost 20 years ago and was actually the honeymoon I had with my second wife Jan. Despite the lack of sleep we had a blast driving and singing as we went. Better than Florida, way better than Jamaica.

3) Favourite concert experience. Casting way back in time for this but it's a toss up between Led Zeppelin's first appearance (1970?) in Toronto at a really small hall known as the Rock Pile where they played everything from their first two albums OR Pink Floyd's 1972 show at Maple Leaf Gardens in quadraphonic sound when they played all the material from both 'Meddle' and 'Dark Side of The Moon'. Both shows were BRILLIANT. and yes, I know I'm a dinosaur thanks so much for noticing.

4) I used to think I was pretty smart until I learned some stuff. Now I have some small idea of all that I don't know.

5) There have been times where I've been positively euphoric; others when I've been desperately unhappy and depressed. Times of relative wealth; others of poverty. Coincidentally the times when I've perceived myself to be rich and happy are the times where my most important relationships were at their peak. With my wife, kids, parents, friends and workmates.

** Continuing from last night.... I've spent so much time at this computer tonight catching up on paperwork, writing emails and reading up blog friends posts that my eyes are just about fried out of their sockets. I think these last couple will be short and to the point.

6) Robin mentioned a couple of shows she enjoys watching - the dance competitions. On my weeks off when I can sit down to watch TV I have a really hard time finding anything of interest or find entertaining. It's a wasteland out there. Last week I caught an episode each of 'House' and 'ER' that were both good. I usually scan for movies or music shows. Note for cousin BJ - a friend of mine directed a doc which is airing on CBC Thursday night at 9. Check it out and let me know what you think - I'll miss it because I'm working.

7) I'm 30 years old, incredibly smart, charismatic, handsome, single and wealthy. This would be a made up fact. A complete lie. Honest.

As to who to tag: how about Martin at HSTBooks because I don't know enough about him; and Amuirin at Stop & Wander because I can't recall her ever having done one and would like to see what she comes up with. And Am, no time pressure cuz I know you're writing for NaNoWriMo. You can either link back here with your post or reply in the comment section.

A Few New Changes

Fiddling about here; retooling a bit. I've deleted a link or two and added three or four. Have a gander at the links list on the right side and see who is new to the neighbourhood.

A bunch of us were introduced to Lea Kelley by Amuirin at Stop & Wander there a couple of weeks ago. Lea has a beautiful site full of her wonderful appreciative thoughts and links to her artwork. I like the ways in which her mind works and how she is able to express her thoughts and feelings. She was good enough to add me as a link so I thought I'd return the favour.

Martin of HST Books and I started corresponding while I was reading Hunter S Thompson's biography, 'Gonzo', and things show no sign of abating as yet. Good guy; great informative site for Thompson enthusiasts / aficionados. A little 'Fear and Loathing' with that???? Martin also linked to my wee blog and so...... turn about is fair play and all that.

I first ran across Quinn Creative... I'm guessing about 2 years ago??... and promptly lost / forgot about her site. I was very pleasantly surprised to fluke back onto her site again a month or two ago and enjoy rummaging around the archives to see what I might find. Lots of good stuff; go see!!

Another that I found when I initially learned there were such things as blogs was Solbeam's. I always enjoy it when I land there for a look around. Sometimes months and months go by when I have forgotten to check in on her and her travels... and that is one reason for the link. So that I don't forget. Solbeam has been on her journey for 7+ years now; I suggest you check her 'about' page for the lowdown. Well written; great reflective writing; and terrific photographs of some pretty exotic places.

Enjoy people!!

Do The Limbo.......

... and miscellany.....

Limbo because ... shazaam! I've moved! Well, mostly; thus the limbo. Early Sunday I headed for the townhouse to pack up the computer, break down the sound system and continue with the other packing. Some of the big pieces of furniture are staying so that is keeping things simple. By the time I came to work tonight most of my day-to-day stuff and clothes had made it from one address to the other.

Maybe I should back up a bit because I don't think I've explained this before..... hmmmm. My boarder is staying; he is a friend of stepson #3. SS #3 and I are doing the switcheroo - I move back to the house; he leaves the house to move into the townhouse. So, like I said some furniture stays as does all the kitchen wares and sundries. A lot of my possessions will stay there in the basement to be sorted through as I'm able. Lynda and I will either assimilate it into the house, keep it stored there or toss it.

Miscellany:
Lynda's wedding band re-appeared on her ring finger a couple of days after our anniversary dinner in much the same fashion as her engagement ring had a couple of months ago. Now I'm not the most romantic guy in the world but I would have liked to have had a little ceremony around that event - just the two of us. I didn't bother to make an issue of it but I'm supposing she thought that if she could come to the decision to remove them when she did, she could just as easily decide to start wearing them again.

There have been a few reasons why I haven't posted here much lately. Mainly I've been busy preparing for the move when I haven't been at work. Secondly, I've continued to be marginally ill. Specifically I have bronchitis again and although my cold symptoms are gone I have a wide ranging malaise. In plain English - I feel like crap but not in any definite overt sorts of ways. Go figure. Third, my tendency is to blab all over here whenever anything significant happens but I'm getting better about that...... honest. I had some bad news last week that has set me back on my heels and I'm mulling this one over long and hard. It might be shared here eventually; I'll see how it plays out and what my perceptions are about it.

On the 'good-news front'.... Woo-Hoo!! New blog-pal Amuirin of 'Stop and Wander' included me in her online springtime meet-and-greet of new blog acquaintances.:here. The mysterious 'Bobble-head' connection is a product of Amuirin's fertile (feral, fetid, febrile alliterative) imagination, I swear! Via my site meter I see a couple of the others mentioned have paid a visit - welcome!! Note to self - expand the blogroll!!! - there are a ton of talented writers and photographers out there.

At last night's meeting a young woman I had come to know celebrated her first year of sobriety. When we first met she was still living in a supported, structured environment following injuries sustained at the hands of her former boyfriend. She spent over a month in a coma, endured several surgeries and resultant recuperation and rehabilitation periods. At that time she was disconnected, unsure and fearful; now, although her recovery from her injuries is not yet complete, she is transformed in all sorts of positive ways and is proving to be an example for many. Come tonight I get to present a one medallion to one of the guys I sponsor, recognizing his first year as well.