Saturday, June 23, 2007

Bookworm


So, I finally finished reading Foundation and Chaos, the second book in the Second Foundation Trilogy. It was an excellent read, and Greg Bear has a new fan. I'm taking the book back to the library today, and hopefully they will have the third book of the trilogy for me to take home.

I've also been reading Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke. It's a fascinating tale of practical magic set in England in the eighteen hundreds. The writing is very unique and the various footnotes throughout the text is an interesting touch.

However, swimming first, library second.

Friday, June 22, 2007

Shutter Bug 2


Okay, so I'm going a little clicky-crazy. Photography won't ever be more than a hobby to me but it's fun! I'll never be as good at it as my friend Dave. Check out his Windows Live Space for some of his amazing photographic talent.

Anyway, the attached image is one I took the other day. And since I can only upload one image a day at Renderosity.com, I've decided to post a few images here instead, from time to time. I call this one, "From the Balcony".

LinkedIn


So I've joined a couple of new Internet sites today. The first is a site called LinkedIn and it is similar to Classmates.com. So far, however, I like it a lot better. You can actually list your websites. "Classmates" doesn't allow this. Plus you can choose how much of your full profile is available to others.

Anyway, the second site I've joined is the new beta version of Windows Live Spaces. It's a good site, except that it really slow! I joined it after upgrading Windows Messenger to version 5.0.

I like the various lists for the site nad that you can create customized lists, as well. Very handy for keeping track of various websites, book and music interests, etc. Check it out.


I won't be having another blog on Live Spaces, since I already have this one and the one on AFF. What's AFF? I'll let you figure that one out on your own. Heh.

Monday, June 18, 2007

Shutter Bug


Well, I've been bitten by the photography bug once again. It must be the nice weather, although today I took my sister's camera to WEM to take some shots of the mall's more unique features.

I went to the mall to meet my friend Dan to go and see Rise of the Silver Surfer. It was a good movie but not as good as the first FF movie. It was a 6.5 out of 10. I have to admit they did the surfer really well.

Before the movie Dan and I went to Hooters for supper, although we didn't really go there for the food. Heh. Hooter girls are always so great and they let me take a photo. I love that place, but I almost never get a chance to go there. Thanks Hooters Edmonton for being a great place to hang out!

Sunday, June 17, 2007

I got this e-mail today...


Okay, so I joined Classmates.com as a free member many years ago, just for the hell of it. However, I never really used it and decided to quit the site. Then in the last few years I went back to it, still as a free member.

The free membership is very limited and you barely use any of the site's functions. I can't read profiles or contact anyone, which is very annoying. I was able to post on my school's messageboard but now it says you have to have a Gold membership to post anything. (Grrr!) People can post in my guestbook but I can't read the posts. And I can receive e-mails but I can't read or respond to them.

Case in point...

I got an e-mail from a FHS classmate, today, and I can't read it. It's very annoying!

I'm considering getting a 3-month Gold membership just so I can read the damn e-mails and guestbook signings but I'm not sure if it's really worth it.

It's a strange occurance on today of all days. I was telling my friend Ken that I've been thinking a lot about Forestburg lately and have been considering going there to visit for a weekend.

However, the logistics of such a visit have kept me from going back. Plus, I'm not sure that I want to go there again. The last time I was there was a bit of a letdown and I felt some major closure after leaving.

Part of me would like to see how Duke is doing, but who knows if he even lives there anymore. Plus, I've never felt very welcome there the few times I've gone back. Plus, I get this surreal chill down my back while there. It's almost like I'm 13 again, the outsider, who's family dared to move into town from somewhere beyond the horizon.

It's a little disturbing.

The truth is the Forestburg was the closest thing I had to a hometown, growing up, but I don't really consider it my hometown now. I've now lived in Edmonton longer than I lived in Forestburg. My immediate family are all here, in the city. Hell, I live with my sister and my dad lives only a few blocks away!

Edmonton is my home. Yet, I still feel strangely connected to Forestburg.

So, what do I do? Do I go back and feel out of place and slightly unwelcome? Or do I ignore this feeling in my gut and concentrate on the here and now?

Hmm...

The e-mail from the FHS classmate is intriguing. Specifically, who it's from.

Food for thought...

Thursday, June 14, 2007

O-Kaaay...


Get this.

I went to see a urologist on the advice of my GP, in order to figure out why I've been getting urinary tract infections over the last 4 or 5 years. So I'm there and they take some urine and blood samples and book me for what I thought was going to be a simple ultrasound, on June 28th.

Well, I guess I should have paid more attention to what the receptionist was saying. Today, the Miserocordia Hospital called me to confirm some information and while talking to that lady I noticed that the checked procedure is a Flexible Cystoscopy.

Uh, that's not what I thought I was going in for!

I've had an endoscopic procedure done before so I know what "flexible" and "scopy" mean. So the lady from the Mis told me to call the urologist's office and have them actually explain the procedure to me.

Well, I decided to go online first and read all about the procedure before I called them to make sure I hadn't misinterpreted or missed some clue while booking the appointment. After reading the information on Wikipedia I'm pretty sure they didn't "explain" it to me in detail enough. Either that or they just assumed I knew what I was getting into.

Anyway, I called the urologist and left a long, unabridge message about my concerns before running a few errands. After getting home I was not surprised to discover that the receptionist had called me back. So, I returned her call and she explained to me that the procedure was very required and that the doctor would not book something that wasn't so.

Yeah, right.

Regardless, the procedure is still a go, due to the fact she told me that the other tests confirmed the urologist's suspicions and that it would be a mistake to cancel it. So, I'm going to trust this doctor's judgement and go through with it.

Hopefully, this will answer some of my health concerns, not that I'm looking forward to having a "scope" inserted into my... well, you get the idea.

Monday, June 11, 2007

New Look


Okay, so I started playing with this blogs settings and came across a template I liked, so RPB now has a snazzy new look. I know it's not much but it looks way better than it did. Other new content will be added as soon as I figure out what I want to add and what is just fluff.

Thursday, June 07, 2007

Ugh!


Well, it's official. I'm sick as a dog. I've got this nasty sinus infection that is completely draining all my energy reserves. The worst part is that I've been feeling "off" for several months now, and was just getting back to where I was feeling better. Hopefully, this will run in course in the next few days and I can get back to swimming everyday. (The doctor told me not to go swimming while I have a sinus infection.)

Plus, today is suppose to be D&D game day, but I'm not feeling up to it, which will disappoint my friend Brian, considerably. He hates it when a game gets cancelled. I don't like it either but sometimes a person's health has to take precedence. Plus, I don't think they want to catch what I've got.

That would be bad.

Renderosity

One of my favorite websites is the Art Community site known as Renderosity.com. The site is place where artists from all walks of life and from all over the world can post their artwork online.

My Gallery
http://www.renderosity.com/mod/gallery/browse.php?user_id=188625

I've dabbled with such graphic programs as Bryce and Poser, but my best additions to Renderosity are in the photography section. I like taking scenic photos, and Edmonton is a great place to find such shots. However, I do like to take the occasional oddball photo, which is reflected in one of my most recent uploads to Renderosity.