Made You Flinch

The Great Movie/TV Series/Video Game Round Up

2009-12-01T02:39:54Z

I'm trying to fill in some holes in our various libraries. Since Colin and I are headed south for the Non Trad, we thought we'd give a heads up to those whom have borrowed things so we can collect. Here is the partial list:

Deadwood Season 2
House Season 4
Underworld: Rise of the Lycans
Unbreakable
Pride and Prejudice (BBC Production)
Ice Age 2
Tank Girl
The Frighteners
Vampire Hunter D
Vampire Princess
Akira
Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels
Boondock Saints
Jumping Jack Flash
Sphere
Ever After
Prince of Persia (2009 Xbox 360 Game)
World War Z (book)
How to Write Children's Books

There are more titles but I've misplaced my master lists in the move (they're in a box somewhere). Yes, I sadly have been more up to date on the paper copies then the digital ones. Bad geek! If you have any of these titles or any of our other wayward entertainment children, let's see if we can bring out little family together before the New Year strikes as some of these have been out for a year or more.

Checking Old Bookmarks

2009-11-13T05:22:49Z

Wow! My LiveJournal account is still here. Who'd thunk?!

Feel the Tremor in the Force?

2009-01-15T18:04:55Z

It has happened. After two years, four months, and fifteen days ... I have rejoined the 21st century and have internet access at home! Boo yah and all that jazz.

Yup. And I can't think of a damn thing to say.

Guess I'll do laundry then come back when I have some sort of epiphany or something.

Hey! Psst! Colin!

2008-05-13T02:05:58Z

Um, hon, would you be so kind as to call Home Care for me before Friday and ask them to drop off the following at Vilna Foods:

2 packs of Acticoat
A box of 4" gauze squares.
And 40 or so of the large Tegaderm sheets.

Let them know that I'm away and not to try and get a hold of me at work for obvious reasons. Sorry, I should have done this before I left yesterday but I forgot and I can only make collect calls from the barracks.

Oh, and it looks like I'll be done on Friday closer to 3 - 3:30. I don't know if that's doable for you or not ... let me know.

PS ... the plants will probably need watering tomorrow morning. Don't forget the one on top of the water cooler. Give the cats a scritch for me.

In Edmonton

2008-05-12T00:02:52Z

Well, here I am in Edmonton. I'm going to be in training all week. It'll be nice to finally get some of the tech know how for the systems I've been observing for the past couple of months. I'm sure my coworkers will be happy when I no longer have to pester them for every little system query.

My accommodations are not too shabby. A step above traditional rez at the university and a step shy of a nice hotel. It does have one feature that neither offer ... a gun safe in the closet.

Other news: Lovely lady Jules asked how I was feeling the last time I posted and I hadn't got a chance to post back before now so I'll give you all the update. For the most part, pretty good. The wound is still there, still open. I know, I know. It's positively ludicrous but it seems to be my lot in life. I'm going to see the doc on June 2nd for a check up. I don't imagine he'll have anything new to say, he never does. The weight loss is still steady. I'm actually having more body image issues then I ever have before. It's odd, even at my biggest, I never really had a problem looking at myself in the mirror or being intimate with someone. Now. Not a chance in hell. *ick* I completely gross myself out. If I can't stand me, I don't imagine anyone else could either.

Yesterday was the MS Super Cities Walk in St. Paul. My many many thanks to those who were kind enough to sponsor me. Mom and I did the 10 km walk in just under two hours. Still not the speediest model on the market but I did it and I'm not even that stiff today.

Made a new soup yesterday. I promised Colin I'd make him a big pot before I left for the week. Parsnip and butternut squash. Turned out really well for my first foray with parsnips. This version had chicken in it and was made with chicken stock but I think I want to make a veggievore version next time.

Spring has truly sprung up north. Mom and Dad have nine new baby colts cavorting in the fields. There should be eleven but two were stillborn. There are two more left to come. The trees are just beginning to bud but it's still pretty frosty in the morning. I consulted with a friend who is an amazing gardener and she recommends I hold off until the week after the long weekend to plant my started seedlings but I can go ahead with the underground items. I'm looking forward to what's going to pop out of the ground this year. I've got some Chinese vegetables to go in as well and fennel and a whack load of other herbs. And of course, there's the giant pumpkin experiment.

I think I'm going to go check out the gym downstairs. Maybe I can walk out this bit of stiffness I'm feeling.

Catching Up

2008-05-03T17:16:25Z

I know it's been a long time since my last post. Things have been going much better up here. I've been at the new job for seven weeks now and it's great. Really good group of people who have a similar dark sense of humour to my own. The work is interesting, shocking, fun, challenging, and always fresh. I really do love it. I'll be in training in Edmonton a lot over the next couple months ... even hopping a military flight to Winterpeg for a few days. I wish I could tell you more details but the job doesn't allow for it.

The snow is finally gone (for good, I hope) and things are starting to green up. I started my garden in the house about a month ago but I won't be planting outside until the long weekend.

Speaking of the long weekend, we are currently unbooked if someone wants to come up and hang at C&C's Bed and Breakfast (Lunch, Dinner, and Snacks)!

Ah, I'm getting the stink eye from Colin. Better wrap this up and go do my part of the taxes. Gotta love the efile extension!

Oh, and one more thing ... I'm doing my Super Cities Walk next weekend. For those who've already donated to my cause, my heart felt thanks. Anyone one else who'd like to help out .... the link is below!

https://msofs.mssociety.ca/2008Walk/Sponsor.aspx?&PID=1001327&L=2

Clone Wars

2008-03-14T20:41:35Z

LAS VEGAS - Fans never seem to get their fill of "Star Wars," and George Lucas is happy to oblige.

Lucas offered a glimpse into the latest creation in his sci-fi universe at the theater-owners convention ShoWest on Thursday, showing a sequence from "Star Wars: The Clone Wars," a computer-animated movie due in theaters Aug. 15. It will be followed by a TV series of the same name, to air on the Cartoon Network and TNT this fall.

The movie came about as an afterthought while Lucas was developing an animated TV show of the same name. That show debuts this fall, but Lucas figured it was ripe for big-screen treatment, too.

"You've got the whole assembly line built, and then you say, `Hey, we can make up something,'" Lucas said in an interview. "It was like old-time moviemaking. What I love about television, it's like Monogram Pictures or the old studio system, where a couple guys come to work and they sit and have some coffee and go, `Why don't we make a movie about such and such? OK, fine.' And at the end of the day, it's pretty much on its way."

Set in the years between episodes II and III — "Attack of the Clones" and "Revenge of the Sith" — of the big-screen "Star Wars" chronicle, the movie and series present fresh adventures of Jedi warrior Anakin Skywalker, his mentor, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and other colleagues.

The movie introduces a female Jedi, Ahsoki, who is Anakin's young apprentice.

"It's like `Band of Brothers' in space, with Jedi," Lucas, 63, said. "You can tell lots of stories. They come up all the time."

Lucas said he plans to produce at least 100 hours worth of TV episodes of "Clone Wars."

He also is moving forward with a live-action "Star Wars" TV show focusing largely on new characters removed from the Skywalker family. That show will be set in the decades between "Revenge of the Sith" and the period when the original film, 1977's "Star Wars," takes place.

So can fans ever get enough of "Star Wars"?

"I don't know," Lucas said. "I'm thankful every year that it keeps going."

London-esque

2008-03-14T14:41:03Z

Wow! It is amazingly foggy out this morning. You couldn't even see the fence posts from the road. In honour of this pea-soup-er, I'm going to make ... you guessed it ... pea soup for dinner tonight.

It is my last day at the bog. I am the happiest of campers.

Shocking Really

2008-03-13T16:39:07Z

Last night, the IT department did some work on the system. Pretty routine stuff from what their email indicated. As per routine, when we came into the office this morning, no connectivity to the servers in Bellevue (yes, I find humour in the fact that the head office shares its name with one of the more famous insane asylums in the US). Here's the story of the last hour and a half.
IT calls and asks me to reboot the local Dell server so I go into the furnace/boiler room that houses our two servers (yes, go ahead and gasp in horror). I clean the layer of peat moss off the machines, swap out the monitor/keyboard/mouse connections that were hooked up to the Tacit server and had a look at what the Dell server was saying. "Virtual Memory Low". Ctrl+Alt+Del. Nothing. Do it again for good measure. Nothing. Lovely, hard boot time. Push the button. Hum the 10 second wait song. Press the button.
"Chirp!"
Heh? Wassat? I look around the back of the server cage where that new sound came from. There's a piece of equipment back there that wasn't there when I left last year.
"Chirp!"
Who are ... hold the phone! All the pretty green lights just disappeared. I go back round the front and everything is dead as a doornail. Fudge monkeys.
I find a flashlight and go have a look at the new gizmo. Up on it's side, leaning against the back wall of the ATCO shack that serves as our office is an APC Smart UPS. OK, that's actually a good thing. Not the way it's sitting on the dirty floor instead of being racked in the cage but having it is good. Push power button. Nothing. Push again and then hit the test button. Nothing.
I hate this joint. *sigh* Walk back to my desk, call Bellevue. Sit on hold for 15 minutes. Tell IT guy who I am, where I am, and what happened.
"What does the screen say?"
"Ah, there's no power to anything in the rack. The UPS is down and it won't restart."
"But what does the screen say?"
"Again, no power to the servers or the monitor ... therefore it says nothing."
"Oh." Pause. "Did you ..."
"Yes, I tried the power button on the UPS ... twice. Nothing. Do you want me to bypass the UPS?"
"Umm ... I need to talk to my supervisor"
I almost wish there was music when you get put on hold.
"Ah, Connie?"
"Yup"
"Can you try unplugging the UPS at the wall and plugging it back in."
"Ooohkay. Do you want to go on hold or should I phone you back?"
"Why can't you just stay on the line?"
"There's no phone in the room where the servers are."
"I'll hold, I guess."
Back in the dirtiest server room on the planet. I unplug the UPS at the wall. Oh, just frigging lovely! The face plate and the box come out of the wall. I tuck it back in ... gingerly ... noting that I can see daylight through the hole. With great care I plug the UPS back in. A small flash and a tiny zort. Could have been worse, I guess. I hit the power button on the UPS then the test button. Green lights begin to come one.
"Chirp!"
Hal-lee-freakin'-lo-ya! Server boots up .... slowly. I go back to the phone.
"OK, everything should be online here shortly."
"..."
"You still there?"
"Yes, I don't think you did it right. I'm not seeing you on the network."
"The server was booting up..."
"Nope, no Pine Bluff on the system."
"Well, no, they're still down for repairs after the big storm ... in eastern Canada. I'm in the Vilna location ... in western Canada."
"Oh. I thought you guys were the same place. Yup! There you are. Have everyone in your office reboot their machines to reconnect to the server. Bye!"
Head. Desk.

Do you think I'm going to miss this place?

Meme-age

2008-03-12T18:55:36Z

Your Score: The Raven

You scored 48% domestic, 15% gregarious, 35% trickster, and 76% intellect!

Wild, Solitary, Serious and Intellectual: you are the Raven!

Raven is a strong symbol of both creation and destruction. Wisdom through intelligence, observation, and challenge. Raven is strongly tied to the spiritual world, living in a constant state of otherworldly awareness. Raven people tend to be very introspective and savor time spent ‘alone’.

This test categorized you based on four different axes of personality, which were then associated with a different animal. The four axes, as well as all possible results are explained below.

Wild/Domestic: This first axis categorizes you based on how much you are drawn to the outdoors, versus how much you are drawn to civilized situations. Domesticity has many shapes and forms, and varies from the joy of dolphins leaping next to a ship to the steadfast loyalty of a family dog.

Gregarious/Solitary: This axis measures how solitary you are. If you scored high, it means that you enjoy the company of other people, while a low score indicates that you prefer a more solitary lifestyle.

Trickster/Serious: This axis measures how well you line up with conventional trickster archetypes. People who fall into this archetype have a sense of humor and an excitable, highly chaotic streak. Scoring low doesn't mean that you don't have a sense of humor; it just means that you probably don't think dynamite is very funny.

Intellectual/Emotional: This last axis determines whether you are more emotional -- acting based on feelings and instinct, or rational and intelectual -- acting more on thought than on your gut feelings.

Wild	Gregarious	Trickster	Intellectual	The Hyena
Wild	Gregarious	Trickster	Emotional	The Otter
Wild	Gregarious	Serious	Intellectual	The Antelope
Wild	Gregarious	Serious	Emotional	The Wolf
Wild	Solitary	Trickster	Intellectual	The Weasel
Wild	Solitary	Trickster	Emotional	The Coyote
Wild	Solitary	Serious	Intellectual	The Raven
Wild	Solitary	Serious	Emotional	The Frog
Domestic	Gregarious	Trickster	Intellectual	The Fox
Domestic	Gregarious	Trickster	Emotional	The Dolphin
Domestic	Gregarious	Serious	Intellectual	The Horse
Domestic	Gregarious	Serious	Emotional	The Dog
Domestic	Solitary	Trickster	Intellectual	The Rat
Domestic	Solitary	Trickster	Emotional	The Ferret
Domestic	Solitary	Serious	Intellectual	The Cat
Domestic	Solitary	Serious	Emotional	The Squirrel

Link: The Animal Archetype Test written by crumpetsfortea on OkCupid Free Online Dating, home of the The Dating Persona Test
View My Profile(crumpetsfortea)

Moose - alinni

2008-03-12T14:20:01Z

Man, it was animal central out there today. When I put Diesel out first thing this morning, all the outdoor cats were watching something out at the edge of the yard. Alas, more poor human eyes weren't able to see anything in the inky black but I believed them. It's mating season for our undomesticated canine friends and they were howling/yipping up a storm. 15 minutes later, I went to let Diesel back in. He'd been joining in the chorus outside (there is nothing cuter than a 10 pound dog howling for all he's worth). He joyfully entered the house and assumed his usual post of guarding my bed from any intruders. After I finished getting ready for work, I put him out on his chain again. This time I could see what everybody was still staring at; two young wolves playing at the edge of the yard. I stood with Diesel on the deck for 15 minutes and watched them pounce and roll over each other. It was getting to be time to go so I coughed. The pair headed off to the tree line at an unhurried trot after giving their audience a good look.
So, off I go, leaving Diesel to guard the house (while Twochip sleeps!). I saw the usual gang of 'girls' as I went past the neighbour's place. There's always 10-20 deer eating hay in their yard so you drive past with the utmost caution. Then as I continued down the road I noted a large dark mass moving along the gravel road. With great elegance, a very very pregnant moose stepped out of the ditch. I came to a stop and let her make her way across towards the big willow patch on the other side.
The rest of the tally for the drive in is as follows:
1 fox
3 coyotes
4 more whitetail deer
and a porcupine!

Score!

2008-03-11T14:58:49Z

One of my coworkers used to farm ostriches. I asked her today if she was in touch with anyone in the biz still. She said a couple of people, why? I'm after some eggs for painting. Turns out, my coworker has a few boxes of eggs in her basement (blown of course). She give me some in return for a single painted one! Sweet!

WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOTTTTTTT!!!!!!!!!!!!

2008-03-10T14:32:36Z

*eeeeeeeeEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee*

As of 30 seconds ago, it's officially official. My last day at the bog is Friday and my first bright and shiny, happy, glowy, perfect day on the new job at the RCMP is on Monday! They are faxing my stuff to me today. *squee*

I now start my life of crime fighting. Well, no ... I start my life of providing assistance to those who do the real hard stuff.

Excuse me, I have to run down the hallway again making the happy noise of employment-hood.

*eeeeeeeeEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee*

April 5th

2008-03-07T17:26:01Z

Dad and I are going to the "Exotic Bird and Livestock Sale" in Tofield on April 5th. Who knows what sort critters we'll come home with.

I'm thinking I may build a hutch and feeding pen for bunnies. Or maybe I'll get a Llama!

1 Year Anniversary

2008-03-06T14:53:15Z

About this time last year, I was being wheeled into the prep room at the hospital.
Starting weight - 420 lbs
Current weight - 250ish (I'm not 100% because a few weeks ago, my darling dog peed on my digital scale and the darn thing up and died on me ... the scale, not the dog!)

Follow the link to the photos if you care to see the difference.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=29443&id=599595840

'Cause some people don't face book ... here they are.

Beautiful!

2008-03-05T13:35:56Z

This morning the sky was dancing with northern lights. A really big and colourful display. Makes me feel like it's going to be a good day.

Mulligan Type Day.

2008-03-04T18:49:02Z

My car broke down this morning.

The car payment bounced (expected) but the bank withdrew a $40 NSF which is going to cause our insurance payment to bounce today.

I just spilled a container of chicken noodle soup in my lap.

I figure a swarm of locusts or a flock of rabid ducks will greet me as I exit the building this afternoon.

Shoot me, it'll be an improvement.

I...

2008-03-04T17:27:58Z

I.

Uh.

Hmmm.

Nope, it's gone.

MS Walk Donation Update

2008-02-28T17:45:14Z

As was pointed out to me by a super smart friend, there is an online sponsor tool for the walk. Visit https://msofs.mssociety.ca/2008walk/Sponsor.aspx?L=2&PID=1001327 for all the details.

Bioelectric Field Stress

2008-02-28T15:19:48Z

Anyone who's known me for a while, probably knows about my incompatibility with things electronic or magnetic. If I'm feeling an extreme of emotion, I tend to have a negative impact on items like watches, credit cards, disks, mp3 players, computers, portable zip drives (I actually made that one smoke by laying on hands!) ... unfortunately, now possibly ... cars.

Work has been somewhat stressful the past few days. I want to start my new job so bad, it's all I think about but I'm doing my best to keep focused on the current one. Between the wanting of one job and the distaste for the current one, I'm running a little hot. Yesterday, when I left the plant, the electrical started going funny on the car. The turn signals no longer blink, the antilock break light is on, and the battery gauge is sliding between 10 and 18 and back again. I got in the car this morning and everything is back to normal. By the time I reached work, the antilock light was back on and the gauge was starting to shimmy. I'm going to have to meditate for a few minutes before I leave work today, I think. Having tomorrow off and the joy of friends up for the weekend will help hold the bad vibes at bay!

MS Super Cities Walk

2008-02-27T21:20:41Z

Though not quite as cool as a Zombie Walk. Our local 'city' is finally doing the MS Walk this year and it's about high time that I got my butt out there!

If anyone is interested in pledging this pudgy chick's promise to pound the pavement, let me know and I'll get you more info and will gladly accept you keshels for this good cause.

Warren Graves 1933 - 2008

2008-02-25T16:24:57Z

Colin's dad passed away early yesterday morning. Warren was a great man. He served his countries, first as a pilot in the RAF in England and then as a clerk in the Alberta Legislature, but his heart was in his art. He graced the silver screen, the small screen, and many a stage. His passion for acting blossomed into directing and into a notable playwriting career. He was also an accomplished painter, excelling in water colour and acrylics. I am honoured to have known him. He will be greatly missed.

Colin has headed south to be with his mom.

Food!

2008-02-22T18:29:34Z

Dim Sum/Grilled Dumplings – Recipe makes 24

Wrapper
2 cups of flour (have used rice flour as well)
¼ tsp of salt
2/3 cup + of ice water (you may need a touch more when mixing the dough)

Filling - Carnivore
1 lb cooked pork loin (4-5 cuts)
1 bunch of bok choy
1 can of water chestnuts (in the original recipe this was a small white onion)
1 tbsp of hoisen sauce
1 tbsp of soy sauce (dark)
2 tbsp of oyster sauce
3 tbsp of black bean sauce
*original recipe called for 2 tbsp of each sauce but I like this mix better. It also called for 2 tsp of salt but I find the sauces have enough salt in them already.

Filling – Vegivore
½ lb of firm tofu
1 bunch of bok choy
1 cup of cabbage
1 cup of carrot
1 cup of bean sprouts
1 can water chestnuts
2 tbsp soy sauce (light)
4 tbsp black bean sauce

Sesame or peanut oil

I like to chop the veggies and meat separately in a food processor so you can control the consistency of the material. You don’t want things chopped too fine or the filling will be pasty. I toss the sauces in when chopping the meat in the processor, then mix the meat and veggies in a bowl. Put the bowl in the fridge for an hour at least. The filling will set up and be far easier to handle when putting in the wrappers.

Combine the flour and salt in a mixing bowl, making a well in the centre for the water. Mix with a wooden spoon (trust me, doing it with your hand is messy and cold!). Knead dough on a floured surface for 10 minutes. Put a tsp of the oil in the bowl and coat inside. Return dough to bowl, flipping to get a nice coat of oil on surface. Let rest for 30 minutes.

Knead the dough for 5 minutes more on a floured surface. Cut in dough in half, returning half to bowl. Roll dough into a 12” tube then cut into 1” segments. On a floured surface, roll each segment into a 3” round wrapper. Make sure to dust both side of wrapper with flour before stacking the wrappers or they’ll stick together.

Place a healthy tbsp of filling in the centre of a wrapper. Bring the dough up on the sides and pinch the middle together. Pinch each end and then work your way to the middle leaving you with a flatish bottom dumpling.

Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a skillet (with a lid) on medium high heat. Place the first 12 dumplings in the skillet, flat bottom down, and grill until bottom is golden brown. Turn heat down to medium low and add 1 cup of hot water to pan. Cover and let cook for 10 minutes. I put together the second round of dumplings while the first is cooking.

Drain the water and add 1 tbsp of oil back to pan with dumplings and return to medium high heat. Recrisp the bottom and sides of dumplings so they hold their shape. Set the finished dumplings in a serving dish and add the second round to the pan (there should be enough oil in the pan to brown the bottoms).

It’s tempting to make the dumplings larger, but learn from my error! The bigger they are, the harder they are to handle in the pan and they will break up (the wrapper tears). This recipe doubles well but be prepared to spend a few hours in the kitchen! The dumplings freeze really well when cooked. If you want to freeze them uncooked, do so on a cookie sheet then repack them or they’ll stick together in a mass that you can’t break up.

Serve with soy sauce, thai chili sauce, and/or rice vinegar.

Kitchen Breeding

2008-02-22T15:17:46Z

I've noticed that kitchen items can breed. I was putting away silverware last night and noticed two forks and 1 spoon that do not match our pattern. I assume this spontaneous creation of new items is to compensate for the loss of one of my set's salad forks. I'm sad because I can't find this silverware set anymore (it's nothing fancy, I just like the weight and feel of the utensils). Once, many years ago, I put my Visions cookware in storage at Shaav's parents' home for the summer break at University. When we unpacked them the next fall, they had gone from 3 pots with lids to 5 pots with lids and a frying pan with lid. Neat trick. Shaav's mom finally came clean and said she'd dumped her Visions in my box when she heard I liked them (she hated the things). Those pots have moved on to the Calgary Women's shelter now. I wish some of my canned goods would sprout offspring in the pantry. That'd be a nice surprise.

Sleep and Movies

2008-02-20T17:36:48Z

Last night I crashed. Big time. I was out like a light at 8pm and didn't get up until 5:30am. Usually I don't need quite that much downtime but I won't argue with my bod. And it was a good sleep too. Diesel gave me the stink eye at 5:30 when I rolled out but he was content to continue his snooze fest until I finished showering and getting ready for the day. He's spending the day with Twochip ... hopefully things will go better this time.

I finally got to watch Sunshine. I rather enjoyed it. The twist was predictable but the story was well put together. I thought it was a good sign that I wanted to know more about what was going on back on Earth. Any film that makes you curious about goings-on around the story is a good film in my books. In other film notes, Exonerated was worth watching as was The Brave One. I have a real soft spot for Jodi Foster so my view on that film may be skewed. Shoot 'Em Up was funny and entertaining ... also very over the top.