whenever i start my own company, all the employees can effectively pick their own titles and i'd be the chief troublemaker. i'm sure a few months down, hr would have their own say-so, but it'd be a fun few months.

speaking of funning up the place, after a non-motivating day at work where nothing would start properly and everyone was listless, i head with densil to scadding court community centre (dundas + bathurst) where he's taking swiming lessons. we go to the outdoor pool and i bob about in the water giving densil tips on how to swim and he promptly runs out of breath. he's not doing as bad as he thinks and i admire his willingness to learn things he didn't pick up before, like biking, rollerblading and ice skating, to name a few over the past year or so.

the swim was rejuvenating and after picking up the now brakeless bike from work, i zig and zag over to the now lounge, where there's a shindig for rannie's 28th birthday, which is actually on the sunday (same as marko!) but for booking and attendee purposes, it's friday night for the local bloggers union and rannie's offline or lifeful buds. the smokers were outside when i biked up: birthdayman, jay and some others. not too many people yet when i showed, although i was ushered to sit with people already there.

there were little toys and old school candy littered on all the tables. practically everyone took one of the popeye's candy sticks and set it on fire, making the room smell like a campfire; burnt marshmellow odour like incense in a record store. jayme brought a severed bart simpson head and was the only blogger at that point. jen came shortly thereafter and proceeded to show her prowess with those extend-o-sticks that look like those rhythm gymnastic ribbon batons, only they're not supposed to fly through the air, more like go in a straight line. she then proceeded to poke at my fauxhawk tuft (which had to be gelled on the spot for rannie since i was still a wethead from the pool (note: even though everyone likes how the hair gum smells, don't wave your hands around and offer everyone to "smell the gel". this ain't kindergarten), poke at my eyes, poke at my shoulder, poke at the standing ken doll in his strapped-on tie to shirt getup (i wish my dress shirts had that. that and automatic no-creasing ever.) and otherwise harm the nearby populace to the point that the waitstaff scolded her (i asked if they had standard fullbody goggles. i'm always impressed i can get a smile from the waitress and not get my smart arse turfed out). trevor and barb were figuring out the spinning tops and they even got me a pint (tip o' the hat to return the favour one day!) when i wasn't looking.

carla and hubby john came by later, talking about music and the great canadian cartoon classic: rocket robin hood. john said that apparently the global rights were for sale for cheap, which would have made graig and i pretty frickin' amazed, since we've talked about doing a space ghost: coast to coast type show with it, specifically the constant widescreen closeup on the eyes darting left to right (no need to animate dialogue!). liz came then and i started to lose track of what was going on, as the various musical acts came on and did quick little sets. of course, a quiet crowd with people i know makes my mouth big so, once again, i can't be taken anywhere since i can spin jokes back and around (i'm a pianist so i understand why different keyboards behave in strange ways, but yelling out 'did they move the keys around?' is easy prey. that and deflecting guitar-instructing bozo monologues to rannie.

there was a covers theme for the first four acts amongst their original compositions:

• vyletz - nine inch nails' closer (one of the guitars failed, so rannie's sis improvised this into a dirge. of course, no could sing along in time.
• sara kamin - jann arden's sleepless (weepy wee ditty).
• shannon weir - radiohead's karma police (quite well, although goddammit, i'm a lippy fuck sometimes).
• jeff straker - an elton john song i couldn't identify from too much noise, not paying attention or getting hit in the eye by jen.

the night kept going, but i had to go as well. so i hugged the birthday boy, bid adieu to the rest, met joey the accoridon guy outside, who promptly did a zydeco number for me and to one of the daily nonsense lads and then away i went, biking straight up yonge like a rocketidiot until davisville.