far be it for me to rest on my laurels (or, my lazy ass, as it were) for too long. no no, it's time to get things started, and started right. 'las I havn't completed any of my 68 tasks yet but I've started a few:
#1) finish writing my book - I have one chapter in the first draft left to write, and editing is already in progress... whoo... no predictions on a finale, because I've done that before and shot myself in the ass.
#28) finish the CD Battle Royale to find my "favoirte song" - I'm putting together battle compilations, so when eventually sit down to tell you all about them, the hard part is already done (searching through cds for the best song is, well, not a pain in the ass, but time consuming)
#35) read two (non-comic)books a month (minimum) - I realized a few years back that I don't read enough er, non-comic books... and although I do honestly consider comics a valid form of literature, they're just not as time consuming to ingest as prose is. Plus, the more I read, the stronger a writer I become. Is true.
But I started on my first book, which is a script book to the first six episodes ofRipping Yarns, a tv series written by (and starring) Michael Palin and Terry Jones, post Monty Python's Flying Circus. This was a great find, and the fist story, "Tomkinson's Schoodays" is hilarious.
#37) once a month ask a (different) friend what their favorite film is and watch it - for January I asked Andy what his favorite film was... his reply:
figuring out a favourite FAVOURITE movie of mine? well i dunno about
that... so I will give you a list of movies I love that aren't necessarily
mainstream (therefore less likely people have seen them!) ...
Show Me Love
Known in Europe by the much more accurate title of 'Fucking Amal', it's a story
about teenage love (of the lesbian variety) set in the small swedish hick town
of Amal. Yes, it's about swedish teenage lesbians. With subtitles.
Interesting anecdote. On release, this was more succesful at the Swedish box
office than it's competition, Titanic.
Boy's Don't Cry
True story about Teena Brandon/ Brandon Teena, southern fella trapped inside a
woman's body. Stars Hilary Swank and Chole Sevigny.
Despite it looking this way, I am not hung up on movies about lesbians.
Happiness
My fave Todd Stolendz movie, boycotting Storytelling because of the B&S
soundtrack. Horribly funny.
Ah you've probably seen the last two. So just go for the swedish lesbians.
He's right, I have seen Happiness, but not boys don't cry. But I've been meaning to... so perhaps I'll do that one... but...
Hmm, Swedish lesbians you say, hmm? Man, life's rough sometimes.
The challenge is on, first stop: the Film Buff, if they don't have it then maybe Suspect or Queen Video will.
48) get a new calendar - actually, Emma got a calendar from Baccus Roti shop on January 2nd, so I have no need... DONE!!
...end of file...
As I've been thinking about JeremyJeremy's ambitious 101 Things To Do In 1001 Days, I'm proposing my own variation, to tie in with the New Years theme of today it's:
68 Things To Do In 2003
(why 68... cause to do 69 means something completely different)
the list, in no particular order
1) finish writing my book (started jan02,02)
(update: 03/15) The book is finished it's third draft and is in process of getting out to 5 different reviewers: Emma, Paula, Gary, Kelli-Ann, and Noelle
2) publish/get published said book
3) start writing another book
4) complete said another book
5) start writing a third book
6) build bookshelves floor to ceiling on at least one wall of the apartment (planning started Jan 05,03)
7) get the garden going
(update: 03/15) The garden has been started and dead now...oops, we don't have green thumbs
8) write and/or call my friends a little more often
(update: 03/15) hmm, I've kinda fallen off the calling but my writing has been a little better, but not much. Must try harder.
9) find a new job that pays better
(update: 03/15) this may or may not happen until late in the year, because of new... ahem... developments
10) set up a "this week's menu" chalkboard in the kitchen
11) frame Gary's art
12) ship Gary's cds to NY... hopefully to him
13) get the whole insurance thing straightened out
(update: 04/13) still straightening it all out but we're getting there...
14) get the Visa down to $0
15) get a passport
(update: 03/15) I have the forms
16) leave Canada
17) start doing yoga again (started 06/01/03)
(update: 03/15) Doing semi-regularily twice a week-ish
18) start swimming in the winter/biking in the summer
(update: 03/15) Seeing as winter is nearly over, and I have yet to swim, that's kinda out of sight, but the snow's melting, and the bike is getting prepped today
19) hold a housewarming party for QueenWest.ca
(update: 03/15) maybe not...
20, 21, 22) get queenwest.ca, quartercity.net, and geekent.com up and running
(update: 03/15) emma and I have queenwest.ca a go, quarter city is in planning, and I have no idea what to do with geekent.com right now
23) reformat sauna.org/emote
24) make sauna.org/chewbacca more web friendly
(update: 03/15) almost
25) go visit Mar in Vancouver (this is dependant on whether she still lives there by the year's end)
26) drink one beer and then never again
27) drink one coffee and then never again
28) finish the CD Battle Royale to find my "favorite song" (started Jan 01, 03)
(update 03/15) I've got 8 disks left to burn and then the battles begin.. after that I'm selling 100 cds for $5 a piece.
29) start working on another "Emote: The Carpet Behind" album
30) do my taxes
(update 03/15) DONE!!!
31) organize that stack of receipts, trasaction records etc
(update 03/24) DONE!!!
32) finish writing that comic book story
33) say "hi" to somebody famous
34) complete my Magnetic Fields collection
35) read two (non-comic)books a month (minimum)
January - book 1 - Ripping Yarns by Michael Palin and Terry Jones
January - book 2 - Blindness by Jose Saramago
January - book 3 - Dark Knights and Holy Fools: The Art and Films of Terry Gilliam by Bob McCabe
January - book 4 - The Business by Iain Banks
February - book 1 - The Planet of the Apes by Pierre Boulle
February - book 2 - The Sandman: Book of Dreams edited by Neil Gaiman and Ed Kramer
February - book 3 - Quarter City by Graig Kent
March - book 1 - Adventures in A TV Nation by Michael Moore and Kathleen Glynn
March - book 2- If upon a winter's night a traveller by Italio Calvino
April - book 1 - Everyone In Silico by Jim Munroe
April - book 2 - Anarchy For The Masses
36) draw a picture
37) once a month, ask a (different) friend what their favorite film is and watch it
January - Andy - Fucking Amal (still need to watch)
February - Josie - Diva (watched)
March - Ryan - Barcelona (going to buy DVD)
38) stay awake for 24 hours
39) get a picture of Bailey with her tongue sticking out (done Jan 05, 2003)
40) re-learn the alphabet in sign language
41) get my record player functioning
42) buy a dozen records
43) take Jeremy to a Raptors game
(update 03/15) seeing as Jeremy already went to a raptors game, thus fulfilling his list's obligation, I think the Raptor's game I'm going to see with Paula and Jimmy on the 28th should count...
(update 04/13... Raptors game with PJ postponed)
44) read the Lord of the Rings trilogy (can count as part of #35)
45) stop and smell the roses
46) buy two of the most expensive steaks from a butcher, marinade them for 24 hours, then barbecue them for Emma and myself
47) get a composter
48) get a new calendar (Done Jan.02,03 by Emma)
49) get another tattoo
50) give something away that once, but no longer, hold any personal meaning
51) grow a beard again (04/13 DONE!!!)
52) donate blood
53) wash my car
54) get an oil change (04/06 DONE!!!)
55) put up the dart board
56) make a new necklace
57) take a picture of Ryan's oil painting for him (both hanging and unframed)
58) get a nice, non-digital photo of me and Emma
59) have a Mr. T movie marathon (Rocky 3, DC Cab, Wrestlemania)
60) write a poem
61) try a food I've never eaten before (Done, Feb 04, 03 - lobster)
62) go to the dentist
63) get new glasses
(update 03/15) I found them... now to buy them...
64) call someone you know well by the wrong name repeatedly for an evening
65) kill a bug
(update 03/15) DONE... he was tiny but dead
66) go to Wasaga Beach
67) watch the original Star Wars trilogy (watched Star Wars 04/10)
68) enjoy a moment of silence
Liz has struck up her own way of remembering the year that has passed... but I think I'll to an honest to gorsh (yes, gorsh) summary of the year that has gone on, those significant moments in life that should be cherished forever...
Follow me as we explore 2002, the year that was:
The year started rather lazily, in Barrie, hanging out with my Paula and Jimmy, cause really, we had nothing better to do. It snowed like a mad fecker, and Kim Mitchell almost got electrocuted. Ah the year that was.
I had my contract at Algo renewed three times, first in the first week of January, then again in March, then again in May, for a week.
I was unemployed for the first time without quitting after that one week contract... honestly I was a little stressed without a job but happy to have time for other things.
I went back to Thunder Bay in May for the first time since July 2001. I visited my old grade school where Kelli was teaching and had the most amazing day with 30 8-year olds who made me feel like a celebrity.
I went to my Granmother's house for the first time by myself in Peterborough (that is one cool lady!). I almost finished my book (1st draft: writing, not reading). I started doing yoga. I started blogging and made a whole whack of friends (Lala, my first "fan" and fast friend).
I grew a beard. I shaved my head.
I worked back at Algo for another month in July.
I met Emma Jane but she didn't take kindly to my name tag suggestion. A week later she gave me an amazing head rub. Something definitely clicked. A week after that we were a steadfast "item". Within a month I knew I was in love.
A cat fell in love with me.
I met Emma's family, Emma met mine. We both got the seal of approval.
I went to Reece's first birthday party the first week in August, which was an amazing experience.
I was unemployed again for a month, which was more frustrating than when I was unemployed before.
Gary moved to New York.
I got a new job, with continued mixed results.
Ryan had a firm date for his first art exhibit, which ultimately never happened because of Tim Hortons...
Thanksgiving with Emma's family. There was singing.
Emma and I decided to move in together some point in October, by the month's end we lucked into a new place. November 15, we officially moved to QueenWest.
Took Emma to Thunder Bay to meet many friends and more family, with terrific results. We became the first purchasers of Ryan's art. Realized that "home" was no longer Thunder Bay.
December was spent working long, working hard, and being generally frustrated and grumpy.
Christmas with Emma's family. There was more singing.
I survived 2002, a good year, a very good year, and life's looking better than ever.
JeremyJeremy brought my attention to The Mayfly Project which, in its essential, boiled-down, heart-of-the-matter, roots is "summarize your year in 20 words".
My entry:
job, no job, back to job, no job
no girlfriend, girlfriend
new job
basement apartment, big apartment
constantly no money
Twenty simple words... of course I could get technical and say I only used 11 words (job, no, back, to, girlfriend, new, basement, apartment, big, constantly, money) but why pull nosehairs when you don't want to sneeze?
It's a simple reflection of how up and down my year was, and yet, still there's that one element that remains constant.
It's also just meant to be funny, but not as funny as Kathleen from Toronto who wrote, just before me:
got fat eating Subway sandwiches
ran a marathon in my mind
shot 1,253 photos
replaced filling and it now kills
Check it out! The "All New Spider Behind My Toilet"!
[I think I'll name it Oregano Flow, or maybe Hubert H. "Humpty Hump" Humphries the III (I'm in such a Digital Underground mood today I just gotta scream "Whee!")]
Thanks to Em the arachnologist who provided this fine specimen.
Written on the side of a garbage can at a transit stop:
Whether "shot from guns" or "shot through with goodness" General Mills & Quaker, "Adolph Hitler's Brain Lives" receives laughture from Audience
mmmkay.
10 days later...
ah me poorly neglected blog... wait, doesn't that mean my neglect has been poor meaning I've been paying attention to my blog more frequently that I should if I was goodly neglecting my blog?
Ah the English language. EEet ees foon, yees?
I've been working on more CD Battle Royales, so watch out for those soon... many of the battles are being recorded on CD and being given away as part of New Years Presents...
oh, yes... let's get into that shall we.
See, reasoning behind the New Years Presents is two-fold. The first is the big move back in November required the paying of three month's rent (first and last at the new place, and the final month's rent at the old place), thus I had no moneys for Christmas presents. The second is the whole commerciality of Christmas. It's lost all its meaning (that being the annual celebration of the Jolly Fat Red Man (That's as in Red Suit, not Wu-Tang Clan Member and Right Guard Power Stripe spokesman) wherein everyone strips down and dances around the dinner dable complete with an effigy of the Fat Man as the centrepiece). So I'm displacing the commerciality of Christmas and tossing it at New Years (a third motivation is the Boxing Day sales makes gift giving so much easier... well, cheaper at least... even though you can't usually find exactly what you're looking for, hey, at least it's affordable).
Anyway, if you're interested in the CDBRs, by the end of the little Battle Royale there will be a whole multi-volume set of CDs available from the various battles... more on that as the time comes.
Be excited, be be excited.