...but I hope not

It is probably a sign of my declining mental stability that I'm faintly concerned for the well-being of the two loud angry gay boys that live across the street.

Either they've made up, or one's kicked the other out, or something much darker has occurred.

I sorta hope they're okay.

Sometimes People Don't Return My Phone Calls

And then I don't know whether I should haul a used but servicable dishwasher to Value Village, or the dump, or wherever, or just hold onto it for somebody who might actually use it.

Just saying.

In Other News

Metaphors rule.

Satire Is Funny

Ha!

Horrible Things I Learned Today

Floam is both a noun and a verb.

You might not want to click on that link if you're squeamish at all.

Two Movies, Two Countries

I have seen two horror movies in the last three days.

One of them is good. The other is not.

"Pulse" is about how the Internet, text messaging, and so forth are dehumanizing communication, slowly robbing us of our very souls and condemning us to an empty world where everything is connected but nothing holds meaning. It's interesting how one can become emotionally disconnected from people when one's only contact with them is digital. One can almost forget that they're human, have feelings, and might be frightfully hurt by your flippant, offhand remark. Even family aren't immune. Even phone calls aren't enough, apparently.

"The Descent" is about some people who get lost in the dark and eaten by scary monsters.

Oddly, "Pulse" is the one that's a hackneyed, predictable pile of donkey poop. "The Descent," on the other hand, is British. Hmm.

That's about all I have to say about that.

In other news, it seems that Our Dear Neighbours To The South have run up a considerable (by which I mean $830 billion) current account deficit. Meanwhile, we ourselves are sitting on a hefty $25 billionish surplus.

I'll get back to you on what that means after I finish An Introduction to International Political Economy, which I didn't bother reading when I was actually taking the class it applied to. I feel kind of guilty now, especially since I got an A minus. Progress reports will be forthcoming as they become worthwhile.

Seems Pleasant Enough

I started my new job at Bell Canada on Tuesday. Everyone seems reasonably pleasant, and the job itself seems like something I'll be good at once I get the lingo down. Basically I'm a troubleshooter / dispatch officer in a call centre, supporting phone and network service to such worthies as BMO and the DND. Plus a multitude of much piddlier customers, I'm sure.

The benefits are nice, the pay is good, it's within walking distance of my apartment, and the job security should be reasonable since the people keep getting filched away to better-paying IT positions. I suppose theoretically that might happen to me, too.

I will have to get used to getting up two hours earlier in order to be on time, though - by which I mean I'll have to start actually going to bed two hours earlier.

G'night, folks.

It Is Very Late At Night

Only people with way too much time on their hands are likely to understand exactly what this means.

Which is probably for the best, really.

A Tad Melancholy

So I finished reading Churchill's massive autobiographical account of the Second World War, and I find that I'm a tad melancholy, as I often am when I reach the end of some enormous hunk of prose that I'm enjoying. I have a couple of lingering tidbits to dole out for those of you who'll never bother reading it (I don't blame you if you're not a war nerd like me), which I will judiciously stretch out so as not to overdo the whole thing.

I Think I Might Be A Little Tired

So I'm listening to the radio in the car, and I hear on CBC Calgary that the Israelis have sent another ten thousand troops into Lebanon, and also they conducted a helicopter strike on the Northeast. And I think to myself, "What? How'd they even GET over here?" before I realize that they mean northeast Lebanon.

Hurrrrrrrrr.....

It Is Now Officially August

Please refrain from excessive displays of enthusiasm.

You may go about your business.

Nothing to see here.