January 29: Glamorous Ski Injuries

So, this weekend, Mom and I went skiing at Martock, hoping to finally do well on our pledge to actually ski on a regular basis. It was an amazing day and things were going well until Mom hit a patch of ice and went down like a sack of bricks. Onto her knee. So, into the emerency ski toboggan she went, and off to the Hants Community Hospital we drove. Lucky for her, nothing is broken, but she can't really move her knee and the doctor told her to stay off of her feet for a week. It's definitely an inauspicious start to the ski season, but we'll be back on the slopes in no time (where by “no time” I mean at least four weeks).

In other news, something fantastic happened today: I got a new computer at work. And not just any computer — an iMac! We've started a project with a Mac component, and I get to do it, which is great. It's something I've wanted to learn for a while, so I'm really looking forward to it. Plus, I hated my old work computer. I'll love this one.

Anyway, I'm a boring, boring person this week. What's new with you guys?

January 22: Paco the Tortoise

There's something very exciting about people getting new pets, and when those pets are something other than the standard cat and dog, it's really exciting. Janet & Katie got a tortoise this weekend, and named it Paco (rhymes with taco). She is ridiculously cute:

Paco the Turtle

She has a little house set up in the corner of The Roomie's living room with a heat lamp and a Kinder Surprise egg, but when she's roaming freely, her favourite thing to do is laps around the chair, which she'll do over and over unless interrupted. Paco is awesome.

Continue reading “Paco the Tortoise”...

January 16: A Mac Attack

Good news, everyone: I got my Mac back, having put it into the shop last Monday due to a distorting speaker. It's good as new. I missed it, but I digress.

Winter has finally hit us. As happy as I am to finally have a nice coating of snow (okay, and ice), it has some sucky qualities. Mainly, Steve Wozniak is giving a speech at Mount Allison's University in Sackville, New Brunswick tonight, which I was going to go to, but the weather reports are a bit sketchy, so I decided not to go. It sucks, because I was really looking forward to it, however, things like “blowing snow” and “-18 degrees” made me somewhat hesitant to embark on a trip that's 2.5 hours each way. Sadness.

So, I guess I'll just hang around and play Bomberman '93 tonight, which, if you didn't know, is the bestest group game ever. Sometimes old things are better.

January 09: The Luddite

I'm afraid that due to my own actions, I've inadvertently relegated myself to the category of luddite this week. My Mac is in for repairs (the right speaker has been distorting like mad since its previous repair adventure, but I finally got sick of it), my iPod is in the car (which is now in Kentville), and...well, that's it. But it sucks.

“The car's in Kentville?!” you might say, to which I'd reply “Yes. Yes it is.” You see, my mom has started a new new job at the hospital in Kentville, ending a 14 year rein of terror at the IWK. Despite the much greater distance she drives to and from work now, it takes her the same amount of time thanks to the wonders of rush hour traffic getting into and out of Halifax. All of this means that I'm now a public transportation junkie, which generally wouldn't bother me if I hadn't forgotten my iPod in the car last night. There's nothing like listening to the fat man next to you nose breathe to wake you up in the morning.

In other news, it's keynote day and I'm about to crap myself with excitement. Apple's never foreshadowed big events like they have this week, so I'm expecting something huge. I guess I'll find out in an hour or five (keynote's at 2 PM Atlantic Standard Time, and it'll take a while for news to trickle out). I just hope they don't announce anything that I ZOMGWANTNEEDLUST!@#$!@#$ have to purchase right away, because I'm trying to save money in honour of impending tax season.

Anyway, enough Mac nerdery. Back to work I go.

January 03: Busy

Well, I'm back at work, and with a new contract, we're pretty busy. However, the Christmas break was pretty refreshing. I'm happy to be back in the groove of things.

Right now, I'm waiting for a humongous repository update to complete, so I'm enjoying the wonders of YouTube. Right now, College Saga (episodes one, two, three, four) is making me very happy. It's the nerdiest thing I've seen in a really long time, but it's utterly fantastic. Some people have way too much time on their hands, and I'm glad. The “Victory!” bit (about three minutes in) is awesome.

Anyway, I'm off to enjoy this. Anyone want to do something tomorrow night?

January 01: `appy New `ear

Why, hello, 2007. How YOU doin'? You make me feel like I'm living in the future. There are some years that sort of get talked about a lot before they actually come around (1999, 2000, 2001 was a run of three in a row). 2007 is one too, at least for me. I'm excited.

I hope 2007 is as interesting as 2006 was. Whilst I did have some crappy moments, most of the milestones in 2006 were pretty good: graduating university, getting a job, going to Scotland, then San Francisco, and then Boston, and then Florida. I did a lot of travelling. I'd like to do as much again this year, but I think that's pretty unlikely. I'd definitely like to attend a nerd event, though.

For New Year's, Janet, Katie, David, Sarah, and Eric went to Eric's scout cabin, which, much like last year) had no electricity, plumbing, or heat. So, it was two chilly New Year's in a row, and this is the second consecutive year where my first bathroom break involved an outhouse. That seems odd to me. Anyway, it was fun, even though it was retchedly cold. We have many fires and set off some very loud fireworks, and then proceeded to huddle and shiver our way through the night. Ah, the great white north.

Anyway, I'm off to play some Zelda and drink something warm. Until next time.