Head Scratching Facts

iPodery: Sly and the Family Stone

It has been an interesting week, though very busy. I have learned two things about Saskatchewan this week that have me scratching my head.

Thing Number 1: I am at the university working on a silkscreen print. They have a stereo in the main office and it plays the radio. The station changes from time to time. They often play CBC Radio 2 or one of the satalite stations. However, from time to time, the play Magic 95 (correctly dubbed by J and Geo as "Secretary FM") or Rock 102, the "heavy" station. (for Vancouverites, think CFOX) Magic 95 is often played in the lab and at my older job at the perogie place. They play all the songs from the 80's and 90's I was trying so hard to forget. Magic 95 loves to play lots of Robert Palmer and really loves to play Gowan.
Lawrence Gowan is a Canadian musician (born in Glasgow, Scotland) who is currently fronting the reunited Styx. He is also best known in this country for his hits, "(You're a) Strange Animal", "Moonlight Desires" and the rather overly theatrical "Criminal Mind". In the 90's he moved into the adult contemporary set. Anyways, I hadn't heard Gowan's music in years and, no offence to the man himself, I was quite happy about that fact.
Since moving to Saskatoon in June 2008, I swear I have heard Gowan almost as much as I heard him between 1985 and 1987. They are Gowan mad here, I swear. Tonight on Rock 102 (I was packing up and had the ear pods for my iPod out) the DJ was pushing hard for some local heavy, any local heavy band to to a bone crushing version of "Criminal Mind". This really does not need to happen. It doesn't. Honestly. As long as Saskatoon exists, Larry Gowan will not be hurting for royalties. It would be almost criminal, one might say. The Kinks or Big Star would be a good band to cover. (covered well that is) Or hey, just work on your craft, stop listening to commercial radio and start writing better more original music. Neurosis, Isis or Pelican would be fantastic heavy bone crushing bands to listen to.

Thing Number 2: Another fact about Saskatchewan that has me scratching my head in disbelief is that professional boxing is apparently illegal here. There is amateur boxing clubs to be sure, but pro boxing is illegal. However, you can have professional cage mages and UFC, "tough man" competitions in the province. This is according to some boxing fans I met at one of the hospitals. I have been trying to find something online to back it up but so far nothing. However, these guys are into boxing and I would assume they would know. If true, it makes utterly no sense to me, since professional boxing (whatever you may say about being fixed) is regulated and has a strict set of rules.

Anyhow, I have to get going home. I have another print to work on and I have yet to have something to eat.

Race for the Prize

The prize being a paycheck and getting caught up. I have three sets of 10 silksreen prints to complete by next Wednesday, an autopsy at one hospital and duties to complete at another hospital on the other end of town, I have a life drawing session to attend, (optional, but I need the instruction and it is free) and then work at my second job from 8pm - 2:30am. The next day is all printmaking. I was considering a shift for Sunday, but considering how pressed for printing time I am, I think I may just spend that time printing as well.

Stikfas Sundays

Stikfas is a bit of an obsession with me. It will seem odd to some people that a guy my age is collecting toys, but I chalk that up to not having had to grow up as fast as friends of mine with wives/husbands, kids and homes have had to. Submitted some of these to Stikfas in the hopes that they might post them up on the website.

My Neighbourhood

Sunday, Bloody Sunday

I sit here at the Library listening to people scrap over computers. I should have gone to the university, but I am heading out shopping after this - the annoying needs of housekeeping have reared their ugly heads and are squawking incessantly at me.
Having other things to do, I went out and did them. It is nice here, beautiful in fact. Sunny and unseasonably warm (4 degrees today, 5 tomorrow and then back below zero) I decided to try and take some photos. Of course, every time I lifted my camera, the sun would slip from view and behind some cloud lurking around to spoil my light. Bastards. Nothing worse than flat light.
I have been reading George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series. (my friend Elijah bought me the entire series to date for Christmas) I am leery of most things that fall into the "Fantasy" category since much of it is crap trying to pass itself off as Tolkien's inheritor. I am more the half way through the second book and I am impressed. It would seem to be loosely based on the real War of the Roses and is much grittier and realistic than I expected. A good read, but not for the kids... not just yet. But I don't have kids, so I am okay. Look to your own children.

Happy 2009, blah, blah, blah.

iPodery: Blonde Redhead, Stereolab and Neurosis

Here's to improved prospects in the New Year. As I posted earlier, I passed my probation and am now officially employed by the Saskatoon Health Region. The work is casual to begin with, so I am not working a great deal at the moment. I will have shifts coming up soon, so hopefully I can remember how to do my job when it comes up. I have only had two autopsies since the 19th of December, so I hope I won't be too rusty. I have been picking up work around the lab, so I am not in too rough a shape right now.
I am missing aspects of Vancouver and Montreal right now. Saskatoon is definitely not the hotbed of nightlife in Canada and selection of goods can leave a bit to be desired. Mind you Montreal is pretty dead from around November until about the middle of March. But it would be nice to have a bit more to do - nice to have more selection when it comes to beer, wine and spirits. I miss the more convenient transit systems of Montreal and Vancouver. Mind you, I knew all this moving here so don't take this as a complaint. I came for the lower cost of living and the University of Saskatchewan. I have a job I couldn't have received in either Vancouver or Montreal. I suppose I could have gone to Calgary, but... well, nice place to visit but I wouldn't want to live there.
Ah, whatever. Life is good, just a little dull at times.

Hinternetland

iPodery: The Tragically Hip

I have been in many desperate and lonely situations, but none quite as desperate or lonely as using internet in the Public Library. Given that me current employment situation is listed as "casual", I figured that internet was an expense I did not require at this time. What I did not count on were the hoardes of sad people desperately clinging to the library's internet system. They book computers in blocks at a time and sit there playing flas games for hours on end if they can get away with it. They get mighty offended if you suggest they could be doing something worth their while. It is a sad mix of people, though I have to wonder just what do i look like to them?
Anyhow, off to work in the lab. Besides some angry looking woman is eyeballing my station.