Wednesday, February 18, 2009

If My Life Were a film...

... and my iPod selected the music. Geosomin stole this from Rimshot and am stealing it from her. The rules are simple:
1. Open your music library (iTunes, Winamp, Media Player, iPod, etc.)
2. Put it on shuffle & press play
3. For the first question, type the song that’s playing
4. When you go to a new question, press the next button TWICE
5. Don’t lie and try to pretend you’re cool... just type it in man!
6. Tag people

As you will be able to tell, my iPod and I have a strange relationship.

OPENING CREDITS: At Least That's What You Said, Wilco (A Ghost is Born)

WAKING UP: Fear and Sickness, Neurosis (Given to the Rising)

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL: Happiness, Goldfrapp (Seventh Tree)

FALLING IN LOVE: Argument, Fugazi (The Argument)

FIRST TIME: Accidents Will Happen, Elvis Costello and the Attractions (Girls, Girls, Girls Disc 1)

FIGHT SONG: Small Pox Champion, Fugazi (In On the Kill Taker)

BREAKING UP: Bad Days, The Flaming Lips (Clouds Taste Metallic)

PROM: Pandaharmonium, The Orb (remix of The Penguin Cafe Orchestra from Preludes, Airs and Yodels) - If only my grad dance was that cool.

LIFE: Neighbourhood #2 (Laika), The Arcade Fire (Funeral)

MENTAL BREAKDOWN: All Saints, David Bowie (bonus track from Low)

DRIVING: Slug Dub, The Orb (Orbvs Terrarvm)

FLASHBACK: Country Feedback, REM (Out of Time)

GETTING BACK TOGETHER: Evil Will Prevail, The Flaming Lips (Clouds Taste Metallic)

WEDDING: Wanderlust, Björk (Volta)

BIRTH OF A CHILD: Alien, The Dandy Warhols (The Black Album)

FINAL BATTLE: Street Fighting Man, The Rolling Stones (Beggars Banquet)

DEATH SCENE: Yawning or Snarling, The Tragically Hip (Day for Night)

FUNERAL SONGD: Niobe, Caribou (Andorra)

END CREDITS: Times of Grace, Neurosis (Times of Grace)

Anyone who wishes to be tagged, is so tagged. (But I tag Trent and Pete as I know they have iPods)

Sunday, February 08, 2009

Past as Present

iPodery: Neurosis, Elliott Smith, Blonde Redhead, Toots and the Maytalls, Goldfrapp, Isis

Much of my adult life has been a struggle to both grow up and to find stable, love and gainful employment. I'd like to think I have grown up a little bit since the start of this decade, but the jury is still out. Love is something I just give up on: I do not get it and it certainly does not want to be got - not by me at any rate. As for gainful employment... I am employed at least.
My job in the Health Region is not tremendously gainful at this point as I am a casual employee. There is a chance I could go up to part time, maybe even full time, but that is up to management and the full time guy who may or may not retire. Still, I can bid on other jobs in the Region and the longer I work for it the more my seniority goes up. But I don't want to work for the region forever and really just want to pay down Student Loans enough so I can go back finish up and get my teaching certificate. At this point it is all still hand to mouth with a promise of utensils, a plate and maybe even a table in the future.
It seems I made the right choice in moving to Saskatchewan as well. It is the only province showing appreciable growth in a time of great economic downturn (can we say depression?) and I just couldn't find any opportunities back home. I also couldn't afford to live in Vancouver and the Lower Mainland. So I moved for opportunity. Lots of people do. My Great Grandfather, John Corcoran, left Wales around 1911 to come to Canada for new start. He found after helping to organize a coal miners strike on Vancouver Island, having the BC Militia sit on him, going to fight in WWI with the Irish Guard, coming back, getting blacklisted, opening a saddle shop, becoming a petty bureaucrat and then dying of the black lung in the 30's. Hopefully my own pitfalls don't mirror John's.
Still, I wonder how John Corcoran felt leaving his family and friends behind? By all accounts, Dowlais was and still is a hell hole - but home is home. Vancouver ain't all that it used to be either - but home is home. And my friends are there. And my parents. I do have telecommunications to bridge the gap and that helps, but one can't help but get a bit homesick. One can't help but feel some resentment as well. Why do I have to leave home to find a future for myself? Why did opportunities elude me back home? (and I did try to find them) Did I make the right decision? Should I have just stuck it out a little longer? Did John Corcoran ever feel this way? I am happy enough here in Saskatoon, don't get me wrong, but one does have second thoughts. One does get homesick.

Wednesday, February 04, 2009

Wednesday Woes

iPodery: Caribou, Super Furry Animals

Photo emulsion is the devil's own excrement. I have been trying to get four small areas of colour onto a print entitled "Niobe" (check out the song by Caribou) since 12:30. Photoemulsion is a key part of the priniting process, as it blocks out areas you don't want to print and (when exposed to UV light) it opens up the areas you want ink to run through when printing. All my woes today are due to photo emulsion problems. First time, it was my lack of experience. Second time? I have no clue.

Welcome Wednesdays

iPodery: The Dandy Warhols, ("Valerie Yum" in particular) The Battles, Broadcast.

So I get to work today and take care of some easy tasks and was facing several lenghty and unpleasant tasks. I was hoping to finish up at the four hour mark so I could get back to the printshop and finish a silkscreen that has been the bane of my existence. Sadly, that hope was looking dashed until the guy I was covering for showed up late. As it turns out I wasn't scheduled to work. HORRAY! Now I am at the University waiting for my screen to dry so I can finish with the last four colours. HUZZAH!
I also see a young woman here who is an duplicate of a younger Jennifer Connolly. It is turning out to be a good day.