Broke The 10 Pound Marker.....

Threw myself on the scale this morning and I broke ten pounds... so far in 1 month of being healthy I lost 12.5 pounds and its friggin great. I can start fitting into clothes that I thought were going to end up in the Salvation Army box ;)

Feels good though and really motivates me to keep going. Its not easy and does take a huge amount of dedication but seeing the weight go is enough to keep going. I dont slave myself either though.. I mean I dont feel guilty about eating a burger and shit, the key for me is as long as I remain consistent overall with eating and working out Im good.

Past couple of days have been quiet, other than lovin the weather things are good.

Looking forward to seeing everyone at G's place tomorrow night. Been way too long since I've seen or spoken to any of the old crew.

Cheers.

Warm Is Good...

Every day during my lunch hour I walk. Nice one too cause I go down on Yonge from Summerhill to about Bloor and back again. I think its pretty safe to say that winter is over, I dont know why but for me.... this years winter (even though it was the mildest in Canadian recorded history) seemed to be a real long one.

Nice weather like today really lifts my spirits up... and it really motivates me to do more with my life in all aspects. Alot is going to change for me soon, second kid is due in July so its going to be a busy/crazy year. But Im looking forward to the arrival of our new family member.

Anyway... the weekend was cool, nothing too speacial. Just chilled out, ate lots of slouvaki fresh off the bbq at my borther in laws place and put a new toy in my car on Sunday :p Threw on a new wastgate actuator.. gives a little more boost. Me likey.

Peace.

New Cell Phone.. .. Woot!

For those of you who know me I go through cell phones like a hooker. Im getting the Sony Ericson w600i sent out to me sometime next week. For the most part I've always had Motorola's but this time I figured I try soemthing different. I like the swivel design of it and the cool thing is that it comes with 256mb of memory for music which is pretty good. (Mind you I do have an I-Pod but I use that mainly for my car which is killer.) Quad band phone, Bluetooth and all the other usual gadgets. The software has some really cool features too so it should be a nice peice.

Anyway thats it..... have a good weekend mofo's.

Cheers.

Props To My Boy Hexonxonx

He shall remain nameless for security reasons... :p But one of my best friends just got engaged. Couldn't be happier for the guy... I've known him for almost 14 years now... and he's someone that I consider one of the most straight up mother fuckers out there.

Always has been there when I needed him and when I need some straight up advice or just to hear someone calm me down and make me feel better he's the guy. Only other person that does that for me is my wife so this is saying alot.

I've met alot of his past gf's but when I met E (his chick) it was kinda fucked actually. For the first time I knew right away that this is the one for him. I guess when you know someone well and for a long time shit like that just happens.

These 2 are good for each other and its really cool that they want to jump off the ship together. When I first found out I was really happy, he deserves someone like E in his life and its about fucking time too.

FYI: Excuse the excessive profanity... :p

Worda

My Eyes Hurt...

Because I played Oblivion for hours... Not going to rehash this post about Oblivion but its the first time in a long time that I really cant wait to get back home and disregard my wife and child and play games till I drop.. ;) Just kidding about the wife/kid thing.....maybe?

Im tired... but shit was it worth it. Longs nights and lots of coffee is ahead of me.

Cheers.

Poker Update/Weekend

This weekend turned out pretty good. Friday night was the big poker game... from what I can remember Dmitri the shark who has only played twice won a game and finished top three in the next two rounds...(RUSSIAN SHARK). Yours truly (of course) won a game and decided to go easy and let others win so they come back next time ;) James was the other winner. Elliott/Ron may as well have been dealers cause they got 0WnZ3d like little school girls with bad hair dudes wearing pink scrunchy socks. Ron's only useful purpose was that he brought over a bottle of wine ;) The next one is at my Brother-In-Laws house 1st week of April so it gives people some time to practice... Ron dont bother....practice won't help you :p Just bring more wine.

Other than that, had a barbeque on the weekend and spent time with the wife and kids. Weekends are too short....

Wicked.... Intelligent Table...

Have a look... at Panasonic's concept of what they call the Intelligent Table... CRAZY CRAZY. Watch the video... her english is hard to understand at times... but I love the way they have redifined what an interface can look like.

Don't want to to spoil it but have a look.... this sorta stuff is incredible. Screw VISTA .... this is the shit.

Cheers.

OBLIVION

Can't wait.... they say March 20th but I'm not going to hold my breath. If your l33t like me... ;) you'll know what I'm talking about. If not then its all about OBLIVION and its going to totally kick ass. I've played the first 3 from the Elder Scrolls series and this one is supposed to be a huge leap ahead from the last one.

Its not a MMORPG but it plays like one. Problem is if I want to see this game in all its glory I'm going to need at least a 256 MB card. I'm still sporting a 9800 PRO which will still do the job hopefully.

So pretty soon Ill will admit to be wasting a good portion of my life in front of my PC pretending to be some stout Knight wielding a huge Broad Sword 0wnzing everything in my path... until the wife calls for me to go and change my son's diaper......... ahem.

Random Thoughts From My Soul....

Yesterday's post reminded me of something that I wrote about 3 years ago..

Enjoy.

My life is what exactly? A test? A puzzle? A game? 28 years old and at least half of that I have been asking myself those questions... and to no avail I am no closer to the answer than I was years ago. There are times when I feel as if though I’m just another insignificant being lost in a bowl of soup trying to stay afloat.
But when I take a moment and just stop.....

Like a sponge I soak a rush of emotion, and for that one moment I realize just how careless I am at understanding the simple things.... The smell of the air....The warmth of the sun on my face...The sound of the wind and the sway of the trees....The moon and the jewels that fill the night sky only to be replaced by the next morning’s mystical awakening as the sun returns to its rightful place...

Its then that I come to understand one thing.....the example of how nature and its many elements are all part of each other to make the canvas we inhabit such a place to be....with out one there is no equilibrium. This is what keeps me going; this is what gives me a firm grip on that rocky ledge... MY equilibrium.

My life is composed of many elements. All that I am is composed of the people that I surround myself with, the people who have left such a mark on my life that they are somehow a part of me wherever I go. A feeling, a scent, even a sound can trigger a memory from long ago. Its these people in my life that are my elements...my jewels in the sky....

Will I be remembered centuries after I am gone?....probably not. Does it matter? No. My mark that I leave in this life is not deep enough to remain. Like sand in the shores of the ocean my small legacy will be washed away only to be replaced by many others which will come and go. There are times that I wish that there are things that I can do for this world, something that all will remember me by forever.

One thing I am certain of is this...to say that I have been given the chance to live is the greatest thing of all.
And when that dark cloud of insecurity comes round from time to time; is when I take a moment and just stop.......

Random thoughts from my Soul on the 9th day of December in the year 2003.

Brain Dump...

Highschool seems like yesterday, I'm in my 30's, I have a wife and son with a second kid on the way. Where the F did the last 10 years of my life go. I'm lovin life to the fullest these days... but when I take a seat and sit back and realize just how fast time flys its almost kind of scary.

My Dad used to tell me "it feels like yesterday when I was your age". I used to laugh that off and think my Dad is going through his mid-life crisis, but I actually believe him now. I look back on my life these days and realize that I have had some really good times... with my wife... my kid... my family... and my friends. It makes me sad too that some moments in a persons life especially the really good ones are just a memory and nothing more. I used to not really absorb things while "in the moment" but I started changing that. In the last couple of years I savor and commit the most minute details. I wish there was a way to turn back the clock and relive those moments, but life just doesn't work that way.

Daryl... a man I used to know who at the time was dying once told me "its funny how we take thing for granted... you got to really appreciate the simple things in life, think about it; When was the last time you sat and watched the moon for an hour?... Or wake up early to watch the sun rise?" I do that from time to time, Daryl was right even 2 simple things like that can be pretty amazing. I wonder what the next 10 years of my life will hold, hopefully good things and I'm sure there will be some bad things too. Either way I'm lookin forward to it.

Cheers.

Poker Night....and blah blah blah....

Next week is poker night at my place..... this time Im gonna 0WNZ... last time (about a month ago with these guys) was a complete disaster.. heh. Ron actually took me out for the first time ever. Crazy thing is last week I played I won all 3 games and threw every single player out on the table in all 3 games. Hopefully my opponents will read this and become afraid. Please work...:p

Anyshit its cool to have a bunch of idiots like us get together drink beer and act like we are all professional poker players... I think the only good thing we do on these events is drink beer....

Just got back from having a coffee with Elliott. Its late but I'm wired, Goddam Tim Horton's coffee...

Gonna watch some anime to kill some time.. BTW speakin of Anime... check out Appleseed if you got sime time. (Props to Vicki for tellin me about it.) Good shite... really cool artwork.

Cheers.

Feelin It....

Today is a good day.... woke up and I actually feel better than I ever have in my entire life. Both physically and mentally and it really has to do with all the changes I've been makin for about a month and a half now. So far I've lost about 8 pounds now in 3 weeks and I'm starting to notice it.

All this because I have the time to focus on myself for the first time in 3 years. If you turn the clock back, I never had that chance with a job that required ALOT of travel. Plus a new kid really takes up your time in ways you can't imagine...unless you have one too;) Now I can actually make long term personal goals both for me and my family. Things really couldn't be better.... Going out with the wife tonight, taking her out to dinner and a movie. Shes been going through a tough time and some really scary moments and alot of unknowns for us in this pregnancy. Its been a while since we have had a chance to do this with the new house and kid so Im lookin forward to that. She deserves alot more after everything shes gone through.

On a small note... I learned a really valuable lesson about friendship today.... funny thing is I thought I knew it all when it comes to that shit. Won't get into it but its really bizarre what insecurity can do to a person... almost sad. Don't ask me who or what either not gonna give out that much detail.. I'll just move on. But fuck it... everyone who KNOWS ME will tell you how loyal and caring I am when it comes to people. And the lesson learned for me is... "care and invest time in people who DO the same for you" that's when its worth giving a shit about someone. I've been blessed and I am very grateful to say I am surrounded by a lot of good people in my life.

Anyhow... Now that spring is around the corner it means I can start workin on my ride... its one of my most passionate hobbies. Yeah yeah... there are 2 people I can think of off the top of my head.... ahem Ron & Elliott ;) that are prolly sayin "Christ here we go again.." but hell what can I say. Now that I don't smoke I got to put the cash somewhere no? Besides... can't let my boy Alex... do what he did to me 2 nights ago. We have the same ride (SRT-4) and he just finished his Stage 3 kit.. fastest thing I have ever seen on the road... best part is its reliable horsepower and emission friendly.

Last thing .. Since I've been on transit again for getting into work I've been blazing through books. Already read about 5 novels in the past month... so Ill put out a word on what I think of some of the stuff. Most recent one I finished was the entire "Chronicles of Narnia" from C.S. Lewis.. not bad. Some parts of the book were really long winded but overall its worth a read if you got time and your into that genre. Ill rent it when it comes out on DVD.

Cheers.

What Will They Think Of Next....

First it was a man made island which sports an airport and now An Indoor Climate Controlled Beach ..... These guys are KING when it comes to this sorta crap. Good God. What in the hell are they going to think of next...

Cheers.

Tat

I wan't another one...

No I'm not going to end up with full sleeves... just a few more :p I got some cool designs that I want to show the artist. Think its going to be on my left forearm this time or upper left.. not entirely sure.

By the time I get around to it will be done by April/May. Cause that's when I may have some coin to do it.. heh.

Now all I need to do is convince the wife... Naaa I'll just do it like I did the other 2, show and up and say "Hey babe check this out!" ;)

All of my tattoos were not done in T.O. So if anyone knows of really reputable Tattoo shops here in Toronto please let me know!

When it happens Ill post pics.

Cheers.

Goodbye Long Distance Charges..

Since Ive moved to the Upper North end .. Newmarket... which is only 40 mins from downtown... so kiss my ass ;) I've had to deal with long distance charges left right and center. The only place I could call without having to place a long distance call was Newmarket... heh or Richmond Hill.

Well as of yesterday I finally got my new gear from Vonage. ITS SWEET. When I used to travel alot @ my last job I used Skpe, which was great because it used VOIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol) which allowed me to call any land line using my laptop. Well Vonage is the same thing.. except they hook you up with a Router which connects to your high speed router and from that I run a phone line out to my phone. I ran out grabbed one of those 3 base cordless phones... and Im all set up now.

You get every feature you can think of... and ANYWHERE in North America is treated as a local call. If my interent connection goes down at home.. it will automatically forward any incoming calls to my cell phone.

Another cool thing is I was able to choose any area code number in Ontario... So I grabbed a 416 number which is sweet! Now I dont have to deal with people calling my cell 24/7 cause they dont want to call my land line. The really cool shit is that from my login page on Vonage I set anything up from there and even check my voicemail to if I wish. It goes as far as emailing me to notify me that I have a voicemail if I want as well.

Called my cuz in Boston last night and chatted him up for almost an hour and didnt pay a red cent in long distance fees... Its costing me 39.99 a month which is cheaper than what I was payin through Rogers monthly and that does not include my long distance fees I was rackin up.

Cheers.

I Think I'm Turning Japanese I Really Think So...

Ok... not really. However what I have been doing for the past month or so is trying to learn Japanese. All of it, from learning to read, speak and write it. I took a trip down to Japan for my last job and since then I have found a new respect for the Japanese culture.

Its dam hard though... there are times where I think WTF am I doing this for but.. hey why not. I do plan on going back there one day for sure. Plus if I get good at it Ill be able to watch Samurai Champloo with no subtitles one day.. :p

単語

The works of Joshua Davis and Stardust TV....

One of my favorite all time artists got a spot in Wired Magazine. I have been following Joshua Davis and his work for quite some time now. To me he is the modern day artist with a vision that is rarely seen.

Take a look at some of his website designs and more importantly his prints... specifically the one for his latests works for BMW. And one of my favorites..Once Upon A Forest.


He's also done work for Stardust TV's webiste which is a Media Company that I am a HUGE FAN of. If you go to the site check out the Reel Tab on the left and watch their reel called Moving In Stereo. These guys have done some work with some of the most brilliant artists in the media industy today.

Many of you have prolly seen some of the spots they have done, my favorite one is their 60 sec L'Amour spot. Which can be seen under the Work tab on the left of their site.

Cheers.

When...is the question

So I haven't had a cigarette for about 6 weeks now. Do I feel better physically? Yes. Do I feel better mentally? Nothings changed. Do I miss smoking? Your dam right I do. Yeah yeah I know, for those non-smokers out there I know your probably saying "how can people enjoy such a disgusting habit?". Well I don't expect you to understand and I don't care.. I really enjoyed having a coffee and a smoke, having a drink and socializing with people over a fresh cig, I just enjoyed it. But on the flip side of the coin there are a lot of positives with having quit; 1) I don't feel like a bag of shit when I wake up in the morning, definitley higher energy levels. 2) I can smell and taste things better... forgot what real flavor actually is. 3) Since I've quit I have been working out for almost 2 and a half weeks and I lost about 6 pounds and I'm still going strong. 4) Which is prolly the most significant I'm saving shit loads of cash. Not spending mula on smokes actually does make a big difference.

So why did I quit when I enjoyed it so much? I don't really know the real reason. What I do know is that over the past year I've been to alot of funerals. 3 people on my wife's side past away all at very young ages about late to early 60's, all from non-smoking related diseases. So does it mean that your really any better not smoking, bullshit. There are tons of people I know that have never smoked and die young. Hell today on the way into work I just heard on the radio that Christopher Reeves wife who was 44 never lived in a pollution infested city, never smoked and never surrounded herself with second hand smoke has died of lung cancer. Talk about getting screwed out of life. We all kick the bucket one day.. I do agree though that smoking will definitely catch up with you and if you intend to smoke till you drop there's a sure bet that you'll know what it is that will kill you, its the "when" that you don't know.

Yesterday I just found out that an Uncle of mine that I am very close to has Lung Cancer. Smoking... and he's 64. He's smoked for almost 50 years. I'm heart broken cause I really love that guy, and it hurts me to know that he's going out in a really painful way. They say it has already spread to his other lung and its gonna make is way to his brain.

So... not going to say smoking is good for you but you aint going to see me put anyone who does down. I'm actually a happy guy don't get me wrong.. I'm just a realist and in the end we all croak. Its a crap shoot really when you think about it. When is the question.

So why did I quit? I'm pretty sure its point number 4.

Ultra Violet

I went out on Friday to see what I thought would have been the next Fifth Element. This was THE worst film I have ever seen. The previews were very misleading, hell the preview is better than the movie. The story line was stupid. The acting was terrible. The CG was some of the worst Ive seen. The costumes looked like they were put together by really bad WW2/Star Wars fanatics.

Milla Jovovich... your HOT but even that didnt help you this time..

Werd.

First Post

Well here it is my first Blog... never thought I'd do this but here it is none the less. Anywho... I dont have time today to invest into anything here but Ill get started sometime soon now that I have it.

Cheers