May 30, 2004

Some memorable quotes overheard recently:

• "[In Korea] there are lots of fuck villages. If we go there, we are fun... there are lots of chickens."
• "You know, a squirrel's a high quality rodent."
• "If the world were only men, the cities and houses would be like a pigsty."
  "And if the world were only women?"
  "If the world were only women, they wouldn't wear make-up."

* * *

I get a lot of people asking me how I like living by myself. Personally, I don't have any problems with me, but I do have to try and keep myself under control - if I don't, I usually find myself drunk and passed out in front of the TV. I realize that sometimes I can be pretty hard on myself, so every once in a while, I'll take myself out for a beer or two without me. Now methinks I don't like myself very much, so last week I asked myself to sit down and explain things to me. I assume the conversation went OK - but I haven't heard from me yet and I haven't seen myself for a while. If you ask me, I should be a little more patient with myself and everything will be alright with me... albeit a little confusing at times.

* * *

Feeling a little disjointed this evening. I've spent the better part of the weekend digging through old trunks and boxes, partially completing a long-overdue inventory purge. A trip downtown to sell a stack of old CDs, a quick jaunt to the Sally-Ann to drop off a couple garbage bags of old clothes, yet still I feel I haven't really accomplished anything. I don't know - maybe it's because I didn't make it outside for all that long, maybe it's because I spent basically the whole weekend by myself, maybe it's something else entirely. Maybe it's heartburn.

For an individual who considers himself to be one sharp cookie, I can't help but feel I'm going wrong somewhere - and I beat myself senseless for not being able to figure out what it is. I stopped into the bank on Friday afternoon to apply for a line of credit (no real necessity, just everyone keeps telling me what a 'good idea' it is) and found out that my current net worth - are you ready for this - is an incredible -$64. That ain't right. This strikes me as worse than finding that there's a price on your head; at least in that situation you know somebody is making a buck.

For an individual who considers himself to be sociable and possessed of a unique joie de vivre, I can't help but feel I spend a disproportionate amount of time flying solo - and I can't remember the last time I noticed someone noticing me. Now, as any who know me will certainly attest, I have long been particularly inept in this particular department, perhaps best illustrated by this unforgettable exchange at a party some years ago:

GIRL: "I want you."
ME: "To do what?
GIRL: "No, I want you."
ME: "Yeah... what for?"

Yes, I have taken naivete to new heights. I honestly thought she was looking for a favour (not that kind of favour, the 'I need your help' kind). I don't know, maybe living in Japan and being the recipient of all sorts of unwarranted attention just plain broke my radar.

Bah. I'd go on, but what's the point? It's Sunday evening, and I feel bad.

May 27, 2004

Yeah. Long time no see. This being the month of my birth, I've given myself a little slack in the update department. Heck, I haven't even come up with a quote for the month. That should illustrate just how much I've been reading lately. Just got home from the last game of my weekly 4-day ultimate schedule - cold, wet, tired and generally not in the mood for any exertion whatsoever in the culinary arts. Pizza for me.

I'd like to take this opporunity to note that it was awfully bold of me to state in my last entry that Kyoko's malaise might end up being the impetus for change in my life. Heh. Things are the same - please disperse, there's nothing to see here.

May 12, 2004

Well, so much for keeping my fingers crossed. Kyoko is up and running again, and I am $800 poorer for it. Turns out that it was not only the alternator that was hurting, but the timing belt as well. It never rains but it pours. It looks like I'm in for some serious reevaluation of summer plans. I'm thinking second job and multiple-individual domicile at the moment. For lack of a better word (as I am somewhat inebriated) - fuck.

However, it must be noted that as unfortunate a situation that this my seem, I have not allowed myself to be thrown off-keel. I have the feeling that this might be the impetus for change that I have been seeking for some time now. I recognize that this tendency toward complacency that has envelopped me has got to go. I might not have a whole heck of a lot going for me right now, but if there's one thing that I do have, it's grit. It is by knocking me down that I realize the game is on - and I sure as shit ain't gonna roll over and play dead.

May 11, 2004

I had originally intended to sit here and expound upon the joy of finally having a quiet, restful evening at home. Unfortunately, this was not to be. It has been one hell of a day - or evening, to be precise.

Ultimate season is in full swing and I have been playing like a fiend. Thrice-weekly league matches coupled with tournaments the first three weekends in May (yes, I know the third weekend is yet to come) has left me rather weary in the evenings. Should I be so fortunate as to find myself with a moment of free time, it usually must be spent either in preparation for a weekend journey or in the somewhat more banal cleaning of the apartment. Today, I had a pair of lower-level games to play, which usually ensures I have a small amount of energy left which I can use to catch up on my decidedly un-Herculean labours.

Well, after a good 3 hours of running around like a madman chasing errant passes and generally expending a whole lot more energy than I had intended to, I found myself in possession of the disc on our endzone line - last point, last game. I opted for the Hail Mary huck deep, wound up and released at full power... right into the face of my teammate who (for some unfathomable reason) had decided to cut in front of me. I don't mean to sound callous or heartless in any way, but when one is winding up for a long throw, the last thing you expect is traffic in front of you, particularly when said traffic is wearing the same colours as you. To make a long story short, the guy was a mess. I caught him right on the bridge of the nose... blood everywhere. Not exactly the way I had intended to end the day.

It gets better. We finished up the game and the victim (much to his credit, I must say), came up to me and apologized for running in front of me. Full marks. Anyway, we finished up, packed our bags and headed our separate ways. I got about a half a block before Kyoko (that's my van, for those who don't know me) started to shudder, lights on the dash dimmed significantly and... nothing. She died. A delightful finish to a wonderful day. I spent roughly an hour waiting for the tow truck to arrive - don't worry, there was a pub nearby - and ended up dropping Kyoko off at a local repair shop. The fellow driving the tow truck suggested that it is likely a busted alternator, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed that is is only the relay box acting up again. I guess I'll find out tomorrow.