It's late, I'm wiped, I can't think of anything witty to say. So: goodnight.

The Breast Chronicles

Another Blog I think you may find interesting.

For what some people are thinking, I have one suggestion for you: Keep it in your pants!

The Breast Chronicles is a blog from a lady in Britain with an (allegedly) 34DD chest size. She isn't - and won't - bare them for you. The whole point of this site is to help people come to terms with the idea of NOT considering breasts as sexual objects.

Getting home from work today was gruelling: 2 hours because the driver couldn't find the street. It didn't help that the other passenger was obnoxious about it; he couldn't relay to us in words the directions, just complain whebever he felt we were going the wrong way.

At least I got some potentially good news at work: they'll try to raise the funds to give me a larger salary. If that happens, my budget'll be very grateful.

- oh, I forgot to mention: our get-together with our out-of-town APA member yesterday went well. In fact, I think it was our largest group in a long time. We actually had to get another table to fit everyone!

I'm at work right now... working on a site I've translated for months, and the files I've uploaded won't show up on the server.

This is very frustrating.

I didn't succeed in job-hunting today. The heat and humidity kept me off of my feet for most of the day. My sole trip out resulted in me needing an hour's nap.

My one trip was to a local used CD store, to sell a few CDs that I don't like. I needed some cash for this evening, when I meet a very much out-of towner Comicopian for dinner.

A Kenny G CD netted me more money than one by Lauren Hill. What's wrong with THAT picture?

Morning hit a few hours ago here in Montreal.

Soon as my Meal Service delivers, I have to get cleaned up to try job-hunting. Wish me luck!

I've continued to earn my reputation of being prolific under deadline stress...

The next issue of Apacalypse (the gaming zine I'm part of) is due this coming Friday. I just completed a major chunk of my section today, some 12 pages of material.

All I have to do now for the zine is to add some more clip art to the piece, write some mailing comments, then put it in a PDF format for the editor, and I'm done.

... at least until next week, when I start pushing away at the next Comicopia...

After a wasted day of doing very little of anything, I have to try to get a few hours of work done.

It's funny; after dreading playing with Flash for so long, now I'm eager to try things in it... I just have to work with my body's energy and motivation.

SURVIVORblog

If you've been reading this Blog for awhile, you know how underwhelming Survivor was to me.

Still, this Survivor-style Blog is amusing to me.

Argh.

I found out yesterday that they can't increase my work hours, or increase my salary... it comes from a government grant (the company's not-for-profit), and there are no other funds to do it.

This means I'll have to do something I haven't succeeded in until now: find a second job to supplement my income.

It isn't due to pride... I'd be happy to work as a cashier at a music/book/video store. The problem is that I have a lot of degrees and skills on my resumé... many potential employers see me as overqualified.

I survived my PPV experience last night. Got about 6 hours of sleep before getting ready for work at the office though.

The sacrifices I make to save some cash.

Let's see: I put my supper in the stove, to eat in a few minutes.

I then head to a friend's home across town to watch the WWF SummerSlam.

When that's done, I race home to sleep, because I have to be up early tomorrow for my transport to work.

- and MS'ers are supposed to avoid stress... how?

I just tried to visit my online writing group, The Writer's Loft. My browser couldn't find the website.

I haven't been there in about a month. Has the group folded? If you know, please email me to let me know.

I have to get back to writing as if on steroids: my latest 'zine for Apacalypse is due next Friday.

With so many sad bits before this, I need some levity:

Two autos, one bullet fail to stop Rottweiler

As I read this, I saw the dog pulling a Terminator, saying "I'll be back!"

Carl Barks, 99, Dies

Like Jack Kirby, Carl Barks contribution to the art of comics will live on in memory for a long time to come.

I got very sad news yesterday: that a friend to my entire family, Lorretta Rodman, passed away this week. Even more upsetting, we wouldn't even know about it if my uncle (who sells caskets) hadn't been making a delivery to the same funeral home they were holding her services.

Lorretta was good friends with my grandparents on my mother's side; I never knew them, because they died in a car accident in the 1950s. Lorretta was our only link to them.

Lorretta introduced my Aunt to her later husband (something I'm sometimes not so sure was a blessing... but I digress.). When I was first diagnosed with MS, Lorretta suggested to one of her nephews, a fellow-sufferer, to call me. Lorretta herself called me often to get both our spirits up.

Her later years weren't pleasant: she had cancer, and due to her ailing health could no longer leave her home to do anything. I don't remember ever seeing her, but she told me her health had changed her dramatically.

I feel both sad and bad at her passing (not that death isn't an inevitable part of life); sad, because she was so alone for a long time, and probably died alone, with no one she loved nearby. Bad, because she always wanted to meet with me, and that never happened.

Good-bye Lorretta. Wherever you are now, if there is some form of an Afterlife, know that you did touch my life and many others... and that I'll never forget you.

I'm using part of my lunchbreak to post more thoughts here...

I've been playing around with ideas for the company website. As I learn new tricks with Flash, I want to use them (obviously...). The more Flashed sites I see on the web, the more I want to improve mine.

I thought about one of the news items I posted yesterday: that of the riots at the hip-hop awards.

It's really a shame, because those riots just reinforce a stereotype of African American culture that we've all been hoping would end: that a black event almost always ends in a riot.

The Chicago Bulls win the NBA playoffs? Time for a riot. The L.A. Lakers win? Another riot. I already mentioned the problems here in Montreal with the Carifiesta.

How can we end prejudice and stereotypes if people do their best to thwart efforts like this?

TIME.com's 'Survivor' FAQ File

If you're anything like me, you don't have any interest in "'Survivor". If so, you'll find this FAQ funny too.

Hip-hop awards show ends in chaos

How sad. It's much like the Carifiesta here in Montreal: all it takes are a small few to mess things up for everyone else.

Bizarre clone of a website discovered

Hokay... some people had too much time on their hands...

I'm taking a few minutes break from creating my job website in Flash. I just downloaded some images to clip in as part of logos.

I don't think I'd mentioned here that I've been getting more of a feel for the utility. I guess it started about a week ago, when the things I was trying to do started working.

Today I surprised myself: I finally got to a hospital where I had to take a blood test for a few weeks now... and it didn't really hurt.

Most of you who read this don't yet know me, but my friends who do know this about me: I hate needles. In fact, I'm mildly needle-phobic.

Either the lab-tech today was gentle, or was using a new, less painful needle. Either way, I hardly felt it this time.

(Not that I want to do it very often from now on...)

DeGeneres and Heche split

Gee... Hollywood's premiere lesbian couple are splitsville? I'm so devasteted... not.

When will Ellen DeGenres accept that her series didn't die because she came out... it died because it just wasn't funny?

Sub crew 'all dead'

By this point, it was almost a foregone conclusion, but we still held out some hope.

Our first majorly public international tragedy of the new century (the crash of a Concorde being the first).

I must be showing my age...

There's a popular song with the young crowd now: Jessica Simpson's "I Think I'm in Love". Well, the musical riff to the song is one for a totally different tune: "Jack and Diane" by John Cougar Mellencamp - a song I heard when it first came out!

Man, I'm old.

For some reason, this Blog doesn't want to publish much. Let's see if this post gets through.

There'll be an archive section here soon, BTW; it's a shame to leave old postings inaccessible otherwise.

I've just tweaked a few files on this site... mind you, what webmeister doesn't tweak their sites often?

Godzilla 2000

Call me an old softy at heart... but Godzilla is camp fun I've loved since childhood.

Napster Lawyer Accuses Judge Of Record-Industry Bias

Finally, Napster fights back!

Russian Admiral Acknowledges Explosion Inside Sub

If you are in any way religious, give a prayer for the men lost here.

Another day up at 7:30 am... a Saturday, for Pete's sake!

Last night, I went to the same local restaurant/hangout that my friends and I have been to almost every Friday for nearly 10 years now. I brought a copy of Comicopia with me for a guy who had confirmed would be there. He wasn't.

It burns a lot of my not-unlimited energy to carry stuff heavy like that around all the time. This person seems to take pride in being un-dependable. Good going, pal.

I saw a physical therapist about the Rollator that I have on loan. Seems it's not something I can currently use.

It isn't very heavy, but it would be difficult for me to balance while trying to get back in the house right now.

Next thing to try then!

Digital Nation: Napster's Judgment Daze

Notice a thread-theme to what news I Blog?

This just shows yet again how the bigwigs don't at al understand Napster.

Tony's Online Tips - August 18, 2000

Tony is a writer I very much respect... and his views today on the Republican candidate I find very astute.

I got up early this morning (7:30 on a non-workday is early), intending to go in for a much-delayed blood test at my hospital... but I don't feel the energy levels to do it yet. Instead, I'm waiting for my laundry service guy to show up.

Gee, WWF representation did go to the Democratic Convention after all...

I guess L. Brent Bozell of the PTC and Phil Mushnick will have scathing, foam-at-the-mouth ravings about this.

Today was a far more satisfying day for me... it started with me at the office, working more with Flash and making everything I tried work. In fact, I ended up redoing a large chunk of the test site using new stuff I learned.

I also got my paycheck today. Not so good, as I've figured out how much I'll have left after I pay some expenses tomorrow; I really have to earn more, again.

My day's frustrations continued: Meals-on-Wheels came around 2:30; by the time I could head out for a blood test at my hospital, the lab had closed. As a result, I'll be running around like mad Friday to get everything done that I intended to.

At least I got a few more hours done on my Flash test-site for work.

Frustrating morning:

Trying to work on my Flash site for work, I can't make things work, even though they're using tricks I've already made work. Frustration.

My Meals-on-Wheels service called me. They have a different driver while the usual one is on holiday. They couldn't find my home, so they haven't come to deliver. Maybe later.

Frustration.

Just how idiotic can one person get? Read this article.

Phil Muschnick has used the WWF to fuel endless vomitous articles in the New York Post. He practically pounces on any death in the industry as more proof against wrestling that it deserves to be banned. He practically drools in pleasure that someone has died, he doesn't have any respect for them, just sees them as fuel for his fire.

I've said this in other places: write to the NY Post. Request that they remove Phil Mushnick from publication. He's a soulless individual who deserves nothing less than to be put out on the streets.

Creativity flourishes online

I guess this blows part of the big companies' beliefs out of the water: they insist that electronic music formats are stiffling artist creativity.

UPNâ??s future looks bleak

A pity if this happens. WWF Smackdown! airs on this network. Where it would go if UPN crumbles I don't know.

I spoke with my neurologist this afternoon. Seems I wasn't anemic because of my medication... so that may still be with me.

Meanwhile, I'm waiting for the local CLSC (a community medical assistence organization) to bring me a Rollator (a walker with a seat built in). They told me they could come between 1:30 and 4:30pm. As it's almost 3:30 now, I can see that they're going for the later end of that.

Aol Takes Down Nullsoft Mp3 Engine

Then again, the battle is far from over...

Mind you, this is AOL we're talking about.

Aimster: The Napster Of IM?

AS predicted, the goverment can try to stamp it out, but MP3 sharing is here to stay.

Up, Up and On-Air: New Superhero TV

As always, the press tried to dumb this down... but as an avid comic reader and a writer, I'm eager to see if they can get things right this time!

Hideho!

I finally got to my comic shop today. Finally, because new book day is Wednesday. Nothing in my reserve, but I'm not complaining; funds are tight this week because of the APA. Not too bad, the fact that the heat forced me to sleep almost an hour after I got home.

I spent the day finishing my week's hours on Flash, at least. I finally have a handle on masks, how they work and what they do.

My friend brought me my part of the copies of Comicopia 60 this afternoon. Each copy weighs about 1 kilogram (2.5 lbs)!

I've been trying to get to various web forums to yak today. Frakkin' Microsoft... IE5 seems to cause crashes everytime I try to logon them. Worse, my copy of WordPerfect 2000 crashed this evening too - and I was planning to get a massive head-start on my zine for issue 61.

It's still sinking in that issue 60 of Comicopia will be so huge!

I woke up around 8 this morning, now I'm trying to get caught up on about 100 emails I didn't read while I got my contribution ready.

Today, I brought my 37 page contribution for Comicopiato be photocopied. I learned from my co-runner Mike (actually the guy in charge since I stepped down) that the issue will be weighing in at over 400 pages.

Tenth Anniversary, and I never gave up hope we'd reach such a page-count. Hopefully it's something we'll soon repeat - and not just in another 10 years!

Today brought a small victory in my studies on Macromedia Flash: I finally made a tween work!

(Tweening, for those who don't know the term, is the frames between an on-screen movement.)

What amazes me most is that making it work was a simple thing, albeit one not explained in any of the literature I read... except for the website I looked at this morning.

I was very sad to hear about Senator Joe Lieberman being appointed as Al Gore's running mate resulted in folks posting hate materials on the net.

I've already spoken of my contempt for his political stance (being a board member of the PTC), but here people are posting racist hate based on him being Jewish.

How sad it is that such racism is still alive and well into the 21st century.

Prince Backs Napster

Finally, an artist (or The Artist) comes out in favor of this program!

UFO hunters search NSA documents on Web

Conspiracy theorists and UFO-logists, rejoice in more info! :)

I spent a large part of the day online, although I wasn't updating this Blog. It was too hot to do much (I have to go to the Royal Victoria hospital for a blood test, but I felt too tired from the weather to get cleaned up until late), so I spent as much time as possible checking out Flash tutorials online.

I did get something constructive done during the day, at least: I finished my latest column for Fight City, and uploaded it to the site. I also posted the suggestion of turning it into a Blog; I'll wait to read some reactions.

Napster's 'Safe Harbor' Sinks

More grief for Napster... I know my newsclip choices haven't been very Jazz-related of late, but they do reflect on the things that make opinions for me.

Gore introduces Lieberman as the Democratic vice presidential candidate

Here's the step that killed Gore's chances entirely. Having a V-P candidate whose general message is that he's intolerant of change (thanks to the PTC) is the last thing the Democrats needed.

The article says Gore is worried about George W. Bush's popularity lead; reading that, I can't understand why he'd go for a running mate with such conservative opinions.

I have to get this off my chest. I wanted to post it as a separate entry from the last so that it wouldn't ruin that update:

Democratic Presidential candidate Al Gore chose his running mate. I don't have the man's name in front of me... but while he's a Jewish senator (which is a plus to me), he's also on the board of the PTC - the thought-cops trying to wipeout the World Wrestling Federation.

This is a serious mistake. First off, it almost guarantees that neither will there likely be a WWFpresence at the Democratic convention, it also likely means that of the 14 million elligible voters among the federations audience, few will vote for the Democrats. They may well have slit their own throats with this.

The Republicans winning would be a disaster. No matter the image they try to portray, it's still a party that supports being a White wealthy Christian male, and essentially will shaft anyone who doesn't fit that identity.

I'm sorry this Blog hasn't been updated in four days. Considering how easily I could keep this updated, it's a sin. The reasons: I was on a trip to visit family in Vermont on the weekend, and I did try to login for updates, but couldn't get a stable connection to do so.

I went to hear my cousin Ellen hold a redital. Ellen is studying to be a doctor, but she's also a trained Soprano operatic singer. If she applied herself in that field, I'm confident she could be one of our generation's Soprano divas. She's that good.

While there, we went shopping at Walmart and Costco. Both surprised me in how adapted/accessible they were: Costco had wheelchairs to loan for use getting around, and Walmart had motorized chair-scooters available!

I finally got a new VCR while there; considering I've had the same one for a decade, it was about time. :)

I planned to post another newsfeed link, about Napster getting a "stay of execution", but NewsBlogger was acting up on it...

Today is actually the day I've published to this Blog the most so far. I guess it's safe to say that I like the technology...

I'm thinking to update my personal website, making the Writer's Journal a Blog too. After more than four years of doing a monthly journal, this would give me the chance to update it more (I'm currently 3 months behind)... also I'm considering changing my 'ABomanation' column on Fight City to one as well. A weekly column has been tough to do; this would also help me to update it more often.

Gnutella

I've used this utility much more often than Napster. I like that extra level of protection. :]

B.O. FORECAST: A 'Hollow' Weekend

I'm interested still in the idea of 'Hollow Man' and - being a red-blooded testosterone machine :> - want to see 'Coyote Ugly' too.

Leah J. Welch, 76, advocate for disabled people

I didn't know about Mrs. Welch, but as a disabled person myself, I'm glad we had someone like this on our side. Rest In Peace.

This is very, VERY frustrating: I just received the first email update on Primedia, a Toronto-based media convention that I've attended since 1995, but decided after the immense screw-up of last year not to attend this time.

So what do they announce? that Alyson Court, a lovely and talented actress who I saw there years ago, is a confirmed guest for the coming year.

I'm quite smitten with her... now I'll have to find a way to get to Toronto for the con.

GOP's Piece of the Rock

What do you know? The GOP didn't cave to the PTC (Parents Television Council), to keep the Rock off.

I guess that the PTC aren't taken very seriously at all... good!

I'm at the office, downloading the MSIE 5.5 upgrade while learning how to do new things with Flash. Last night I learned about using Alpha to create fades in and out. Now I'm using it to animate some text.

My Animation studies really come in handy now; I used to use fade-in and fade-out techniques for effects in my movie projects there too; since this all works on a timeline similar to those days, I know what to do to make it all look good.

Universal Music Testing Digital Downloads.

When will the suits learn that creating new digital music formats just to control them backfires? Web-citizens don't ever support attempts to control them.

At least this is a way to get some George Benson music...

I managed to print up all of my Comicopia section by early day today. 37 pages total, counting front and back covers. My 10th Anniversary zine will indeed break personal records.

I also got a large chunk of my next article for Fight City done. I want to get back to a weekly schedule. I'm frustrated that mine seems to be the only column that gets updated on the site though.

I'm considering turning the column into a Blog, so that I can update it more frequently.

Great fortune and blessings...

Today I continued my search for missing CDs. I still didn't find them, but I did find a possession I hold dear that has been missing from my radar lately: a photo.

Specifically, it's a photo taken at Con*Cept 98, one of me with fandom legend, Forry Ackerman.

I could fill this entire Blog page with ravings about Forry; suffice to say, he's the current living legend of science-fiction and fantasy fandom.