My Life is A Drama Free Zone: June 2007

I graduated highschool for a reason, and it wasn't to go to college.

June 23, 2007

They killed the drop zone! Bastards!

I used to make a regular habbit of taking that ride during my all too frequent visits to Canada's Wonderland, and now, the nastyish rumor mill has gone on to say that, and several related rides at other parks, hit the closed line after an accident that involved one teenaged kid in hospital. Um–oh my. Wow. That's just… not cool. I didn't think there was really anything to cause real injury on a ride like that. It's, maybe, all of 15 seconds of weightlessness and all that jazze. I guess because it's the first I've heard of it it's kinda odd to believe. But, I guess… could happen, hm? Note to self: Think twice before introducing everyone I know to that ride. Or… something. Maybe.

Stuck under musings by James at 12:13 AM

June 22, 2007

Go Toskala go!

This could become very, very good news. Not that I thought Raycroft sucked, really–okay, so he was no Cujo. Oh well. But… hey, we didn't have much of a backup goalie before either. Now, at least we have that. Don't get me started on the Carlo signing for 3 years… I'm still sellebrating what might actually be something good coming out of San Jose. Yay NHL offseason!

Stuck under Sharks, maple leafs by James at 11:59 PM

You've received a postcard from a family member!

I got this in my email now at least… um… I'm gonna say, uh… twice. But I don't have any family members who'd send me postcards–particularly not from Hong Kong. If the email says whatever.hk, it's not any family of mine. On the bright side, I know how people are managing to deliver viruses and crapola lately. The prospect of a tech support guy finding this in his email is, uh–amusing. Or maybe I'm showing the fact I've been here way too long. That's a distinct possibility. Oh well, whatcha gonna do? I'm gonna go back and pay attention to this call.

Stuck under musings, random crap by James at 5:18 AM

Has American culture ruined you?

You've Been a Little Ruined by American Culture

Whether you live in the US or not, deep down you're a little American. And there's nothing wrong with loving American culture, but it may have negative effects on your life. Slow down and enjoy what you have. Reconnect with life's simple pleasures. You don't need to be in a consumerist rat race. Life's too short to overwork yourself!

Has American Culture Ruined You?

There is nothing wrong with st acking up the credit, then planting a huge purchase in your living room. Or bedroom. I mean, after all–that's how my birthday present's coming to me.

Stuck under quizes by James at 1:01 AM

June 21, 2007

4Real?

Surprise, surprise. Yet another buncha stupidity from people who probably shouldn't be parents. Now, a New Zealand couple wants to name their kid 4Real (uh, 4real? How's the capitalization work for that?). Because they couldn't believe he was actually here. Uh, mm'kay. And the only reason it was denied was because names can't start with a numeral. I think–mind you, this is just one poor sop's opinion–they really didn't wanna come right out and say "Y'know what? Stop with the ridiculous names and we'll approve you.". Dunno why… I've got no problem saying that. Gees, do people have an aversion to Bill or something?

Stuck under fubars, rantings by James at 11:16 PM

June 16, 2007

Somebody skipped out on Common Sense 101.

After an Applebee's restaurant accidentally served a 2-year-old a margarita, all the management pretty much said about it was "We're sure it was accidental.". Of course, serving the two in identical containers, you'd think they'd have, you know, expected the mistake to be made eventually. To this, though… I just have one very tiny little question. Which is the more ridiculous? That they were stupid enough to use identical containers in the first place, or that it took something like that to happen before they realized, oh yeah–there's the distinct possibility you could wind up giving a kid alcohol. Inquiring minds want to know. Good call, Kim–people capable of that level of moronicness are beneath just about everyone. I strongly recommend Mcdonalds… the food's not as good, but they don't serve alcohol.

Stuck under fubars, oops, rantings by James at 6:29 PM

June 15, 2007

Is your family disfunctional?

Because it's been way too long.

Your Family Is 38% Dysfunctional

Your family isn't perfect, but everyone's pretty good at working things out. There's probably been a bit of family drama in your past… and who's to say it's over? As long as your family communicates openly and respects one another everything should be fine. Everyone in your family does love one another. They just may not be so good at showing it.

Is Your Family Dysfunctional?

Oh yeah–there's drama. Lots of it.

Stuck under quizes by James at 1:55 AM

Now that's a distraction.

So I'm waiting for the local bus that gets me from my transfer point to the office, and this rather nice young lady who just so happens to be taking the same bus pulls up a seat about… oh 5 feet away from me and starts playing a guitar. At first, I figured… okay, it's the beginning of summer–she's probably just doing like those curb-side musicians do and just playing… well, because. But she was good. Nice singing voice, too. Probably someone I met in passing before but eh, still. So I'm just kinda standing there, half listening, and she goes into a version of "Tiny Dancer". I never was really that big of an elton John fan, but trust me, I almost wanted to go back home and pick mine up for the first time in… um… well okay, like 6 or 7 months–I don't have time to play anymore. Sue me. It was a cool distraction before work, though. Who knows? Maybe that whole 6 degrees of seperation theory will come into play here and I'll see her again. Or maybe not. Either way, that was a break from the usual routine from work, and a very pleasant one. If I knew half the other songs she was singing, I might have joined in. Hey–it could happen. I don't suck that badly. Or… so I'm told.

Stuck under Dell, musings by James at 12:05 AM

June 14, 2007

I'm dyin' over here. Of boredom.

Wednesday nights/Thursday mornings are perhaps the worst nights to be working. There's 36 people on the floor, or there abouts, and enough calls for maybe… uh… I'm gonna be generous and say 25. So at any given time, after about 3:00 in the morning, I get to sit here and go *twitch* until I get a call. Which could be half an hour… could be an hour. At least I used to keep myself entertain keeping track of people's stats and the like–but we're apparently not doing that anymore. So now, it's *twitch, twitch, flop* until someone goes and calls me. And with 20 people waiting for calls… I could be waiting a while. Just another day at the office, and another dime earned. Can I go home yet?

Stuck under Daily Crap, Dell by James at 5:15 AM

June 13, 2007

Did I miss anything else while I was sleeping?

In a relative twist of my usually drama free life–thank God, as if there's one thing I really hate it's familial drama, the mother ended up calling this morning. Not entirely out of the ordinary… she usually picks a bad time to call. So we're doing our usual conversing and whatnot, and talk eventually gets around to a supposed fight I was apparently having with someone. Names were named, but to protect the innocent they won't be named here. It was pretty much asked point blank, though, if the reason said individual hadn't been over lately happened to be because we were fighting/not speaking/whatever. To which I, of course, promptly responded with my own point blank "What the hell?" I mean… it's not entirely out of the realm of possibility that it could happen, or could have already happened and I'm just being clueless, but I don't think I'd not be aware of something like that. Which only leads me to one conclusion. The great Pembroke grapevine's working overtime again. Yes, mom. Me working nights plus person working days just happens to mean we're fighting. If anything… not talking might be more appropriate, but only in the sense that neither of us has picked up a phone/opened an IM window in a grand total of *gasps* a whole week. But that's not quite as gossip-worthy, I guess. Hm, if I sold my family on ebay would I get away with it? Someone already tried selling his mother-in-law…

Stuck under family, only in pembroke, rantings by James at 6:04 PM

June 12, 2007

The things you learn when you don't feel like sleeping.

Things like… 5:00 in the morning is the perfect time if you plan to take a walk in Ottawa. The only thing I could hear this morning besides the sound of my own breathing and the birds was… well… more birds. And the occasional car. But nothing like what it'll be at around about midday. Or what it's starting to be right now. Granted, it was only maybe 15 minutes each way, but still. Unless you're walking down Baseline, which on a good day is still insane, it's just… damn peaceful. If there was a park or something along the route I was walking, I could probably kill half the morning there. That is, if I didn't already have plans. But… can of coke gone, blogs hopped, I now go sleep. Who knows? Maybe I'll do it again this afternoon. Or… maybe I'll get some cleaning done. Or maybe I won't. We shall see.

Stuck under Ottawa, musings by James at 5:52 AM

June 8, 2007

He's a vulcan, that simple!

Man undergoing surgery found to have green blood. Shweet. Star trek turned reality. I approve of this.

Stuck under random crap by James at 12:42 AM

June 7, 2007

Bet what you do when you're sick isn't as odd as me.

Typical sickly behaviour for most people probably consists of popping a pill or two… or three if you're some people I know, finding a place to flake out/fall over, and not moving until doing so doesn't provoke pain of the head or other such body parts. Which… would make sense. Unless you're me. Apparently, my typical (as in, apparently, since I just started doing so) behaviour is a little more… I wanna say productive, but stupid might be more appropriate. I've developed a slightly off recovery routine which consists primarily of:

• Realize something's developing, flake out for a bit in the afternoon, figure it'll go away eventually–that's usually an accurate prediction.


• Come to the eventual acceptance, about half an hour before I have to leave for work, that going in tonight would just be all around not a good idea.


• Make the requisit phone calls to managers and others so they don't fire my ass for just saying screw it, even though there are some people on my to call list I'd of preferred to say screw it to–I love my job, but nothing says corperation quite like the second thing some departments ask you after your name is your ID number and I was in no mood for corperate bullshit.


• Turn the hockey game on, try to sleep through the first period, give up on that after 15 minutes.


• Turn the hockey game off, try to sleep without the second period, realize it's just not sleep time yet, apparently.


• Get fed up, turn the game back on, catch the score, then brag about it a little between periods. It's at least let up a bit by now. Can't undo the phone call, though.


• Half pay attention to the third period whilst making something to eat, stopping only to see the Senators miss a penalty shot–by the way, I'm not done rubbing it in yet… I have a list–figuring nothing else is working, maybe food will.


• Stand in front of my TV during the last 3 minutes of the third period, trying to decide if I feel any better or if I've just forgotten about it.


• Decide I do, in fact, feel a bit better, proceed to rub it in a little more that yes, as I predicted, the Sens *did* choke. Huge.


• Do a bit of blog hopping, discover a new blog or two to read, and rediscover some blogs I haven't read in a while. Think about possibly sleeping again, don't actually get there, of course.


• Look at the clock, 3:32. Shake my head, immediately regret shaking my head. Check the time again, yup, still 3:32.


• Contemplate taking the basket of clothes sitting at the end of my bed downstairs to the pot smelling basement for the purposes of washing them, decide since I'd be working anyway and therefore awake at this ungodly hour anyway, to do so.


• Come to two crutial realizations about this apartment building while taking my clothes to said pot smelling basement.




1. At 4 in the morning, said pot smelling basement does not, in fact, smell like pot. Or the smell isn't noticeable either because I'm used to it or because I'm still suffering whatever had me calling into work earlier and can't notice it. Both are distinct possibilities and will require further pondering.


2. Contrary to what I first thought, I am not the only fool still awake at 4 in the morning, as evidenced by the lady across the hall from the laundry room still having her TV on. I could hear it in the hall, which indicates she's got it loud enough that if she were sleeping, she'd be in a coma. Good to know.




• Realize once getting back upstairs the stubborn headache and possibly whatever else was still hanging on have started to let up, rather noticeably. Although there is the possibility my coming upstairs may have simply coincided with the tylenol kicking in. Further investigation required.


• Remind myself I did decide, the last time I did laundry at 4 in the morning, I wasn't going to do this anymore. Decide screw it, it had to get done anyway.

And here I am, should be sleeping, definitely should be working, and doing neither. Unless housework counts. Who needs a doctor? This prescription's working awesome so far.

Update:

Stuck under musings by James at 3:08 AM

June 6, 2007

I worship the hockey gods eternally.

Ducks win. Season is done. Sens are done. I'm fucking thrilled. Final score: 6 2. The cup will never go to Ottawa. Ducks, I promise you, I will never not cheer for you again. Unless Toronto's playing. Then I hope you choke. But that's just hockey. And hockey is good. The sens are done. So hockey is good.

Stuck under Mighty Ducks, PLAYOFFS, Senators by James at 10:46 PM

Go ducks go!

Yes, I know, I haven't done nearly the hockey/NHL blogging as I'd previously threatened to–a problem that will be corrected next hockey season. But that being said… it's now the end of the second period. Ottawa is losing 4 2. And I, yes me, am fucking extatic. I called in sick to work tonight–I actually *was* sick, so stuff your opinions–and am subsequently watching this game, in spite of the fact I vowed never, ever to subject myself to a Senators game in which Toronto wasn't playing and/or kicking their ass. But… I made an exception for game 4 because there was beer on the line–you owe me by the way, you know who you are. I'm watching game 5 because, well, watching Ottawa lose in the playoffs is an awesome thing indeed. And I live in Ottawa… how messed up is that? Not that it should surprise those who know me–my Maple Leaf fandom is well documented. And would be better documented except, well, again I've been lazy on my hockey/NHL blogging. My early as hell new years resolution: correct that. After I finish watching Ottawa lose. Again, go Ducks go!

Stuck under Mighty Ducks, PLAYOFFS, Senators by James at 9:41 PM

June 2, 2007

Happy June! 'N such.

This is what happens when I can't come up with a more creative title. But… who's counting? Ordinarily I'd be up to my eyeballs in calls… but… thank the gods for system outages, now it's "we're updating, call back tomorrow". And I get paid to just sit here and be all kinds of cute. Or… at least… all kinds of lazy. Lazy is good. Coffee is good. I have no coffee. Entertainment is good. And speaking of entertainment…

Recently the following undocumented Windows 95 error codes were found. Microsoft forgot to explain them in the manuals, so they will be spread via the Internet.

WinErr: 001 Windows loaded - System in danger
WinErr: 002 No Error - Yet
WinErr: 003 Dynamic linking error - Your mistake is now in every file
WinErr: 004 Erroneous error - Nothing is wrong
WinErr: 005 Multitasking attempted - System confused
WinErr: 006 Malicious error - Desqview found on drive
WinErr: 007 System price error - Inadequate money spent on hardware
WinErr: 008 Broken window - Watch out for glass fragments
WinErr: 009 Horrible bug encountered - God knows what has happened
WinErr: 00A Promotional literature overflow - Mailbox full
WinErr: 00B Inadequate disk space - Free at least 50MB
WinErr: 00C Memory hog error - More Ram needed. More! More! More!
WinErr: 00D Window closed - Do not look outside
WinErr: 00E Window open - Do not look inside
WinErr: 00F Unexplained error - Please tell us how this happened
WinErr: 010 Reserved for future mistakes by our developers
WinErr: 011 Window open - Do not look outside
WinErr: 012 Window closed - Do not look inside
WinErr: 013 Unexpected error - Huh ?
WinErr: 014 Keyboard locked - Try anything you can think of.
WinErr: 018 Unrecoverable error - System has been destroyed. Buy a new one. Old Windows licence is not valid anymore.
WinErr: 019 User error - Not our fault. Is Not! Is Not!
WinErr: 01A Operating system overwritten - Please reinstall all your software. We are terribly sorry.
WinErr: 01B Illegal error - You are not allowed to get this error. Next time you will get a penalty for that.
WinErr: 01C Uncertainty error - Uncertainty may be inadequate.
WinErr: 01D System crash - We are unable to figure out our own code.
WinErr: 01E Timing error - Please wait. And wait. And wait. And wait.
WinErr: 01F Reserved for future mistakes of our developers.
WinErr: 020 Error recording error codes - Additional errors will be lost.
WinErr: 042 Virus error - A virus has been activated in a dos-box. The virus, however, requires Windows. All tasks will automatically be closed and the
virus will be activated again.
WinErr: 079 Mouse not found - A mouse driver has not been installed. Please click the left mouse button to continue.
WinErr: 103 Error buffer overflow - Too many errors encountered. Additional errors may not be displayed or recorded.
WinErr: 678 This will end your Windows session. Do you want to play another game?
WinErr: 683 Time out error - Operator fell asleep while waiting for the system to complete boot procedure.
WinErr: 815 Insufficient Memory - Only 50.312.583 Bytes available

Exposed! Now the mystery of the later operating systems has been uncovered! Too bad they didn't do much better with the ridiculousness of the OS's until XP. Ahem… *cough cough* I'm getting paid to say the exact opposite. But if you're reading this blog, you probably weren't on the phone with me as a Dell employee so… um… deal with it.

Yes, I was bored. Again… blame the fact I can't actually help people with 95% of what they call me about. Go tool outage!

Stuck under Dell, Microsoft, musings, random crap by James at 4:51 AM