Mr. Inconsistencies

Lets play catch up shall we?

So I told you I'd follow up on all those topics I mentioned? Here it goes.

Finding Rage:

No I haven't suddenly gone off the deep-end and found my inner Hulk. I've always thought the line "You wont like me when I'm angry" was pretty bad ass, but I don't think it applies just now. No, what I'm referring to, my faithful friends, is Richard Bachman's Rage. Most of you know by now that I'm a pretty massive Stephen King fan. I'm not sure if I've ever really explained why though. You would assume I enjoy horror right? Fear, macabre, things that go bump in the night? Nope, not really. I don't scare easily, I'm not afraid of the dark, and I don't find Kings books 'Grip me with fear'.

What I like the most about his work, is his uncanny ability to write characters, even if those characters turn out to be really Really REALLY fucked up people. What matters is how believable they are. His use of language is especially intoxicating. All of his characters seem to speak as individuals with their own voices, people you could imagine meeting on the street. It's oh so easy to forget that behind it all is one man, one man with MANY voices, pulling all the strings, creating a story.

Stephen Kings earliest work didn't win him any acclaim, hell they didn't even get published (initially). But eventually he dug out those manuscripts he had, and put them out under the Pseudonym of Richard Bachman. I won't get into WHY he did it, that's a story in and of itself, but they published in fairly small print runs, straight to paperback and didn't make much of a impact in the horror market until it was publicized that Bachman was actually King.

Of the four novels originally published as Bachman, I now own three in first edition paperback. The rarest, most prized, and most valuable of the four is by far Rage I recently found a copy in a used book store for a unspeakably cheap $5. Suffice to say I damn near tripped over myself buying it, and even the clerk commented on how he was surprised that it made it to the shelf. I suppose another co-worker with less knowledge on the subject let it slip through the cracks. Their loss is my gain, and I couldn't be happier.

Mind Games - Rubik's Cubes

Recently I've been intrigued by the oh-so retro Rubik's Cube. I can't really explain why, but I think I have a co-worker to blame. I remember having one as a child and never really getting a handle on it. It got junked I think, mystically finding it's way to the trash or a Goodwill. It's funny how those not so loved childhood toys seem to vanish. Was it our parents that took it upon themselves to weed out the toys we didn't love and toss them? or were we so ruthless as children that we actually ditched these things ourselves?

Anywho, I'm learning how to solve the classic 3x3 Rubik's Cube. I've solved it a few times now after learning how on the wonderful interwebs. Alas I still need to consult a walk through when I get close to the end of solving a cube. Hopefully I can learn the tricks and twists and commit them to memory.

Solving a Rubik's Cube, like juggling, is just one of those things I always wanted to put under my belt.

Oh These Sinking Relation-Ships

You know, this is the subject I felt I had the most to say about. Now that I'm here, I don't know how to get it all out there. I had envisioned something witty and satirical, poignant and perhaps a little bitter.

Recently I've been pretty disenchanted with Relationships. Not love so to speak, but relationships and how they operate. I've been witness to SO many poorly built, carelessly maintained, emotionally stunted relationships, that I was beginning to doubt their validity. In many cases they did seem like sinking ships, being bailed out by one party or the other. While their partners just laid on the bullshit, emotional blackmail, and general douche-baggery.

What I like least I think is how people seem to let their partners ride. I'm all for forgiveness and second chances, miscommunication is of course bound to happen and working through it can be a great learning and connecting experience. But when one person in a relationship feels they can control, manipulate, or otherwise manhandle their partner, then I start to get royally pissed off.

What's worst is that in most cases this only works because of the closeness of the two. Anyone with an outsiders perspective can see these huge glaring problems, the repeated emotional blackmail and jerk moves are often clear to everyone but the only person they need to be.

I've been blessed in my life to have dated only very open minded understanding women, and I plan on keeping that streak alive. I just hate to see really REALLY good people tied down to mediocre if not down right crappy ones. But I suppose even assholes get to date right?

Interlude

The next two categories tie together so I'll keep it short.
If you're still reading this then I applaud you. My blog truly is my minds dumping ground, so if this all interests you, then I'm surprised and glad. I do try and keep it entertaining, but I also know that what I care about is not what others may care about, so it'd be interesting to see what 'hits' and what 'misses'. This is what the comments are for! Help me out and give me some feedback will ya?

Moving right along...

Writers Vacations, Motivations, and Deadlines + Skipping Town

So I applied at UBC, and for those not in the know that's the University of British Columbia. I applied for a Bachelor of Fine Arts with a major in Creative Writing. Where the writing and deadlines come into play is a result of part of the application.

I have to submit a few written pieces along with a cover letter to attempt to get accepted to this very wonderful, very very tiny program. How tiny you ask? Well there are only about fifty students in the course. Apparently each year they receive something like 60-75 applicants and they only take 20 or 25.

Already the odds are stacked against me, my GPA at U of T wasn't all that and a bag of chips. Hell it was hardly even the bag of chips...but if you've been following along you'll know that I've managed to pass 95% of the classes I've taken, so hopefully the fact that I was in "good standing" will carry me off to UBC.

I'll have to write another letter trying to get exempt from a second year course that's a pre-requisite for the degree, but I suppose that if I don't get into the creative writing course first try I could always do a year of English, get the pre-requisite course, and apply again next year. What the hell, it only costs about $17'000 a year to go to school out there, what's one more year?

Hundred Hour Pay Periods

Pretty self explanatory I should hope, we're implementing a new program at work (Microsoft Dynamics, for those who might care) and I've been brought back in as a full timer. On some weeks I even work a heart wrenching 6 days out of 7. The upside to all this work is the big money pay cheques.

I regret to inform that my head has been up my ass however, and I've been spending far too much. Home Work Assignment - Remind me to knock that off alright?

Eat Me Some Sushi

So I've never been terribly adventurous with my food. Oh I'm not against trying new things, I just don't often find new things that I wholly enjoy when it comes to the dinner table.

Recently I was invited out for Sushi with some friends at a place in downtown Toronto called, appropriately enough, Sushi Island. We had a great big all out can eat affair and I scarfed down all kinds of foods I'd never had before. Much to my surprise and overall joy, I really REALLY liked almost everything I tried.

Since then I've been out to have Sushi right here in Pickering, and while it wasn't quite as good, it certainly hit the spot.

Who knew right?

Ah yes, we come to the end. Up for a bonus topic? cause I got one more in me

Bands of Note


So I told you all last time out about my friend Zach's wicked band Savanah? Well they're playing a show this week in Toronto's Kensington Market. The venue is a club called The Boat, and they're playing on Tuesday night. Suffice it to say that I'm stoked, and plan on heading out to hear some of their new material.

In related news one of my other brothers had an opening show on this very night. Family excluded, this dude snags the title of longest standing friend, and one of the very best of the best. I'm referring of course, to one mr. "Down Town, Evan Brown". His band Artifice had their first ever live show in London, and while I couldn't be there to cheer him and his band on, I hope he knows I was there in spirit.

Cheers boys, here's to the many more shows to come.

Lastly I want to say thank God for Vampire Weekend's first album (self titled), it's gotten me through about two weeks of shitty weather and sleep deprived days. A special shout out to my friend Ash for introducing me. If you're a fan of Bedouin Sound Clash and The Shins, then I highly suggest you give this album a spin.

If you can't find the disc, try giving it a listen over on http://www.grooveshark.com

If you're still with me then I want to say Thank You. I write mostly for myself, I'll admit it, but if it wasn't for you then I would never put myself out there like I do here on Absent Minded Man.

Cheers.