The Penalty Box

This year was an interesting one to say the least.  One that included graduation, finding a job and reaching a level of apathy I thought I would never reach.

The year started off with CUTC, which kinda sucked.  Being out in Markham, Ontario meant we were in the equivalent of Richmond, BC.  Close enough to Toronto for local residents to go home after conference activities but far out enough to make going anywhere a giant pain in the ass for non-residents.  This meant all those that lived there buggered off around 5pm; coupled with the fact that the hotel spread all the delegates all over the hotel, there wasn’t really a chance for any post-activity interaction.  Most people stayed in their hotel rooms and didn’t come out, which was pretty lame.  The tech fair wasn’t much better, as most companies didn’t sound very interested in people not from Ontario.  Way to dispell the “Centre of the Universe” hatred there.

The rest of the semester went fairly smoothly, aside from the End of Semester Social.  I had organized the previous three and really didn’t want to do that one.  Unfortunately, we had a rather PHB-like VPA which would’ve ended up, something I’m not really going to start ranting about.  Suffice to say, as the semester drew to a close, my level of frustration increased exponentially, and it had nothing to do with schoolwork.  I ended up organizing it again and that, combined with the end of my term as Treasurer, really sent me over the metaphorical apathy edge.  I just stopped caring and, over the summer, didn’t really do a whole lot of Society-related stuff.  It surprised me at how much I stopped caring, mainly because I had spent a majority of my time at SFU as an executive in the CSSS.  However, that didn’t really last, as when the end of the summer drew near, I got involved with FroshWeek.

The summer was my last semester, but I still stuck around for FroshWeek, even helping out during the events.  Timbo eloquently (read: obnoxiously) asked, “why the hell are you still here?” I could feel the love, but its literal interpretation still stuck.  I guess despite the fact I was happy I was done my degree, facing the fact that I wouldn’t be seeing my friends every day was somewhat troubling.  I suppose that was enough to erase any apathy I may have built up out of bitterness and burnout.

The weeks after FroshWeek were filled with uncertainty and doubt.  The contacts I had made previously were working at companies that were looking for software testers and tech support personnel.  I really wasn’t interested in either, particularly since I worked an 8 month co-op in tech support and I do tech support for my family already.  That pretty much left cold-calling, or cold-applying.  Interestingly enough, my second interview was the company that hired me.  Pleasant surprise, and an indication of how good the job market is right now.  I landed in a great company and the people make work enjoyable.  The owners said they were looking for a good fit, and it looks like they’re pretty good at identifying personality because my co-workers share my brand of sarcastic humour.  Plus the whole place is hockey mad, which is great.

Healthwise, I’ve gained a few pounds since the start of the year.  I had a resolution for 2006 to start getting into shape.  That really didn’t start going well until a gym opened where I work.  I haven’t lost any appreciable weight, but I have gotten fitter at least.  Then again, I don’t expect weight loss results in a couple weeks, but at least I’m not breathing hard when going up a couple flights of stairs anymore.

My sister recently obtained her master’s degree and has moved east to Peterborough to get her doctorate.  She has been moved out of the house for a while now, but she was always within the local area.  I’m not sure if it really has sunk in yet for me.  I guess I’ll just have to harass her electronically now.  I know she’ll be fine out there, and it’s good she has a fellow Canuck fan in the house she’s living in.  It’s just too bad that there are two Leafs fans there too.  It’s more worrying that she’ll be exposed to that filth rather than, you know, forgetting about food or something.

My parents are understandably worried.  It’s the first time she’ll be out of easy driving distance.  I know most parents generally don’t like to see their kids grow up.  It means they become spectators.  I’m still living at home, so my parents still get to play a few shifts.  They can’t even watch the game with my sister in Ontario.  Is it weird that I’m worrying about them worrying about my sister and me?

The new year is met with less uncertainty than if I were still unemployed.  I’m still not sure about where to live, since taking the train has been quick and far less painful than doing either the 160 or Skytrain.  Living downtown would get rather expensive quickly.  Perhaps Port Moody, close to the train station would work.  Something to think about in January I guess.  I’m pretty sure things will work out okay.
Here’s to a prosperous and happy new year everyone.

Time is really passing quite quickly these days. It’s weird because it doesn’t really FEEL like Christmas. Maybe it’s because for the first time in my life, I haven’t had any vacation leading up to December 25th. I’ve had co-ops during December, but they were so slack leading up to Christmas that it didn’t really feel like working. This year it’s been busy up to last Friday, where productivity in the office basically went to zero as Christmas tunes blasted through the speakers of a co-worker. Or maybe it’s because I got my shopping done early this year (for relative values of “early” not including “Aimee early” because Aimee is nuts). Managing to avoid the crazed shoppers at the mall was a big plus this year.

Another thing was that the house wasn’t decorated this year for Christmas beyond a few lights strung up outside. My mom’s heading to Hong Kong tomorrow and my sister’s heading off to Peterborough to do her PhD on Wednesday. Not really much point to decorate this year, although I did miss putting all that stuff up with the family. Despite the different random stacking algorithm used each year to get stuff in and out of the crawlspace, it was almost fun at times. Of course, the decorating part was always better than the “dammit, how’d all this stuff FIT in there???”

With all the coming and going, members of my family leaving for different parts of the planet, I managed to still observe the effects of the movement of life. My parents, understandably, are worried about my sister as she moves to the other side of the country for a nontrivial amount of time.  They’re also worried about leaving me alone for a few weeks.  They do, however, need this vacation and I also need to learn how to fend for myself for some extended period.  How else am I ever going to move out and survive? This bout of worrying has really shown how much I am their son though.  They worry a lot.  So do I.  Those that know me best know how I overworry at times, whether it was about school, family, friends or general life.  Realizing just how much I’m like my parents is comforting and scary at the same time.  Comforting in the fact that some of my quirks are indeed genetic and not my fault and scary in that one is supposed to turn into one’s parents at a far later age than my current age of 23.  I guess my point in this overly long ramble is that Christmas puts some kind of perspective on life and family.

The other night I also had a random mind wandering back to high school as I stared out of the car window heading back from my aunt’s place.  It was an odd time for a recollection of that point in my life; I even traced through various ups and downs and their effects on my person.  Looking back, I’d really like to punch my high school self in the face if I could.  Man, I was a whiny little twit back then.  I sure as hell am glad I’m no longer in that phase of my life anymore.  Still, from what happened then, I definitely learned how NOT to be a little shithead.  My worries then seemed pretty trivial now, and I have a feeling many of the worries I currently hold will just end up be a case of overworrying and things will work themselves out.  Just need to have a little faith, right? And no, I’m not about to bust out an impersonation of George Michael.  If you didn’t get that joke, shut up and stop making me feel old.

After the airport back and forth is over this week, it’ll be a prep for New Year’s.  Thinking about the past year, trials and tribulations…it’ll either reshape my outlook on life, like it does most other years, or just drive me crazy.  I haven’t decided which yet, but it should be interesting.

I suppose I’ve bored many of you to tears with that.  Sorry, nothing really exciting happening at the moment.  To make it up to you, please watch this Weird Al interview with Kevin Federline. Merry Christmas everyone.

As I mentioned before in an earlier post, there is a campaign to vote a certain Rory Fitzpatrick into the NHL All-Star Game. With the efforts of the Internets, Rory is now second among western conference defencemen in voting.

There are some people who cry foul, who say he displaces “more deserving” candidates on “hockey’s greatest stage.” First of all, those who say that are bloody deluded because the Stanley Cup Finals are hockey’s greatest stage, not some numbnut 3 hour game of shinny. Secondly, the all-star game is supposed to be for stars. What are stars? Well they’re players who are talented performers. They’re also players who are popular, for any reason deemed by the fans. What do the fans want? Obviously to see Rory at the All-Star Game. Everyone goes to see the Skills Competition first for All-Star weekend. The actual game hasn’t been exciting in a long time, and voting Rory in would actually draw some attention to the game again, something it sorely needs in the States.

If he manages to make it in, it would be the greatest thing to happen at an All-Star Game since Owen Nolan called his shot. I would actually watch it again. And in the end, it’s all about having some goddamn fun. Vote Rory.

Tonight I also went to dinner with a few CSSS folk, Greg, Kat and some other people in the CS department.  Maybe it’s a result of being married to an Asian woman or perhaps having been around Asian people for a long time, but Greg has become quite adept at ninjaing payment of a restaurant bill.  One of these days we’ll need to launch a pre-emptive strike at paying the bill when out to dinner with him.  I’m working dammit, he can’t use the student excuse anymore.  I have to admire his method though, but it’s also far less entertaining than the shouting and wrestling matches that occur when my family tries to fight over the bill.

My sister defended her master’s thesis today, and I’m proud to say she breezed through it with flying colours.  I now have an immediate family member with a graduate degree.  She worked pretty hard for it, not that it was made any easier by a certain power hungry asspirate who needs to work on his “people skills.”  Or you know, being a decent human being.  But she’s done and off to do another degree.  Academics.  God love ‘em, but sometimes I wonder just how many marbles they’ve lost.

Congratulations, Sis.  If you don’t have a hangover tomorrow, that means you didn’t celebrate this hard enough.  Especially being rid of that prick.  Onwards and upwards!

Trevor sent me this link, an edited version of the Charlie Brown Christmas. Frickin’ hilarious.

There’s been so much candy at work this week. Chocolates, jelly beans, candy canes…oh man, the candy canes. I was so wired today, and it didn’t help that I was hacking some Wordpress plugin. I’m glad that I actually have a regular gym routine now (hooray for gyms at work) so that I’m not gaining weight. I think I managed to lose about 10 pounds in the last month or so. Only slightly overweight now, huzzah.

I keep forgetting to look at places to live. I’m done Christmas shopping now, so I suppose I don’t really have an excuse not to. Other than the Canucks games, but that really makes me yell at the TV a lot. Eh, so goes the life of a hockey fan.

I’m pretty sure a lot of you have heard about the Vote for Rory campaign, and if you haven’t, go read about it because it’s freaking awesome. Well, if you’re the least bit interested in hockey anyways. I found these two gems promoting the Vote for Rory campaign, and they are quite possibly some of the best things that have ever come from the internets.

Here we are with:

• Nicklas Lidstom: What is he hiding?
• Scott Niedermeyer: Effortless?

Enjoy.

As a side note, I’m done my Christmas shopping. Huzzah!

Here are a few random links.  Don’t read this one if you have finals or something.  You’ll want to read the entire thread and it’s sappy.

This one would make every Canucks fan laugh and weep at the same time because it’s true.

This one will be funnier for those that hang around Oriental people.

Silly cat.

Okay random post over.  Oh yeah, vote Rory.

The weeks seem to move a little more quickly now that I’m working full-time.  December is upon us, and oddly enough there are still another 3 weeks or so until it actually becomes winter.  Not that Mother Nature really cared mind you, given the recent dump of snow we’ve had.  While the snow does make landscape shots pretty, it has become more of a nuisance to me over the years instead of something I look forward to.  It’s mostly because of the lack of snow removal anything used by the GVRD, which causes roads to become utter crap and buses to get behind schedule.  Most of all, the jackasses that don’t shovel their sidewalks.  I’m not talking the poor saps who live on corner lots and have half their own block to shovel.  I’m talking about the twits who live on lots that have literally 3 metres of sidewalk space to shovel.  One house I walked past had compacted snow so much like ice and built up snow so that it was impossible to walk on without falling.  SHOVEL YOUR GODDAMN SIDEWALKS YOU ASSPIRATES.

December also means Christmas shopping.  Which means malls.  I hate malls, at any time of the year.  More people just means more stupidity, which makes me want to stab things.  I need to pick up stuff for family and a Secret Santa at work which hasn’t been drawn yet.  Things would be a lot easier if my parents drank because then I could cop out with booze.  Ah well, it means I just need to find something useful because they hate useless trinkets.  Although my dad never found any kind of gadget “useless.”

Working downtown also gives me some interesting encounters with beggars.  Case in point this one guy who came up to me the other day at the bus stop saying he was $2 short for the West Coast Express and needed to get to Mission.  He was sorry to trouble me, but he just got out of the hospital with a plastic leg, you see, and he really needs to get home.  There are a few things wrong with that story.

1. A one-way ticket from Waterfront to Mission costs $10.25.  The magic of arithmetic tells me he had $8.25.  A 3 zone bus ticket costs $4.50.  Even if it expired, it’s only another $2.25 to Mission because you’d definitely be in zone 3 after an hour and a half.  Look at that, you have enough to buy yourself a coffee and a doughnut at Tim Horton’s.
2. They give out plastic legs at hospitals?
3. He wasn’t limping.

In other words, the guy wanted a beer.  I mean, at least the bums down at GM Place are honest and they sing for a beer.  They can’t help but put a smile on your face then.  But coming up with a crappy lie like “a plastic leg?” I suppose it shows a little more effort to get money than the woman who started harassing Tim Horton’s customers INSIDE the Tim Horton’s.