Archive for June, 2004

I wrote the first draft of the first half of the first chapter of the story yesterday afternoon — and some of it might be salvageable. I knew I needed to start writing (if I’m going to finish the first draft by the end of July*) so I just put pen to paper and let it flow — kind of. It wasn’t too hard to write, but I don’t really like it and of course, I forgot that when I structured the chapters I did so for dramatic effect and totally blew it even on the first paragraph. So, I’m heading out to start again. I’m writing the first draft in my notebook and then I’ll type it all up when I’m done, making changes as I go. Then it’ll be time for a little proof reading and then the second draft.

*Didn’t I mention that I’ve decided to give myself a deadline for the first draft? If you’ve got children around 7-10 years old, let me know if they want to test read it for me in August!

Last Friday evening I stumbled across something I found interesting and very funny. Jenn and I disagree on the pronunciation of the word genuine. She thinks it should be pronounced “Jenn, you win.” I think it should be “Jenn, you whine.” Funny, no?

Well, Jenn and I did our civic duty tonight just before supper. We were joking on the way in because we couldn’t remember the name of our candidate. We’re in Ed Brodbent’s home riding (and didn’t vote for him, sorry Diamond Jim) so it was easy to know it wasn’t him we wanted to vote for. Then there was the Ukrainian named guy and the two Irish names. It was a matter of remembering if it was Murphy or Mahoney. Good thing the party name was also on the ballot.

Hope you get out to vote Doug — the news is making a big deal over the fact that the race is so close that for once, B.C. voters might make or break a government.

Oh, and for interest sake, the fellow who organized the bike ride yesterday is having an “Election Night in Canada” party — and I heard rumours that one of the regular comment makers here might be attending.

May the least worst man win.

Gerry from church organized a bike ride for after church today. It was a great time even though I’m not sure what I enjoyed more — the ride itself, the people I was riding with, or the new bike computer. Okay, it was the bike computer. Here are my stats for the ride — keep in mind it was a very leisurely ride.

Distance: 28.886 km
Time Riding: 1:44:33
Average Speed: 16.6 km/h
Max Speed: 44.8km.h

Oh, this is fun. It’s a wireless bike computer and I just put it by my wireless mouse. Woo-hoo! The little biking guy started peddleing and the speed went right up there. I guess I’ve got to be careful! Anyways, this is a fun toy!

Great day — it didn’t really start until around lunch time. Jenn and I walked downtown to the Ottawa International Chicken and Pork BBQ Competition — otherwise known as the Pork Festival! We checked out ten or so stands of folks from all over North America and decided to participate at Bibb’s Ribs. We got two big pulled pork sandwiches, which are buns filled with shredded (pulled?) pork and BBQ sauce. Mmm-mmm!

Unfortunately, the rain had started by this time and we were without umbrellas. The plan was to walk to the market and then to Jenn’s sisters place (to return her pie plate and two pieces of the best strawberry-rhubarb (and nectarine) pie I’ve ever had — and Jenn didn’t think she could bake a pie!) But, we decided to head it home instead — in the rain. And wouldn’t you know it, as soon as we got home, it stopped raining.

We drove over to Jenn’s sisters to drop off the pie and plate and then went down to Westboro to pop into the MEC. I got a snazzy new bike computer and set it up when we got home. After fiddling for a half an hour I took it out for a test drive. I found that the walk we normally do in the evenings was not just over 5km like I had figured from a small map of the area, but 5.65km. This computer measures current speed, average speed, distance (trip and overall) max speed, weather you are accelerating or slowing down, and it even has a little guy on a bike with his wheels spinning. It’s lots of fun and very motivational — as in, I’ve got to get my speed up so I can have a higher average speed.

Oh yeah, one last thing, we had some friends over for dinner on Friday night and not only did we discover that they’ve got one of the best behaved babies we’ve met (sorry to everyone who has children that we didn’t have over on Friday night) but we discovered that we had all gone out an bought selected boxes of Kellogg’s cereal just to get the step counter! (How many steps to church AC?)

Today I went to the bike shop around the corner to pick up a new shift cable. Last night my small group leader told me that a few folks from church were going on a big ride after lunch Sunday and invited me along. I figured that since I had been driving around for the past couple weeks not being able to shift into high gear on my front derailer, I should get that fixed before the big ride.

So, I got the cable, brought it home and started replacing it. I was quite pleased with myself for being able to figure it out without any problems. When I was just about finished, I cut the extra cable off the end and put the cap on from the old cable. Then I took my Great Neck™ multi-tool to clamp it on. And I squeezed the stainless steel handle clean off!

The moral of the story… that was one cheap-o tool.

I’m glad Robin enjoyed my dream story from a few nights ago… when he found out I had a shotgun! I don’t know that I’ll finish it, I’m having fun focusing my writing efforts on my children’s story. But I thought I’d share my dream from last night — it’s much simpler than the robot-zombie dream.

In story news, I picked up a notebook this past weekend and some new pens. I’ve been working on the story in it daily. Today is another nice day, so after I clean up the house a bit and go grocery shopping, I’m going to head outside and work on it some more. I’m still working on developing the plot of the story (which in a broad sense is nailed down) and doing character development / motivation.

Richard, suggested that some writers do a lot of “world building” prior to writing. I had done some of that a while ago, when I was working on ideas for my story. I’m finding that I don’t really need much of that anymore, but the character development is providing an interesting back story.

It started the summer that I worked for Science North as a member of their traveling day camp in north western Ontario. My beard that is. And since that summer, I’ve had some form of facial hair — even in the spring of 1999 when I shaved my head.

I’ve had full beards, very full beards, long beards, goatees, chin-straps, handlebar moustaches and soul patches. Today, I have no beard, no patch, no nothing, just some stubble. A few weeks back, I simply shaved it all off. You know what? It’s much easier to shave when you know that it’s all going.

I had another crazy dream from last night — no doubt brought on by the root beer and sour cream and onion potato chips I ate before bed. And if you’ll indulge me, I’ll write it from the omniscient point of view — as an exercise.

Hey, it was a dream. No, story structure, no resolution, no sense either.

I’ve never really spiritualized my participation in elections. It’s one of those things I do because it’s one of those things I do — like driving on the left side of the road. (Not that driving isn’t a spiritual issue — nor chewing 30 times before I swallow.)

No, Jesus and the disciples didn’t vote in elections, but they didn’t have the opportunity (or responsibility) to do so. He did go to Bethlehem for the census though, sort of — well, he didn’t seem to protest.

No, there’s no perfect candidate or party to elect either, but unless we think what we have is perfect as it is, we can take steps to improve it, even if it doesn’t become perfect after one election.

No, it isn’t a no-brainer to decide on the candidate (or party, if you vote along party lines) to vote for. But it doesn’t take too much time to figure out the lesser of many weasels.

Maybe someone should ask Renny Mackie what to do.