Category: Miscellaneous

Anna got me a camera from the school but it hasn’t been working with my computer so we are going to have to find another one. This is the only one available at the University and this is clearly the reason it was still available. Anyway I have the pictures of Jackie so now I just need to get this video and the images of Glen and I’ll be cooking with gas.

While in Disneyland Anna and I took in the pirates twice, once in the theatre and once, of course, in the Disneyland park.

We missed seeing the premiere held right in Disneyland by a couple of days. However there was still such a great atmosphere to see that movie! For one thing most everyone in that theatre is on vacation. They are there to have a good time, and a good time we had! When the movie started the audience responded with applause and cheering, and as each actor made their debut appearance in the show, again the sound of an appreciative audience filled the theatre.

The thing about clapping in a show is – while it may seem really out of place in a place like Lethbridge or Medicine Hat, seeing a movie like Pirates right in Downtown Disney felt like we should applaud, like it would have been rude of us not to show our appreciation. I remember the first time I ever went to a show where the audience clapped was in Manhattan at the biggest theatre in the city. It was the opening night of “Lost in Space” and the crowd there was electric. There’s a pretty good chance that the actors in the movie were there that night because we had just been to the taping of Dave Letterman where Mimi Rogers was on the show promoting this movie, and since it was opening night it would make sense that she would have been with us in that theatre. Anyway despite Lost in Space being a truly horribly crappy movie I’ll always hold a certain fondness for it in my heart because of the memories associated with seeing it in that atmosphere.

Back to Pirates of the Caribbean. The thing to remember about this movie is that its main motivation is a ride that opened in 1967. The storyline does require you to suspend your belief in reality and may result in a disappointment for some but the Disney-ness factor of the movie will win out overall, if you let it. I can’t give my highest recommendation for this movie, because honestly it could have been better, but I by no means give it two thumbs down. I think it’s a pretty good show that deserves at least a Matinée viewing if not a full fledged night time $9.00 US viewing (but I only recommend paying $9 if you are in Downtown Disney). My thumbs are definitely higher than Dads.

I feel bad for being so busy lately. I hardly have time to see Anna-Maria, let alone all the million other things that I should be doing. I still haven’t even arranged a place for Anna and I to stay on Thursday night. Also I need a place to park the car in Calgary and hopefully I’ll be able to get a ride to the airport at 4:30 or so in the morning. I know I’m insane for going on this trip but you only live once, and as I heard the bachelor on “For Love or Money” state, you should live life as if you’ve already lived it, only this time you’re not going to have any regrets. So that’s what I’m doing, living life to the fullest. Now since I don’t have time to be writing this I’m going to sign off now with just a quick update on my life.

Anna and I are going to Disneyland for the weekend.

My two new roommates are working out great.

My old roommate is gone and my food is no longer at risk of being eaten.

I have to be at work at 9:00 to teach swimming lessons, guard for the rest of the day until 5:00 and then be at my other job as close to 5:00 as I can manage. I’ve been getting there at 5:45 and they don’t seem to mind. I think they are just happy to have me as an employee.

I did set up an FTP site for mom and she would be able to upload Jackie’s wedding slideshow pictures there, except I understand her computer is screwed. It’s not like I have time to work on that slideshow anyway. Sorry everyone I’ll have a little more time … actually I won’t really have any more time, but I’ll try and squeeze it in when I get back from California. In the meantime I need to finish up the website I’ve been working on.

I came home early from work tonight because the tuna sandwich that Anna so lovingly made for me wasn’t sitting well. In fact it was “not sitting well” so badly that it didn’t just not sit, it actually got up from where it was sitting and decided it liked being vomitted into the toilet better. I’m feeling much better now, at this point you’re probably not.

You know the thing about throwing up, as gross as it is, it sure does feel a lot better when you get the poison out. That’s all I have to say about that – for now.

Jackie and Glen are having their reception in Medicine Hat on August 2nd (correct me if I’m wrong). Jackie just called me to ask if I would put together a slide show for her. I would like to but with all the things going on right now, it’s going to be a struggle to find the time. Maybe if Mom scans 50 pictures of Jackie at Earl’s house and Jackie emails me 50 pictures of Glen, together with the video footage that I have I can put together a really great show.

I think the carpenter ants in my front lawn are just about ready to surrender. I bought a bottle of diamaceous earth after the first one ran out and now they seem to be suffering greatly. They were migrating toward the sidewalk in a big way, however, I out-flanked them and gave them a good spray there as well. They may have won a few battles along the way, but I’m going to win the war.

Jackie and Glen were married yesterday, July 1st 2003, in Calgary. Here is a picture:

Anna-Maria and I were able to be there and I must say it was a beautiful day for a wedding (if a bit windy at times).

As Gary mentioned we had our family reunion over the weekend. Anna-Maria did put on some fancy elf ears on me and smaller pointy ears on Gary. Below is a picture of me with the ears on. I had a chance to go kayaking down the upper Saint Mary’s River a couple of times with Anna, Corry, Anson, Jackie and Glen. Today I was able to recover a bit just taking it easy working at the pool and not doing too much else. Of course now I am not really prepared for going to Calgary for Jackie’s wedding and we’ll be scrambling to get everything in order tomorrow, especially with my plan for Anna-Maria and I to take part on the Milner float in the parade in Raymond.

The University of Sydney is experimenting with series of electromagnetic pulses directed into the frontal lobes. Hooked up to the machine, 40 percent of test subjects exhibited extraordinary, and newfound, mental skills. Link to New York Times article.

What I want to know is, where can I get one?

Ok, here’s the scoop. If you don’t want to do the survey then please realize that “I’m busy now” does not equal “I’m not interested” and in most cases will result in being called back in a couple of days. If you don’t want them to call you back ever ask politely for the name of the company, write it down along with the date and the name of the interview then politely ask them to remove your number from their list. If they ever call you back (you’ll know it’s them because you wrote down their company name) you can sue them.

But if you are turning over a new leaf, as Tracie did today, and decide to take part in the study, then here are some things you’ll want to know. First thing you should do is ask, how long does this survey take. Most of the time the interviewer won’t tell you unless asked. Once you ask they have to tell you. Don’t be intimidated if they tell you it will be 15 or 20 minutes because just because you agree to begin a survey doesn’t mean that at anytime during the survey you can’t just decide that you’ve had enough and politely tell them, “You know what, I’m sorry but I’m just no longer interested in doing this survey” and then you can either tell them they can call back later or not to bother. I should note that the survey cannot be used unless you are on the demographics at the end when you hang up. It doesn’t really matter if demographic questions are answered.

If you don’t know the answer to the question don’t say “Well I’m not really familiar enough … ” or “That question is ambiguous”, just say, “I don’t know”. It’s as easy as that. If you do know the answer but don’t want to give it for whatever reason, either say, “Refuse” or “I don’t want to answer that”. If they pressure you, just repeat, “Refuse”.

It probably doesn’t matter one bit if you give your first and last name, but unless they are entering you into a draw or something else where they are going to need to identify you, there is no reason that a first name wouldn’t do the trick. As far as giving even your first name, well it does make life easier for the supervisor who may or may not verify that interview. It’s just a way for the supervisor to know who to ask for if / when they call you back to see if the interviewer was acting in a professional manner.

When it comes to sharing other information, the first 3 digits of your postal code is enough to let the surveyors know the general area. Anything more than that and they know your location down to the side of the street that you live on, maybe down to as much as two or three houses. And when I say they I mean the people that analyze the surveys not the people doing the surveys – we couldn’t care less. So when it comes to postal codes, if you feel uncomfortable just tell them number letter number refuse refuse refuse. It’s your right; you might as well take it. Again it probably doesn’t really matter one way or another. I know that in one particular survey they like to know your postal code so that they can see how close you are to particular stores and evaluate how well you like their store based on your location and answers. That’s it for survey advice for now, perhaps I’ll add more advice as things come up.