Blog
Arrghh... That Nois^H^H^H^HMusic!
Wed, 08/25/2010 - 20:49 — Sean CarneyI've been studying at work for the UFE the past couple of weeks. So far it's worked well, I've booked a meeting room in the basement, managed to avoid everyone I know, and gleefully taken a liberal interpretation of the corporate dress code.
Basically, it's an ideal set-up. A quiet room with no distractions and no interruptions. On either side of the room I occupy are more meeting rooms occupied by people wearing suits and having quiet conversations - an ideal atmosphere until today.
Around 3:30 today, for reasons I will never fathom, someone wearing a kilt walked into the meeting room next to mine. I didn't notice until he pulled out the bagpipes he had brought with him and started playing.
My first reaction was to turn around and give the person a dirty look. How dare they interrupt my solitude with that racket? The problem is that bagpipe players are quite used to dirty looks, which are basically an occupational hazard.
My next reaction is to try and wait it out. The problem is that the walls between rooms are not exactly the thickest, and my friend the piper appeared unhurried to go anywhere.
Lastly, I decided that now was as good time to go home than ever. As much as I appreciate bagpipe music, it does have a bad effect on my studies and ability to concentrate.
I guess the most important thing I learned today (other than the fact that you can't amortize cash) is that there are three stages of listening to bagpipes; anger, dismissal, and resignation. I managed to go through all three within five minutes.
I've also learned that you can never be to dismissive of the threat of bagpipe music interrupting your studies.
Sam & Judy!
Tue, 08/24/2010 - 11:00 — Sean CarneyCity politics in Winnipeg has always struck me as a disappointment. This disappointment has the potential to be lessened somewhat considering it is an election year, but it is as of yet too early to tell.
Since I don't receive a newspaper or have television, I am reliant on what I read online to provide me with my news. Most of it comes from other cynical and jaded bloggers and the rest is from the Free Press website. Luckily, today I discovered a new source of election news.
Sam & Judy! is a comic about the coming mayoral election in Winnipeg, providing rather biased but entertaining commentary. It updates twice weekly on Mondays and Wednesdays and will likely be my primary news source for the coming election, with the possible exception of the cynical and jaded bloggers previously mentioned.
Hipster Christianity
Wed, 08/18/2010 - 14:10 — Sean CarneyLast night at Theology by the Glass the conversation veered into the subject of Hipster Christianity. Apparently there is a book out on the subject along with a excellent website and a quiz so you can determine if you are a Christian hipster.
Since I need to admit that I was at a distinctly hipster-ish event last night and attend what could be considered Winnipeg's hipster church, I decided that I should take the test. In honour of MySpace, here are my results:
Your Christian Hipster Quotient: 55 / 120
Low CHQ. You probably belong to the purpose-driven, seeker-sensitive, Hawaiian shirt-wearing Christian establishment, even though you are open to some of the "rethinking Christianity" stuff. You seem to like edginess in some measure but become uneasy when your idea of Christian orthodoxy is challenged by some renegade young visionary who claims the virgin birth isn't necessary.
While I most certainly do not belong to the purpose-driven, seeker-sensitive, Hawaiian shirt-wearing Christian establishment, I am slightly comforted that I have a low Christian Hipster Quotient. The only problem is that as I go through the "Anatomy of a Christian Hipster" section of the website, it is clear that I should have scored higher on the test than I did.
Notice to the readers of my blog: Your homework for today is to take the quiz and post your results in the comments below. Don't worry, I won't make fun of you.
I just wish I were a toothbrush or a solder gun
Thu, 08/12/2010 - 16:51 — Sean Carneyby the Weakerthans
Oh the air tastes like flowers and paint
There’s a sink full of bottles and cutlery
And the car has got a list of complaints
Make me something somebody can use
Or those photos lying yellow and curled
Lose some boxes near abandoned electronics
In the corners of the basements of the world
Make them something somebody could use
Smirking smile of a high pressure ridge
Got more faults than the state of California
And the heart is a badly built bridge
Doesn’t offer much
Make it something somebody could use
Make this
Something somebody
Could use
I've staged a tactical retreat to the basement to escape the heat.
Tue, 08/10/2010 - 18:17 — Sean CarneyThe Ultimate Comfort Food
Fri, 08/06/2010 - 20:30 — Sean Carney
Pierogies with fried onions. My kitchen smells excellent right now!
Things That Can Scar You for Life
Fri, 08/06/2010 - 20:16 — Sean CarneyToday I went for a long bike ride from my house, down to the BDI and back through Whittier Park.
While I was riding along the Churchill parkway I saw something bright blue in the trees. Curious, I looked closer and was mildly surprised when I saw a dirty looking middle-aged man in a zentai suit standing in the trees.
I'm not sure what was more startling, the sight of him in a tight spandex suit, or his totally nonplussed expression.
Hunter / Gatherer
Wed, 08/04/2010 - 22:55 — Sean Carney
After uploading a picture entitled 'Hunter' I knew I had to take another entitled 'Gatherer'.
Doubleplusstrong
Thu, 07/29/2010 - 12:38 — Sean CarneyFirst to explain the title of this pose, it is written in Newspeak - the language invented by George Orwell for his book 1984. The translation of doubleplusstrong into English is roughly equivalent to 'really, incredibly, mindbogglingly strong'.
As it turns out, the North Korean government has a keen appreciation for Newspeak and a lousy appreciation for HTML.
Witness the some of the code driving their national website at http://www.korea-dpr.com/:
<p><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong>24.07.2010 - <a href="http://www.korea-dpr.com/ocn"><span class="style34">OCN Articles</span></a> added !<br><br></strong></strong></strong></strong></strong></strong></strong></strong></strong></strong></strong></strong></strong></strong></strong></strong></strong></strong></strong></strong></strong></strong></strong></strong></strong></strong></strong></strong></strong></strong></p>
Browsers can understand <strong>, which they interpret to mean bold. The only problem is that there is no such thing as double bold.
Full disclosure: I trimmed a couple hundred <strong>'s out so this would fit in a blog post.
The Brandon Folk Festival
Sun, 07/25/2010 - 14:54 — Sean Carney
Yesterday Heather and I went off to Brandon to see their Folk Festival. The real draw was Wax Mannequin and unlike the Winnipeg Folk Festival, the gas was more expensive than the tickets.
I've never been to the Brandon Folk Festival before, but it has a lot going for it. The seating area in front of the main stage is covered in trees and nicely shaded, the site is in the middle of town so getting food and supplies is easy, and you can show up whenever you want and get a great seat.
The Wax Mannequin set was a bit on the short side but excellent anyway. He is currently touring to promote his new line of candles. He played his newer songs that I am unfamiliar with but really enjoyed. Towards the end of the set he played the Log Driver's Waltz which came as something of a surprise, but went over really well. I guess everyone needs a token folk song.
I don't know if I'd make a habit of going to the Brandon Folk Festival, but if I couldn't attend the Winnipeg Folk Festival due to scheduling issues, it would make a good substitute.