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Showing posts from September, 2017

Frisky Friday - RIP Hugh Hefner

Love him or hate him, Hugh Hefner did a lot besides party in his Playboy mansion. He published unconventional stories like "The Crooked Man" in his magazine, which was a story about a heterosexual man being persecuted by a homosexual society. Why did he publish it when no one else would? He felt the persecution of someone based on their sexuality was wrong regardless of what that sexuality was. He was known to donate to a lot of charities. Some of those were political, but many weren't. Yes, he got a lot of action and when you look further into things, he is partly responsible for the sexual objectification of women, but he's also partly responsible for women having the freedom to be sexually active in the same way that men have been for a long time. Anyone who blames him for their own relationship ills should do some deep soul searching because we're all responsible for our own choices in life. He wasn't a perfect human, but I don't know anyone who is. Re

Thoughtful Thursday - Respect

Respect is something that's in short supply today.  There are a lot of students on the bus who get pissed off that they may have to let someone sit beside them. They'll refuse to move their bags, sit in the aisle seat and refuse to move over, and other such childish behaviour.  Some of the bathrooms at school are even more visual representations of this.  Used toilet paper and feminine hygiene products can be found on the ground rather than in garbage bins or toilets. It's disgusting.  Two people may be enjoying a conversation and a third will come along and interrupt their discussion rather than let them finish. It's as if they've never been taught any manners. These behaviours are like monkey shit. Cow manure may represent other bad things like the death of an old friend or a relationship being put on hold because while also shitty, good things can grow from them. Nothing good grows in monkey shit. Disease and infection is all that comes from it.  Don't be lik

Warrior Wednesday - Crazy Busy Life

So, I definitely meant to post something yesterday. It didn't happen. When I got up, I didn't have anything to say. Later, when I did, I fell asleep. Between school and martial arts, I was exhausted.  I'm glad I managed to make it to iaido yesterday. Swinging my sword about was exactly what I needed. It's been a tough week. I learned a former member of my high school drama club, who became a sweet and beautiful woman, died suddenly due to a suspected Fentanyl overdose. And my s.o. and I decided to take a break for now. We're both too busy to be there for each other at this time, so despite how we feel about each other, we're just doing the friend thing for now. All of that sucks. It looks like everything is in order for the seminar this weekend. I'm looking forward to training and hanging with iaido folks. I'm happy the weather is getting a little more seasonal. That'll make training better. Some big things have happened in the iai world in Canada as

Merry Monday - Decisions

Some decisions are easy like stopping off at Wal-Mart to buy deodorant when you're running early for class and are pretty sure you forgot to put some on this morning. Having some in your locker is handy anyway and if you need something else you've been meaning to pick up, you might as well grab that too. Other decisions we put off for various reasons. Sometimes it's hope that things will change or maybe we don't want to hurt someone's feelings. And sometimes we don't want to come off as insensitive, heartless, or selfish. Maybe we just don't want to admit some harsh truths to ourselves.  All this to say that I had to admit to myself that something wasn't working and put and end to it.  I'm a little sad about it, but ultimately I think it'll lead to happier days overall.  Guid cheerio the nou, R~

Symphonic Saturday - Mute

Frisky Friday - Observations

This morning, I'm off to the Canadian equivalent of the DMV. I'm overdue on renewing my license plate stickers and I figure I better do it before I get a ticket. It'll be a decent time to read for school.  I'm planning to see IT this afternoon because most people should be at work and it'll be the hottest part of the day. It might be hard to focus on reading after this though: I'm not sure if those facts are true, but it'll make for fun observations and as a writer, I need to keep my eyes open ;) Guid cheerio the nou, R~

Thoughtful Thursday - My First Tablet

I got my first tablet. It's a Surface Pro 3. I had a lot of difficulty setting it up as it would overheat and turn off in the middle of Windows Updates. It's a known issue and now that I'm done installing things, I can turn off the thing that causes it, which is the Microsoft installer. I also had trouble because the battery was at zero percent and the cord is made to disconnect easily rather than drag it to the floor and smash it. I'm also gifted at misplacing the pen that goes with it ... In my lap. I don't have a case yet, so I will have to be really careful with it. It's coming. Hopefully I can keep it safe in the meantime. There are some settings that I need to find like keyboard sound because I really don't need that on. It's warm right now doing WordPress, so I'm off to find that windows installer and turn that off. Once I have the kinks worked out, I think it's going to revolutionize my writing life. Guide cheerio the nou, R~

Warrior Wednesday - Health & Fitness Update

[caption id="attachment_11040" align="alignright" width="300"] Image created using Bitmoji[/caption] Between the posture wedge and just carting less things around campus, my neck is doing a lot better. On Tuesday of last week I was crying and wondering how the hell I was going to make it through two semesters in so much pain. Now I feel like I need to become one with the virtual world and set up residence inside Blackboard, but my pain has drastically reduced. My tablet is here, but I can't use it yet as I'm not allowed to pick it up until after 1PM and I'm in class until 3PM.  I checked with First Draft and I'm good to go on installing it on a second device, so yay :) I haven't found time to run lately and it's been impossible to make it to Tuesday iaido classes, but hopefully I'll be in my groove soon. It looks like the HEMA club will hopefully be up and running soon. I'm going to take it easy with the sparring aspects a

Theatrical Tuesday - Writing Exercises

In the class where we write for the stage, we often have writing exercises. Yesterday's exercise was to draw inspiration from one of four photos presented to us. None of them inspired me at the time. The concept is solid though. I chose the photo involving a kiss, not knowing we'd end up working in pairs on the scene when presenting to the class later. I learned that it's really hard to write a kissing scene for stage and if I had to do it again, I would take a page out of Daniel MacIvor's play and have the dialogue be funny descriptions of the kiss and everything that surrounds it. I may rewrite it later for my portfolio just because. Today, I'm off to learn more about film/media in Canada and writing for television. We had a mix up on an assignment for one of those classes and I had to redo mine. I think I've done it properly now. We had to write an episode of currently running show. There are only a small handful I keep up with because I'm often too busy

Merry Monday - New Toys

[caption id="attachment_4711" align="alignright" width="300"] Image created using Bit Strips.[/caption] I have received a new toy, well, it's more of a medical device, but it's like a toy for my neck because it brings feelings of not pain. It's this dense foam wedge that I put under my neck for 10 minutes and after one use, I already feel loads better without pain killers. It wasn't fun to use as it's not entirely comfortable to put a bulging disc against it, but after a bit I began to feel things I didn't expect like a reduction in abdominal discomfort and reduced jaw tension. What a wonderful tool! It's called the Posture Wedge . I never thought a bunch of my problems could be connected to my neck and posture. It was after I hurt my neck the first time that things like food allergies and teeth grinding began to appear in my life. What if the inflammation in my body is in part because of this one thing? Seems crazy. I'm no

Symphonic Saturday - Weddings

Weddings are one of those events where we hear a lot of the same music we've heard for decades and yet they are different and enjoyable because of the people. Certain songs get most of the room up and dancing like Footloose.  Today, my cousin married the love of his life and though I don't yet know her well, she seems wonderful and funny. Most importantly, I've never seen him happier. I'm looking forward to getting to know her better in the years to come. We both like dancing. I had a challenging time getting to this wedding. I forgot my dress in Ottawa and had to hunt for a new one. Luckily for me, Sears has a sale on right now and I picked one up for $20, which was regularly $80. Go there if you need one! Here's a selfie: I'm really glad I made it.  Now I need to do some homework. This is my life until April. Guid cheerio the nou, R~

Frisky Friday - Sex Drive and Health

[caption id="attachment_10523" align="alignright" width="300"] Image created using Bitmoji[/caption] It's no secret that things can get stale. This article , based on one study, claims women are more prone to a drop in sex drive 34% vs 15% of men. That still means that 66% of women and 85% of men have normal to high sex drives. What's most important about it to me is the reasons cited for lowered sex drive being health issues, poor communication, and a lack of emotional connection. Why a study was needed to figure out the obvious I'm not sure. Did they think most people stop wanting sex with their partner to be vindictive? Anyway, this means we need to be better at taking care of ourselves and we also need to be brave enough to do the work that it takes to keep communication flowing and nurture the emotional connection with our partner. This doesn't have to be like climbing Mount Everest. A lot of little things contribute to it. Let's

Thoughtful Thursday - Freedom

I've been thinking about freedom a lot lately. I've come to the conclusion that it's a very hard thing. It can be subjective. I've noticed that the bus offers me one type of freedom while taking away another type. What am I on about? Well, I'm a little less anxious because I don't have to care about traffic jams as much or worry as much about accidents. I don't have to think about parking my car, which can lead to tickets or just a lot of extra cost. But I lost the freedom to do things on my time and I lose time each day riding it. Still, I think it's worth it. Because I'm not staring at the ass end of the cars around me or checking blind spots to ensure some idiot doesn't hit me, I get to look around and actually see this city I've lived in for four-and-a-half years now. I also started listening to audio books, so I'm getting to read more books because of the bus. I'm a complicated person when it comes to politics because there reall

Warrior Wednesday - Warrior Spirit

[caption id="attachment_11040" align="alignright" width="300"] Image created using Bitmoji[/caption] I swear I will continue the Book of Five Rings soon. The fire chapter is long and life has been challenging as of late. What makes a warrior? To me, some part of it is determination. Not every one has the same skills and some of us have more challenges than others. The ability to dig deep and push on despite all odds is an important one. Tuesday was an extremely trying day for me. My quad muscles were overworked on Sunday making each step I took painful. There was no where to sit on the bus and it's not so pleasant to be standing with a wheeled bag. I managed to wedge my bag so it wouldn't move about, but that meant lifting it even more than I already have to because I'm taking the bus. Which brings me to my first breakdown of the school year. In college the first time, it was the realization that I didn't want to be a social worker. In col

Theatrical Tuesday - School

As I'm studying film production, screen and play writing, along with other things related to the performing arts, Tuesday content will probably often drift towards school or at least mention it. I'm supposed to learn to critique more effectively among many other things, so I'm excited to see how my future film reviews will compare to the ones I've already done. My first week of school was a partial one. Last Tuesday was orientation where we met our teachers and classmates and talked about the program in a general sense while having pizza. It seems I now know where the delicious gluten free pizza is in this city. Finally. On Wednesday, we had our first Screenwriting class, but it was mostly lecture rather than writing. We also introduced ourselves and talked about things like books. We talked about where ideas come from. A couple of us had already completed the homework that is due this week. After that class, I took the schedules and began making myself one that has eve

Remembering 9/11

On that day in 2001, I was studying Social Work at Canadore College in North Bay. My friends and I had just gotten off the bus. The student centre lounge was on the way. Someone yelled about what was on the massive projection screen. We crowded around to see the live unedited footage of bodies hanging out of buildings that were on fire. We watched as people began falling. We stayed there until it was time to go to class. We didn't learn anything in our classrooms that day. Announcements were made advising us to head home as the college would be closing until more information was available about the attack on the World Trade Center's Twin Towers . That campus is near the military base. Since North Bay was a major NORAD location, no one who was born in the city was surprised we were being sent home. All we knew was that a major North American financial institution had been struck and that many Canadians also worked there. We went home to watch the news because it was all we could

Symphonic Saturday - The Languages of Music

I have a number of instruments, but none I can currently play well. Learning an instrument is much like learning a language. Piano is the one I find most difficult because it is like learning more than one language at once. I've always struggled with bass clef and my head might explode if I tried to play pieces written in some of the less common clefs. When I look at the keys from a treble clef view, I almost always know where to put my fingers. Especially on the major keys. The keys don't change, but when I see the notes on the bass line, I have to chant, "All Cows Eat Grass" or "Good Boys Do Fine Always" in order to have a hope of knowing where to put my fingers. I'd probably be much further ahead had I stuck with piano lessons, but they were expensive and my teacher was trying to convince me to go to church with her. At that time, I wasn't one for church. Today, I enjoy it. Life is like that some times. The other instruments I attempt to play are

Frisky Friday - Foodplay

[caption id="attachment_10523" align="alignright" width="300"] Image created using Bitmoji[/caption] Hungry AND horny? Why not have a snack while you have some fun? Foodplay can add a whole new dimension to your bedroom as it brings different sensations, smells, and tastes into the experience. Not sure where to start? The Urban Dictionary has *some* information, but you'll want to think about some foods you enjoy eating, like perhaps strawberries and whipped cream and take away the bowl. Eat them off your partner's . . . Well, whatever location you choose ;) Foodplay can also involve insertion if that's what your into. Have a great weekend! Guid cheerio the nou, R~

Thoughtful Thursday - Mountains

I've only had one class so far this week. Last night, I went through the list of items to do throughout the semester and plunked them into a spreadsheet. Someone is officially doing this for our program, but I didn't want to wait and assume it will be ready soon. There are no excuses allowed in this program and it's up to me to ensure I'm on top of things. Just one course looks like a mountain. I don't know much about mountain climbing, so I figure my approach will be to put one foot in front of the other and as I step I'll have tools given to me that will help me get further up the mountain provided I do my part to learn how to use them. The school seems to have harnesses in place to help us succeed, so that is some comfort. Having watched a few films with mountain climbing scenes in them, I know I can't rely solely on those safeties either. The hardest mountain to climb may not be the piles of work ahead, but overcoming the urge to laze about watching TV o

Warrior Wednesday - Chronic Pain

[caption id="attachment_11040" align="alignright" width="300"] Image created using Bitmoji[/caption] Chronic pain is something that I suspect ancient warriors never had to endure because they usually didn't live long lives. Things like Post-Concussion Syndrome probably didn't happen since they likely died in their sleep. School will be physically challenging for me between herniated discs that don't seem to want to heal and the usual pain and fatigue I get from my autoimmune condition. Despite having a wheeled laptop briefcase, my neck was angry from carrying my bag up and down stairs a few times throughout the day. I'm going to have to be diligent about using the elevators and only lifting my bag to get it on and off the bus. I was planning on checking the concerts out, but I was in too much pain and figured it best to listen to my body and head home. There's a lot of work ahead of me this year and I don't want to make things extr

Theatrical Tuesday - First Days

This day is an important one for many who are returning to school or going for the first time ever in their life. My toddler buddy, whom I can no longer call a toddler, is having his first day ever. He's growing up too fast. I suppose he's now my little buddy for lack of a better term at this time. For some others, they welcome new additions in their families. I have two friends with newborns. One is less than 12 hours old at this point. Both families and doing well and their babies are as adorable as you might expect. For myself and at least 4 of my friends, we're starting college today. The day is filled with events, live music, and we meet our classmates for the first time. My lunch is packed, I've showered, and all that's left is finishing my breakfast, dressing, and brushing my teeth before I head off to catch the bus. My OSAP is in already, so I can purchase my license for the student edition of Final Draft and a locker shelf if those are available somewhere.

Merry Monday - A Case of Impostor Syndrome

Today, I stand at the foot of a mountain, looking up at the peak and wondering if I can make it there. At least, I hope it's the bottom of a mountain rather than a precipice. At the tail end of last week, I had a strong bout of impostor syndrome that went rather like this: "I'm terrified about school. If it doesn't lead to a job, what am I going to do? What if it does and I can't handle the speed of the work? What if I fail? What if I'm terrible? What if my classmates don't like me?" My friend's advice? "Give it your best. Good things are already happening for you, so more will come. If you want it, you will push yourself. Take care of the present and the future will take care of itself." Truly wise that one is. It's a little more complicated for me. My eyes are getting drier as the summer humidity leaves, which makes it hard to read. The large amount of walking one day made me fatigued. I'm hoping I'll get used to it and the

Symphonic Saturday - Travel Tunes

In a few short days, I'll be starting a graduate certificate in Scriptwriting. There are a few things to do in order to get ready. For breakfast, I'm planning on playing around with quinoa since I can't eat oats. It seems versatile enough to eat it as a porridge like oatmeal or in a healthier way such as a bowl with fruits, veggies, meats, etc. Of course I need other things like lunch materials, but music is the food of the soul and that doesn't involve me going outside. One cannot forget the travel tunes for the bus when the bus ride is around an hour long, after all. I need to locate my mp3 player, charge it, and see if some tunes need to change. I watched The Blues Brothers this morning and I found it funny that it is classified as a musical since there are so few musical numbers in it. It was a fun movie, but I think I need something more. Perhaps Chicago is what I should watch this evening. I think my playlist could use a few more songs from movies, TV shows, and m

Frisky Friday - Spanking Parties

[caption id="attachment_10523" align="alignright" width="300"] Image created using Bitmoji[/caption] Spanking is a fetish for some. For many, they don't need it to 'arrive', but enjoy being spanked by their partners in a sexual way as part of foreplay. Some people place spanking on their version of the BDSM spectrum, while others find it too tame to be part of BDSM. The accounts I've read of spanking parties are that they aren't full of bondage wearing types or any other stereotypical BDSM-like scenes you may be picturing. Spanking parties have been around for quite some time. The media was reporting on them around 2011, so you can assume they were going on longer than that. They're especially great for people who are searching for someone else who is into spanking. Some of you may wonder how spanking could be enjoyable. It's all about change of sensation. When the skin is lightly stinging and your partner gently runs their fin