Rae Roy

I watched the first season of Riverdale and found it just OK. There are a lot of plot twists, but most have been predictable to me. I also don't feel like I've fallen in love with any of the characters. It feels like they tried to take some of Gossip Girl's style, Pretty Little Liars, add a comic book overlay, and call it something new. Maybe they twist the plot so quickly it feels like they don't torture me as a viewer. I just don't feel like I've been forced to experience a cliffhanger moment. They give me the answers too easily. I think it may also be that I'm getting older. Maybe I've just outgrown teen programming. I still love Buffy though... I grew up with Saved by the Bell, Beverly Hills 90210, Models Inc, Melrose Place, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I watched Ready or Not too, but knew it was silly compared to my actual life as a teen at the time. There was some Degrassi too. On both The Mist and Riverdale, they used the closet gay jock trope. I...

[caption id="attachment_4711" align="alignright" width="300"] Image created using Bit Strips.[/caption] I've been feeling pretty down lately between the ending of a relationship and the realities of being a student at a college that is on strike. It has been hard to keep up my usual positive state. I never realized how much even the smallest instructions from my teachers help me do what I need to do. Maybe it's also their constant genuine encouragement that helps me get my work done. I know I've been struggling without them. I really didn't think this would happen to me as I can normally write without the need of a deadline. Truthfully, I think part of it has been the stress of a relationship that was stuck in limbo. The rest? Not having been taught how to do the things that I need to do. The internet is good, but a mentor can teach the same thing in less time because you can ask questions instead of plodding along in the dark with only a ...

While Canada still mourns the loss of Gord Downie , the world now reels at the loss of Fats Domino, aka The Fat Man. It's quite likely that there are many out there who don't realize just how many musicians were influenced by the music of Fats Domino . I thought I'd say a few words, so others can understand just how great a loss he is to music as a whole. Ska pretty much wouldn't exist as a genre. Fats also invented bling. The Beatles had mentioned his influence on them on numerous occasions. Paul McCartney did a rendition of Ain't That A Shame. They even made a song called Lady Madonna in tribute to Fats and Fats did his own version of it. Even Elvis claimed The Fat Man as an inspiration to him. Countless artists have done covers of his songs over the years including punk artists and even Vladamir Putin . There have been a number of tributes to his music over the years. Here's one. Here's an entire playlist of tributes from people including Tom Petty...

[caption id="attachment_4712" align="alignright" width="300"] Image created using Bit Strips.[/caption] I think it apropos to mix it up a bit on this Friday before Hallowe'en. Here are a few Laffy Taffy jokes from the wrappers off the candy I've been snacking on this week: Q: What did the crop say to the farmer? A: Why are you always picking on me? Q: Why don't ducks tell jokes while they are flying? A: They'd quack up. Q: What does a television have in common with a rabbit? A: Its ears. Q: Do you know what Mary had when she went to dinner? A: Everyone knows Mary had a little lamb. Q: What did one penny say to the other? A: Let's get together and make some cents. I'm now picturing abusive farmers, ducks falling from the sky, bloody ears atop a TV set, Mary butchering her little lamb, and some really naughty pennies. These were on candy wrappers made for children! It's a strange world we live in. Speaking of strange, is anyone e...

I'm in a philosophical mood today. Someone on a sci-fi page asked why people hate creationism so much, but I don't think that's the most interesting piece of it all. The thing is that many of the people who frequent such places love stories about things like aliens, but can't conceptualize a being so far advanced to us that could've created all we know to exist. They feel a need to analyze the problem with our current understanding of the world because it's all we have. Yes, the idea of an all powerful being such as God, is a bit of a Deus Ex Machina plot device, but so is thinking of other beings in terms of our own systems that we've created. It's very possible that we are as simple to something out there like single-celled organisms are to us and therefore, our science would be of limited use to understand them or conceptualize much of anything. To compare them to a painter that would have an obvious style we could see elsewhere and be able to identif...

[caption id="attachment_11040" align="alignright" width="300"] Image created using Bitmoji[/caption] In continuing on with The Book of Five Rings, today I'm giving my perceptions on the third chapter: Fire. The meaning of this book can be nearly as versatile as the Bible, so people draw different conclusions depending on where they are in their martial arts journey and their life experience. I'll undoubtedly see this chapter and the other completely different in the years to come. In case you missed the first two, they are linked below. Part I: Earth Part II: Water Part III: Fire Musashi said that being overly concerned with perfection is a waste of time in training for battle because focusing on getting a couple of extra inches distracts you from achieving the real goals of defeating your opponent and living to fight another day. That sentiment is interesting to me. It can be applied to almost anything. If you spend every waking hour agonizing ov...

I've been watching  The Mist on Netflix and I'm enjoying it. I never saw the movie, but this show is making me want to read the book. There are some things that I don't understand about Nathalie and I think reading the book would fill in some gaps. For a moment, I thought it was Mary Gross playing her because her voice reminded me of Janice Zuckerman in Feds. One of the things I love about the show is seeing how many subplots there are and how they tie them in together. They convey a lot without a ton of exposition. They're also really good at heightening the stakes in a way that lets the secondary characters be more than cardboard cutouts. There are so many plot twists that I don't see coming even when there has been subtle foreshadowing because I'm just so busy following the main plot lines, which are full of chaos. I'm a little confused how an entire mall has almost no food when there aren't that many people that have taken refuge in it. Malls usuall...

[caption id="attachment_4711" align="alignright" width="300"] Image created using Bit Strips.[/caption] Has it really only been a week since the Ontario Colleges strike started? It feels much longer for some reason. I don't feel like I've been getting as much done as I want to. The strike has thrown me off course a little. I didn't realize how much having to be at school for certain times was helping me ensure I did other things on time like laundry, groceries, etc. I was eating breakfast every morning before instead of sleeping in because I had nothing to eat for breakfast and didn't want to go to the store. Having had my life thrown off kilter a number of times now between going through a divorce and job loss, I'm a little quicker to see it and do something about it at least. On Sunday, I learned about a man named Richard Hooker who helped restore the balance during a highly polarized time in human history. He said all humans have a ...

Most often remakes are done by newer bands reinventing a classic song such as Disturbed's rendition of  The Sound of Silence . Sometimes, they're mind-blowingly awesome and become new favourites. Other times, they catch on for a couple of weeks and then fade away. It's a little unusual for a band to take one of their own nearly 40-year-old songs and reinvent it, but that's just what a-ha has done with this version of  Take on Me . It's less of an upbeat catchy tune now and more of a deep and loving, soulful experience to see and hear. I'm digging it. Not only is it an old favourite for many out there, but it can draw new fans. I'm now wondering if a new album is in the works. I guess we'll have to wait and see. Guid cheerio the nou, R~

[caption id="attachment_10523" align="alignright" width="300"] Image created using Bitmoji[/caption] There have been far too many posts online lately about cucumber cleanses. Here's what you need to know: VAGINAS CLEAN THEMSELVES! This is why doctors almost never advise women to douche these days. So unless you are in desperate need of an impromptu sex toy, leave cucumbers for eating or for one of those girly face mask things. Also, it's probably best to just head into a sex shop and get a proper toy. The people that work at those places can answer any questions you may have without making you feel weird. And buying your first toy is like a rite of passage into adulthood. If life were an RPG, you'd get points towards levelling your character just for having the courage to complete the quest. Also, since it's Friday, you could have a whole weekend of fun (assuming you aren't a weekend worker). Speaking of fun, I'm off to get ready f...

[caption id="attachment_4713" align="alignright" width="300"] Image created using Bit Strips.[/caption] There are times I really abhor group work. Today is such a day. Why? Here's the list of things we have to do that are worth marks: A 10-Minute Play A 7-10 Page treatment for our original TV episode for an existing TV show A rewrite of an objective document for a term project A presentation that is also a term project A short film 1-pager A revised 1-pager for a feature film An outline for the feature film Probably an outline for the short film Act 1 of the TV episode More steps for the feature film Actually writing the feature film Actually writing the short film Acts 2 and 3 for the TV episode A script for a PSA Comedy show skits to help raise money for our pitching trip Catching up on reading so that the assignments are done properly But hey guys, let's spend a bunch of hours filming something that probably doesn't have marks attached to i...

Today is a sad day as many around the country and world mourn the loss of Gord Downie. I was never really into The Tragically Hip, so I can't say much about that. Besides, I'm still mourning someone I lost eight years ago to Leukemia. Before I tell you more about that, I want to take a moment to say FUCK CANCER !!! I was chatting with a friend earlier today about how much money goes into things like sex toy development and if we spent even half that much on a cure maybe we could stop talking about how shitty cancer is and people dying from it could become a rare event. His thought was that short of a sex toy that cures cancer, it's unlikely to ever happen. He's probably right. Leslie was a friend I had in high school. We ended up in college together in the Social Service Worker program at Canadore College in 2000. Neither of us knew we were taking the same thing until we saw each other there along with another friend also named Leslie. She loved dragonflies. As we grew ...

Today, I say goodbye to Canadian actor John Dunsworth. He played the part of Mr. Lahey in Trailer Park Boys and he played it well. He was also in Treevenge and many other things . Rest in Peace John Dunsworth. R~

[caption id="attachment_4711" align="alignright" width="300"] Image created using Bit Strips.[/caption] My weekend was packed with learning, socializing, and martial arts. On Friday and Saturday, I attended Can-Con 2017. I had a fantastic time seeing old friends and made a few new ones. There were many panels over the weekend and I learned a lot of things such as that beer was literally a chunk-filled "smoothie" they used straws to drink in order to avoid the chunks at one point in history. Gross. The earliest was made in China, not Egypt as many think. To learn more about beer, check out Black Creek Brewery . Oh, apparently it's also unclear whether or not beer or bread came first. I've come out of the weekend with a list of Canadian Horror films I should check out, a list of absurdist UK comedies to watch, some screenwriting facts that I haven't heard at school, some new perceptions about the world as it may be for others, some boo...

[caption id="attachment_10523" align="alignright" width="300"] Image created using Bitmoji[/caption] Apparently, it's really common to feel frisky when you have a cold. It seems like the most ridiculous time. I mean, not only are you feeling miserable, who wants to get it on with someone who's nose resembles a chaos demon? Nonetheless, apparently orgasms can help boost the immune system and get you feeling better sooner. Check out this article for more information on this phenomenon. There's also a sub-reddit on the subject, of course. There may have even been a Friend's episode about it. Writing Update I'm off to Can-Con 2017 this weekend. I'll be a panelist for the Spam Meet panel Saturday evening. I'm going to take some relaxation/homework time Saturday morning to hopefully kill the last of my cold by getting some much needed rest. Otherwise, I can be either found enjoying libations or taking in a panel myself. It's be...

I struggled to figure out what to say all day yesterday. We were told that unless things are settled by this Sunday, the teachers are striking as of Monday.  This isn't something I can do anything to stop. Just like I can't do anything about Mr. Pumpkinhead to the south or his Korean counterpart.  But there are other battles I can fight and win. I can read my books and scripts and use the information to help me write my assignments and continue learning. I can clean my home. I can fight for relationships that are important to me. I can do the things I'm supposed to that are recommended to keep my Sjogren's in check. I can use tools like Tylenol Complete to help me get through the last day of class this week. I can make good choices that help me accomplish the goals I have like reducing my sugar intake and exercising.  There's a lot I can do to get through the chaos in the world right now. The biggest thing is keeping a positive attitude. Yes, I know strikes can last...

Well, today was a different kind of day. Much of the day was spent preparing for what seems like an imminent strike by college faculty across the province. In an effort to cram as much as possible into us before this week is over, our teachers have fast tracked a couple of lessons to give us some basic skills with software like Final Draft. They're also making as many resources available to us as possible through the system before they are unable to access the system as we'll still be able to access it while the strike is happening. So we'll be able to write the bulk of our assignments though we won't be able to hand them in or get graded. Today, we started our 7-10 page episode treatments, which are like, well nothing I've written is like them exactly. Perhaps somewhat like a short story only written in a specific way. Each paragraph is a scene and the goal is to write it in present tense with some dialogue snippets here and there. It's like writing an expanded...

It's a long weekend here in Canada and I'm thankful for it. I've been able to get a few assignments done and do some house cleaning. I've also been able to watch the rest of Daredevil and relax despite having caught the class cold. A Kleenex box has been my closest friend this weekend.  I made a nice turkey leg dinner yesterday complete with gravy, stuffing, homemade cranberry sauce, wine, and veggies. I didn't bother with potatoes as I didn't want to go through the effort of peeling and such. I also thought I had enough carbs on my plate. Dessert was Daiya strawberry cheesecake with fresh strawberries and coconut whipped cream. It was yummy. I need to fix the stuffing today as it's a little dry.  Today I'm thinking about my goals. As I get closer to having my home in the state I want it, I can fit in other things. I have a study place for reading. After I put away my air conditioner, I'll have a place to practice martial arts and yoga in my living r...

Do you ever get to that point with a song where you just can't stand to hear it play one more time? I did this week. Which song was it that had me wanting to flip the fuck out and scream or possibly even tear my own hair out if I heard it one more time? It was Vance Joy's  Riptide. What makes us go from loving a song to hating it so much? Is it simply hearing it too often? I don't think so, but maybe? I know this particular song came on all the time on my MP3 player. My player can't remember settings for some reason and despite randomizing my playlist, it would replay this one all the time. It would replay other ones, but those didn't drive me nuts though. Maybe it's that love and hate are two sides of the same coin? That same coin that gets people to make changes that mark them as disloyal? Maybe I'm just talking bullshit today. And yet there are songs I've heard since I was 12 like Green Day's  Basket Case that I don't seem to ever tire of. No...

[caption id="attachment_10523" align="alignright" width="300"] Image created using Bitmoji[/caption] I'm super swamped, but I found this article that is well worth the read before this long weekend. I feel like it could almost be a PSA. Most people likely already know this stuff, but it was a good read. Remember to practice safe sex and get consent, but have fun ;) I'm off to hopefully arrange a work placement for school and get other errands done. That will be followed by homework and housework. Guid cheerio the nou, R~

Sorry for not posting yesterday. I've been incredibly busy. I've reached the point in my schooling where one assignment is completed and replaced by three others. It's the point where I'm also doing extra things like lining up work placements. Noticing I've been falling behind in readings, I cleared a space for that on my dining room table.  I'm getting closer on having the rest of my place clean. At least, I keep telling myself this. Usually what happens is exhaustion. We do have a long weekend this weekend in Canada. It's Thanksgiving on Monday. I'm not visiting family because I did that in September instead and I can't afford that kind of time away from my studies.  At least my plumbing issue might be fixed now. That was earlier in the week. I have a few more things to get done this week like returning the case I ordered for my tablet as the wrong size came. My proper keyboard cover is here, but I can't pick it up until tonight according to th...

Ok, I'm just discovering Daredevil. Why didn't I watch it before? After the disappointment that was The Iron Fist, I needed a break from superhero TV shows. I'm thoroughly enjoying Daredevil. Having not read the comics, I didn't know he was a Catholic. I like the way they handle religion in the show. He has principles that he sticks to like not killing and he talks to his priest regularly, but he doesn't go around trying to convert others. I just finished season one and I'm going to catch up on some cleaning and school reading before I get into season two. I think the third is supposed to start soon. Also, I heard The Punisher shows up and he's another favourite of mine. Fisk is a bad dude, but I feel a little sorry for him given his youth. It doesn't hurt that the actor playing Matt Murdock is easy on the eyes either. Given how agile he is, I suspect he would be fun in the sack ;) Guid cheerio the nou, R~

[caption id="attachment_4711" align="alignright" width="300"] Image created using Bit Strips.[/caption] The annual iaido and jodo seminar happened this weekend. We had a few less people than last year, but those who came learned quite a bit. We split into three groups and the instructors rotated between us. I loved it because we all received feedback from different teachers who may be saying similar things to our own, but they say it in a different way than our own does and sometimes that's all you need for a eureka moment. I didn't have a eureka moment this time around, but I did figure out that I can do more at home than just practicing the kata. It's hard to swing weapons around in my condo, but I can practice the lower body pieces once I make space to. So, that means some cleaning needs to happen, which I want to do anyway. I might make up my own exercises that could be kihon based on pieces from each kata. Of course, I can practice basic ...