Foot In The Appropriate Place

2008-12-03T22:21:00.001-05:00

Is it possible to have this setup on a TDI in Canada, minus the right hand drive? You bet it is. I'm going to make it happen!

The 6 speed VW DSG transmission, with 8ms shift times. :-) -soon to be replaced by a 7 speed dry clutch unit on lighter-weight cars.

Justice - Phantom

2008-07-12T18:25:00.000-04:00

Almost everything is fascinating to me. My curious problem is that they're only ever fascinating for short bursts of time. Yes, they're more bursts than periods. I haven't always had this problem, if you can call it that. Well, sure you can! It's a bloody affliction!

Since I'm interested in almost everything, there's no way I can list all of my interests. After all, everything is a lot!

However, I can list some of the things that don't really interest me.

- accounting

- antique furniture

- plastic laminates

- guns

- American cars

- most people

- overly sweet yogurt smoothies! WTF

Sign the petition protesting the new price plan from Bell and Telus for incoming text messages.

2008-07-09T21:44:00.001-04:00

2008-07-09T21:28:00.002-04:00

toothpastefordinner

2008-07-09T20:32:00.000-04:00

Yep, it's me. Do I smile? No, I don't like smiling. Yes, I'm wearing new glasses.

Need tea recommendations

2008-07-06T23:31:00.000-04:00

Does anyone out there have any good tea recommendations/recipes/brewing methods? Coffee is brilliant stuff but I haven't been able to find a good cup around here. Tim Hortons? Blech. Coffee Culture? Meh. Planet Bean? Ho hum. Cornerstone? Yeah, that one's not bad. Work Coffee? :-| Chicory Common? Love their food but don't much care for the coffee.

I may try to find some loose rooibos again. That's wonderful stuff. I brewed it in my french press with great success.

something that made me smile

2008-06-29T20:49:00.001-04:00

Where the Hell is Matt? (2008) from Matthew Harding on Vimeo.

Was it good for you!?

2008-04-27T16:01:00.000-04:00

Apparently I bored people with that last post. Oh well. It was good for me! With each day that passes I'm becoming more of a Volkswagen enthusiast.

There's not much to say today, so you should all be thankful. Move along.

PS: If you have the patience, sit down at watch the documentary by the BBC aptly named Planet Earth. It's breath taking. Unfortunately, I have no patience these days. It's filmed in HD, so make sure to watch it either on a computer monitor an HDTV.

TDI engines

2008-04-14T22:10:00.002-04:00

The first TDI (turbocharged direct injection) diesel engine was a 2.5L inline five-cylinder unit
developed by Audi and introduced in 1989 for the Audi 100. Today, TDI engines are used by most VW group companies, including Audi, VW, SEAT, and Skoda. The TDI has been so highly developed and refined, that Audi is even planning a 4.2L V8 TDI powerplant for the newly famed R8 super car. TDI has become a true poster child for the VW group, especially after winning the 24 hour of Le Mans for the past two years with the Audi R10 TDI race car. The R10 was the first diesel powered car ever to win this race, which dates back to 1923. The TDI in the R10 is a 5.5L all-aluminum twin turbo 90 degree V12 with the latest piezo-electric diesel fuel injection system. It generates 650HP and 811lb-ft of torque. Strangely enough, in 2004, Lola used a VW V10 TDI in their Le Mans entry; however, the engine was rebadged as a Caterpillar unit! This engine was otherwise identical to the one used in the VW Phaeton and Toureg. Perhaps this was a test-bed for Audi before officially entering the company and TDI into the race in 2006. As of 2007, Peugeot (the second largest car maker in Europe behind VW) is now on the diesel Le Mans band-wagon with their first diesel car entry, the 908. This car has proven fast, but so far has lacked in reliability. Jacques Villeneuve, former world-champion Canadian F1 driver was one of the drivers of the 908 in its first Le Mans appearance last year. Last, but not least, for this intro, VW TDI engines have frequently been winners of the International Engine of the Year Award (as judged by auto journalists from around the world, organized by a UK company), beating out gasoline engines of similar displacement classes. In the "best fuel economy" category, the 1.2L TDI beat the Prius in 1999. Volkwagen and Mercedes have been the only manufacturers to sell diesel cars in North America; however, that's about to change in the next few years.

There are three main generations of TDI engines, with the latest expected to be released in the
fall of this year. The first generation, sold until the 2004 model year in North American VW
cars, used an electronically controlled rotary distributor-type fuel pump. These were designated the VE engines. Their pumps were pressurized via the timing belt running off the crankshaft pulley. Injection pressures were approximately 4,300 psi. Keep in mind that an EFI gasoline system injects fuel into the intake manifold at about 50psi. Pre-TDI (indirect pre-chamber injection instead of direct cylinder injection) VW diesels, such as my 1992 Jetta turbo diesel, inject fuel at about 2,200PSI.

The second generation, and currently the latest available in North American, were the PD (short for Pumpe Duse, German for pump injector) TDI engines. These were on the roads in Europe in 2000 but didn't hit North American soil until 2004. My Jetta has a PD TDI. The injectors are a unit injector system (a commonly used acronymn is UIS) that integrate the pressure pump, injector nozzle, and solenoid valve. Mechanically, these injectors are vastly different from the old style and offer the advantage of far higher injection pressure (over 28,000PSI) and a more precise injection and metering for greater efficiency and cleaner combustion. Below is an image of the PD injectors and ECU in my 2006 Jetta TDI. Note that both the injectors and ECU are manufactured by Bosch. This particular UIS system was deemed superior by VW to common rail systems of the day due to its a ability to generate extremely high injection pressures with a sufficiently wide pressure window. The PD system can perform two injection events per combustion cycle.

PD injectors with EDC16

cutaway of a PD injector and cylinder/piston

Another technology common to most TDIs is the variable geometry turbocharger, seen below. Rather than allowing boost pressure to be entirely dependent on exhaust gas flow rate, most diesel turbochargers now include electronically controlled vanes that modify the angle at which exhaust gasses hit the turbine blades. This allows a for dynamic control of boost, further optimizing combustion characteristics. In the past, turbos used a simple wastegate system, which released pressure when the turbo reached it's limit. Build-up of boost was dependent on the the rate of increase of exhaust gas flow. For these reasons, turbo lag was a common driving characteristic and the max boost was available over a very narrow range. With VGT turbos, max boost pressure can be achieved over a much wider RPM range, and boost can be massively reduced at any time and at any engine speed if necessary. Not only do these features allow for more power, they also allow for a cleaner burning engine. For example, if I'm climbing a hill and trying to maintain a constant speed/engine RPM, more fuel will be injected. Without a corresponding increase in charge air, the engine slowly begins to release unburnt fuel into the exhaust stream. With a VNT system, the ECU modifies the geometry of the gas flow over the turbine to optimize the boost level for the given load. There are sensors all over the engine monitoring pre-turbine air flow rate, air temperature, charge air temperature, charge air pressure, coolant temperature, and many other engine parameters, all used by the ECU to determine optimium charge settings.

VNT turbocharger

The third generation TDI system, due to be officially released sometime later this year will use a 3rd generation common rail fuel system using piezo-electric injectors capable of 1600 bar (up to 23,500PSI). The advantages of common rail in general are that maximum pressure is always available to every injector, regardless of engine speed, load, or crankshaft angle. This means that there is no pressure window to worry about and there's far greater flexibility to work with multiple injection events at necessary pressures. The piezo injectors add to the benefit by allowing even more precise metering and faster actuation than solenoid valves as used on the PD. The piezo units are so fast in fact that up to seven injection events per combustion process are possible, which allows for a far smoother combustion event. The number of injection events will depend on load demands, engine speed, etc... Piezo injectors use a material of a defined crystal structure that expands and contracts at rapid rates when electric current is applied. If that's not enough for you, Bosch had to develop a system to correct for minute changes in rail pressure at each injector resulting from constant fuel use and new fuel introduction into the rail from the main pressure pump. Pressure wave correction is what the new EDC17 ECU is all about... Well, one of many... The new ECU also has to deal with the addition of a fancy exhaust after treatment system. I almost forgot that this is another benefit of the 3rd generation common rail. With a constant pressure system and extremely rapid injectors, fuel can now be injected into the cylinders on the exhaust stroke in order to massively increase the temperature of the exhaust system. This allows the new diesel particulate filters to be cleaned about once per tank of fuel. The entire process is transparent to the driver.

Finally, the future is with HADI (hydraulically amplified) injectors which use piezo valve actuation and a hydraulic stepper to achieve pressures up to 37,500PSI. Bosch is also working on ideas to alter the geometry of the spray throughout the injection phases!

HADI injector

Well, that just scratches the surface.

VW/Audi TDI piston on the left and a VW/Audi gasoline engine piston on the right. Note how much more robust the diesel piston is!

2008-04-05T21:51:00.000-04:00

These are still two of my favorite photographs of myself.

IT LIVES!

2008-03-29T00:32:00.001-04:00

I live and am alive and will post soon! Sooooon! Beware.

I mean that.

The Family's Cuddly Beast

2008-03-12T00:07:00.000-04:00

This is Lucky.

It's still winter.

2008-03-09T19:21:00.000-04:00

It's almost the middle of March in SW Ontario but it still looks like this. I'm hoping in about a week the weather will begin to turn and finally rise above zero.

Where's Will?

2008-03-08T17:04:00.001-05:00

http://www.interknife.com/en/messekalender.php?z=1

I'm there in the back, sitting with some sales reps at the IKS Klingelnberg booth at Ligna in Hannover, Germany.

Share with me

2008-03-06T22:41:00.001-05:00

drop.io/pleopard

To share with me, ask me for the password or make your own drop and tell me about it.

2008-03-05T21:06:00.001-05:00

"By the time a man realizes that maybe his father was right, he usually has a son who thinks he's wrong."

-Charles Wadsworth

2008-02-23T21:14:00.000-05:00

Bookshelf - Take 3

I'm told that a cafe named the Bookshelf exists in Guelph Ontario. I'm told this elusive cafe exists beneath an indie film theatre. I've tried to locate the place on three occassions now and am beginning to think it just doesn't exist. Emily, does it? Each time I search, I end up at Planet Bean, which is in the general location I'm told the Bookshelf is in. Hmmm. What could this mean? It's my doctor who recommended I visit the Bookshelf after our long conversations that cover everything from personal relationships to...coffee.

The nice thing about Planet Bean is the quality of their coffee preparation. The espresso always has a nice amber head. The coffee is certainly better than Starbucks, but the jury is still out on whether it can match up to some of the best cafes I've visited. My good friend Jeremy found an article claiming coffee contains somewhere on the order of 1200 chemical compounds. This is about double what wine has, making coffee one of the most complex bevereges known to all of humanity... Imagine that. Well, it's not hard for me to imagine, but might be for the typical Folgers drinker. The complexity manifests itself in many subtle ways, many of which are dependent on the condition of the pallet at the time of tasting. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that mood can play a role in the interpretation of the flavours and the specific reaction to the roast, and brew.

Roasting and brewing are the two biggest factors in processing that influence the coffee's quality. The flavours are fixed in the beans that come from many different regions, but it's the processing that determines how these flavours are brought out, or, _if_ they're brought out. I have no experience with roasting, but I am able to recognize a good oily roast over a burnt and dried out roast. In my opinion, the medium roasts optimize the true flavour of the coffee. Dark roasts can give a very nice robust flavour, but they seem to mask many of the flavours.

One pet peeve of mine is the age of roasted coffee beans. If a cafe continues to brew beans after they're more than a week old, that cafe probably shouldn't be in business. From personal experience, flavour is lost very quickly after roasting. Two to three days is about the sweet spot. Give a fresh roast a whif and then wait a week and do it again. You'll see what I mean!

Brewing. This is what most of us have the most control over. Grind fresh beans and go at it! No! Where's the love!? Coffee needs love! If you're not thinking and loving, you're not doing it right. Period. Think about the water, think about the the way you handle the beans, the consistency and fineness of the grind, the water temperature, the water to coffee grinds ratio, etc. etc. etc. Finally, think about the cream you use, if you use cream. Stay away from sugar. Coffee lovers should bow their heads in shame if they use sugar. Cream on the other hand, is acceptable, at least in my opinion. Coffee can be very intense, and with 1200 flavours, I feel that a little cream can help to reduce the momentum of the experience on the brain to a more manageable level.

Coffee can be brewed using many techniques and devices, few of which I've mastered. If you want to play (oops, I mean, experiment), go out and get yourself a French press. They're relatively cheap and force you to exercise lots of love.

On Drivers

The single most annoying thing about driving is other drivers. I don't mind aggressive drivers. It's the timid, skill-less, and and stupid ones that bother me. Today, a mini-van driver decided that something about me passing him was unacceptable and he began blaring his horn at me. Maybe he was trying to alert me to the oncoming vehicle, as if I didn't see it. Nothing I was doing was in error. It was a nice brisk pass that left everyone plenty of room to keep their heart-rates at acceptable levels. ;) No one had to touch their brakes to give anyone extra room, but maybe the mini-van driver got a little nervous. Who knows. I gave him the finger. I hope he gave the ordeal some thought.

On Pharmacies

Pharmacies (the drugs part, not the cosmetics part) confuse me. I find them such mysterious places. Don't ask me why. I'll think about it another time and perhaps try to explain why I feel this way. A pharmacy technician really got under my nerves this morning. I don't speak drug insurance prescription lingo. What the hell does premium variance mean? Why was I given 34 pills instead of my usual 30. She made me feel like a fool and her tone was less than comforting. Finally the pharmacist came over to deal with the situation. Within seconds I understood what was going on. She translated the technicalities into layman speak, as medical professionals should do. I'm sure the technician was just trying to feel important and wanted to show off her knowledge and assertiveness. All she did in fact was reveal how depressingly average she was.

On Averageness

Maybe that should be On Mediocrity or something. Being as lonely as I am, I often enjoy going out for breakfast or lunch in a nice busy restaurant out in the country. The part that bothers me is seeing all the old couples sitting around me. They're so AVERAGE or below average. The buzzing activity and attractive, young, and energetic waitresses help me to forget my state of affairs, but when I look around me at all the people, I want to jump up and down and yell at them. What's wrong with people?! Many of the couples there just sit.... They sit. They eat. They sit, and sit some more. Live a little people! At least ask your eating-buddy if they're satisfied with their toothpaste or something. Don't get me wrong, it can be nice to sit in silence across from a significant other with whom you feel at ease with, but there's something not right when not a single word is said. These people are dead, and worst of all, they don't even know it! I'd honestly be more excited and feel less lonely eating my breakfast in the middle of a cemetary.

<3:23pm>

The Bookshelf - The Chapter Has Begun
<3:50pm>

My doctor's directions weren't perfect. After leaving Planet Bean a few moments ago, I decided to look around a little more. That's when I recalled her saying something about a Bank of Montreal. Voila! Memory is useful thing, even if it's not always so quick to retrieve details.

So, the Bookshelf... I like it, and I'm flattered my doctor thought I was the type of person to appreciate such a place. It's a cafe/bistro with an adjoining bookstore. She must also think I'm reasonably well-off. The cafe is certainly up a notch from the typical university student hang-out. $16 for quiche and a black cherry spritzer? :) Why not? why not...

An Acura TL just pulled out. Is that a rear-wheel drive car? Hmm. It has nice lines.

A wave of something just washed over my brain. Maybe it was triggered by the sudden interruption of thought. I need a way of controlling my state of mind. It needs a moderator of sorts, someone to balance it.

Anyway, as I was searching for the Bookshelf I was thinking about people's opinions of Ontario. I've yet to meet someone with a truly positive opinion of the province and that really bothers me. Does the cold make people bitter after a certain number of years? Why do so many people find it so odd that I would move from British Columbia to live here? I like it here! The climate, the landscape, the architecture, the big cities, the country, they're all unique, and to be cherished. Winter is not a pain. It's beautiful!

My quiche has been served.

The Hair - It Must Change

Can someone recommend what I should do with my hair? I'm not happy with it. Why must I decide? Aren't hair stylists or barbers (the hair professionals) supposed to help with such things? They always seem a bit surprised when I'm not sure what I want done with it. "Cut it short" is all I ever really say. Short hair makes me look too boyish. I prefer the character that longer hair gives me. Unfortunately, it also begins to look a little too untidy for the office. How do I manage this? I'm willing to learn! The $10 hair cuts just don't do it for me anymore.

3:23pm
Sorry, we're CLOSED. Please come again.

2008-01-24T20:20:00.000-05:00

Hello my loyal lurkers! Post a comment already!

I've been stuck in a pit of zero energy and darkness. Maybe it's the weather, maybe it's my diet, maybe it's my lack of exercise, but whatever it is, I've not felt up to much lately. I doubt it's the weather, because I can honestly say I love winter! It may be related to why many people enjoy exercise. It makes you stronger! Winter also gives everything such an intimate feel, don't you agree? To my west-coast friends, never mind...

Anyone know where my travel mug is?

Hey, February 16, see you at the Canadian Intl. Auto Show in Toronto!

My New Photo Sharing Site - Flickr

2008-01-22T16:45:00.001-05:00

I've switched to Flickr. My alias is vwman.

The first sets added are:

- Trip Home for Christmas 2007 (just a few from in the car on the Island Highway)

- Visiting Mr. Bennett (two photos snapped on the trip)

- Trip back to Ontario - December 31, 2007 (the aircraft, the flight)

- My new Macbook (yes, I switched, and am happy about it)

My New Photo Sharing Site - Flickr

2008-01-22T16:45:00.000-05:00

I've switched to Flickr. My alias is vwman.

The first sets added are:

- Trip Home for Christmas 2007 (just a few from in the car on the Island Highway)

- Visiting Mr. Bennett (two photos snapped on the trip)

- Trip back to Ontario - December 31, 2007 (the aircraft, the flight)

- My new Macbook

2007-12-17T18:32:00.000-05:00

Okay okay okay, so, here's the scoop. Yes, that's right, the scoop! Something is up with me today and I'm not sure what it is. My energy level is about 18% higher than normal. That's about 4% outside my normal energy level variance. Now, energy levels cannot be completely random. In fact, few things are completely random. There's always an underlying reason, though some more chaotic than others. So, the factors here are blackforest cake and ice cream before bed last night, my higher dose kicking in...nah, two cups of rooibos tea last night, the crab meat I had a couple days ago, the salmon sandwiches yesterday, or not eating anything all day today... Alright, the last one is really odd. I'm going to test the rooibos tea factor. Tonight I'll drink 15 cups. I'll either die or I'll...die. Okay, three cups...

Well, Thursday night I'm heading back to the soggy west coast. Hopefully the weather behaves itself. I'm bringing my girlfriend back home with me so she can see what the west coast is like. Oh, maybe that was a dream I had last night. It just occurred to me I'm single. Hmmm. Trippy. Maybe I'll have four cups.

Montreal is spending $20 million to remove the snow from last night's storm alone. They spend an average of $17 million per snow storm. That was the most surprising statistic I've heard in a while. Thanks CBC.

Orange pop, circa 1963. - looks sketchy

Winter Storm?

2007-12-16T13:09:00.000-05:00

This was during the second winter storm, though it looks almost pleasant out in this snapshot. 20-30cm was expected but I don't think we got that. -10C, 60km/h gusts

Snow removal guy passing through...

time to get the shovel out...

Work

2007-12-16T12:00:00.000-05:00

a crate of 0.50mm black cherry veneer,
24 sheets per bundle, ready for evaluation

views from 37000 feet

2007-11-04T01:24:00.000-04:00

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/onewill/October2007Flights

photos taken on the planes - Vancouver to Toronto return flight
October 20-27

2007-10-11T21:43:00.000-04:00

22nd floor of the Delta Chelsea Hotel, Toronto, night before ETS operation - will post again tomorrow night

Tatina & Jason's Wedding - Vancouver

2007-09-23T16:33:00.000-04:00

Mt Forest Tour #1

2007-09-23T15:04:00.000-04:00

bridge on the south side of town

Fresh cut fries and Tim Hortons are small-town Ontario traditions

I'm not sure what the point of this is.

Scott's Pizzza Burger. Good junk food and cute girls.

I just discovered this morning that Coffee Culture is opening a cafe here!

factory that makes contraceptives for zebras and donkeys

2007-09-21T22:58:00.000-04:00

Fuck the world? Yeah, maybe. I would if I could, but I can't find the opening. Right now I'm having some trouble breathing, possibly due to various forms of stress, and maybe all the caffeine I've had this evening. Friends are a bit overrated. The key is to live in your own world, alone, and enjoy it. It's more faithful. Friends should be classified as acquaintances more often, and they should undergo probationary periods before being classified as anything more.

Cutting Me Open

2007-09-09T21:31:00.000-04:00

This gloomy old building (Toronto East General Hospital) is where I'll be having my life changed forever. On October 12th I'm undergoing an Endoscopic Transthoracic Sympathectomy operation. Essentially they're clamping overactive nerves that cause my hands to sweat abnormally. Small removable titanium clamps are placed over the sympathetic ganglion chain (located along the spine inside the chest) at what they call positions T3 and T4. This specifically targets the nerves responsible for hand sweating, underarm sweating (not a problem of mine) and facial blushing (also not a problem of mine). In order to access the nerve chain, the surgeon fills a part of my chest cavity with carbon dioxide gas to push each lung aside. The surgery is performed on each side of my chest cavity, with each side taking about 30 minutes to complete, assuming no complications arise. It's considered minimally invasive surgery because no ribs are cut to access my chest cavity. Instead, the surgery is performed with a small tube with a tiny camera that guides the surgeon through my chest.

This should be fun. If I'm lucky I'll get a video of the procedure.

American LeMans in Detroit

2007-09-03T00:08:00.000-04:00

Here are a few pics from my trip to the Detroit Belle Isle American LeMans GP on Saturday.

and a couple teaser vids I found on YouTube showing off the Audi R10 TDI:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IzDbNWZsDOQ&mode=related&search=
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfS32l92MFs&mode=related&search=

My Car's Bat Signal

2007-08-26T22:38:00.000-04:00

Actually, it's a VW signal... My stock 2006 Jetta projects the VW logo onto walls when parked at just the right distance for focus. It's not well defined but is clearly meant to be the VW emblem. This easter egg was brought to my attention in the forums at tdiclub.com and is something few people seem to be aware of. To project the logo, turn the engine off but leave the headlight switch in the on position. This will turn the DRLs off but leave the city bulbs on. Voila.

2007-08-22T20:19:00.000-04:00

1113.0km on this tank, 49.888L to fill (18th tank fill)
4.48L/100km
52.5MPG
Best fuel economy since purchased new

Photo was shot at Petro Canada with the engine off but ignition on (to show fuel level, odometer, and engine temperature), hence the engine speed of 0 and two remaining indicator lights that only go out with the engine on.

Mondays aren't all bad!

2007-08-20T18:38:00.000-04:00

So, after having a parcel pickup slip in my possession for over a week, today I finally decided to bring it in to the post office! Why did I wait so long? I had just assumed it was nothing important and never made the connection that it might be something for my birthday. It's also difficult for me to make it to the post office after work and before closing time. Anyway, excuses aside, today I brought it in and received the parcel. I was most of the way home before I realized it was from my buddy Jeremy! That's when it all made sense. LOL. I hurried the rest of the way home, pulled out my utility knife and opened the box. He got me packing peanuts! SWEET! Okay, no, he's not that much of a joker. I dug around and pulled out a dense lump of...hardware!? Upon closer inspection, peering through the bubble wrap, I realized it was a Pentax camera! WOAH! I was then beyond excited. It's a Pentax MV with a 50mm Pentax-M f/2 lens, the same camera I once owned but foolishly sold. I've regretted that ever since. How much awesome-er can it get!?! He also got me a Vivitar 80-200mm f/4 lens for spying on the...wildlife. No way!

This was one of my best birthdays in memory. Thanks Jeremy.

Now I need to find some good film!

BC trip - July, 2007

2007-08-04T21:36:00.000-04:00

These shots are in reverse order. Here I'm killing time at the airport waiting for the shuttle back to Mt Forest.

water display at Pearson Airport in Toronto

my trusty luggage

pic from Georgia & Granville St. Vancouver

Marcella and alien being beside Canada Place

Marcella being cute

Marcella sitting on the steps of the Vancouver Art Gallery

Marcella at the Celebration of Light

Heidi and Martin at the wedding hotel in White Rock

Georgia Straight, from the deck of a BC Ferry

me, Papa, Maya

mom

wedding party
from left to right: Laurel (bridesmaid), Marrianne (maid of honour), Tatina (bride), Jason (groom), Martin (best man), me (groomsman)

2007-07-31T03:33:00.000-04:00

"The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting it to come out different"

There's some truth to this. In certain contexts, such as practice and experimentation, it obviously doesn't always apply. However, taken loosely, the quote is useful.

Beauty, Brilliance, and Light

2007-07-11T20:50:00.000-04:00

"The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and all science. He to whom this emotion is a stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead: his eyes are closed."

~Albert Einstein

2007-07-08T09:42:00.000-04:00

In that instant it started to rain

2007-06-01T23:53:00.000-04:00

Some of my most memorable feelings have come to me while driving alone late at night, listening to music. Driving on country roads when there's nothing ahead but the pavement, trees, and farmers fields illuminated by the headlights, is enchanting, beautiful, even meditative. I connect with the undulating and twisting road through the wheel of the car and the suspension's reactions. There are few better ways to enjoy beautiful music than while carving the darkness.

There's one thing I want to say, so I'll be brave
You were what I wanted
I gave what I gave
I'm not sorry I met you
I'm not sorry it's over
I'm not sorry there's nothing to save
I'm not sorry there's nothing to save

This scar is a fleck on my porcelain skin.

God that was strange to see you again, and again, and again...

2007-05-27T20:15:00.000-04:00

2007-05-27T17:04:00.000-04:00

This is nice. Red. It symbolizes passion, love, and at the same time, blood(shed), war, hatred, nearing death, pain... It's nice. Nice. Have you ever thought about how closely related love and pain and death are? There are no other conditions so intimately connected as love and death. When we near death, we best feel love and when we are without love, we might as well be dead. What more is there to life than love and death? Nothing.

17 Years

2007-05-23T20:48:00.000-04:00

Europe Trip Photos

2007-05-19T21:26:00.000-04:00

May 12 - May 19: Toronto - Frankfurt - Hannover - Dresden - Melnik - Prague - Munich - Toronto

http://picasaweb.google.com/onewill/EuropeMay200702

2007-05-10T22:03:00.000-04:00

Faithful readers, my next post will hopefully be from Deutschland and or the Czech Republik. I'll be sure to take some crazy photos of the new land and maybe the folks. Things should go alright, unless they go wrong... Something must be very wrong with my life when the only thing I'm currently looking forward to is Starbucks at the airport.

2007-05-10T19:23:00.001-04:00

I wish you were around to talk to at lunch today. Somehow I'm just having another crappy day. I feel as if I'm living my life in a giant empty hole. All the vital necessities trickle in, like food and water, but of course the bottoms of holes tend to be lonely and depressing, as you can imagine. There was a time when I was a more lively person, I just can't remember anymore when that was.

2007-05-08T20:19:00.000-04:00

My VW has become a mass killing machine. It's time for a wash.

Not getting there

2007-05-02T19:32:00.000-04:00

the demise of a friend's work in Guelph

a sculpture at the University of Guelph that's worth a visit

looking for some high-end audio equipment?

Today was a confusing pile of shit, much like these shots. Work was a stressful waste of time, lunch with my friend Morgan was a loss, I felt as if I could feel the beginning of the end of everything.

Things I learned today...

2007-04-29T15:46:00.000-04:00

Turkmenistan (also known as Turkmenia), or land of the Turkmen. Until '91 it was a Republic of the Soviet Union, the Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic. It's bordered by Iran and Afghanistan... It has a population of five million and the official language is Turkmen. Women speak a dialect known as Turkwomen.

Obdormition is a medical term that describes numbness in a limb caused by constant pressure or lack of movement. It's often followed by paresthesia, or "Pins and Needles".

Campylobacter jejuni is one of the most common causes of diarrhea. It's a bacteria commonly found in animal feces. Contaminated drinking water and unpasteurized milk provide an efficient means for distribution.

Eli Lilly, a major pharmaceuticals company, and inventor of Prozac, spent millions lobbying the US Congress in an attempt to extend their patent on the antidepressant. In 2001, Lilly lost their patent, alloying others to sell generic versions of the same drug. Lilly is still recovering from the major financial setback that resulted from lost Prozac revenues.

2007-04-27T19:03:00.000-04:00

This is not a joke

2007-04-23T18:37:00.000-04:00

Excerpt from Canadian Auto Press article:

BMW realizes that hybrids have their forte, particularly in the city during slow stop and go driving, but they show their flaws at higher speeds. The engineer said that overall, the brand’s diesel engines are more economical than hybrids. This poses an interesting question: having sunk plenty of money into hybrid R&D, will BMW develop a hybrid vehicle? The answer is uncertain, but it’s leaning towards “yes”. BMW is expected to build a hybrid – a diesel-electric hybrid – but only if it is able to make it more efficient and more cost-effective than a regular, unassisted diesel engine. What’s meant by this is BMW won’t commit to hybrid technology unless it can make it more economical under real world conditions.

The interview revealed that the diesel-hybrid vehicle should be ready to go by 2010, but that the brand hasn’t yet said which car will feature the technology. Sources have suggested that the first vehicle will be the 5-Series sedan, followed by the X5 SAV, which seem to be the two most logical choices. A growing number of automakers, including Porsche and Volkswagen, are working on hybrid powertrain vehicles. With diesel-electric hybrids in its range, BMW could not only effectively combat other automakers, but the combination of a high-mileage diesel hybrid would appeal to performance enthusiasts and environmentalists alike.

Go Green Go Diesel

2007-04-22T22:50:00.000-04:00

mpgstickers.com

Today, a couple in a VW Passat TDI drove by my parked Jetta and shared a little smile when they saw my bumper sticker. Quite a few people are taking notice and I think this is important. There are a lot of misconceptions about diesel engines. The modern diesel is powerful, quiet, clean (yes, better for the environment), and best of all, achieves highway fuel consumption figures that can rival hybrid vehicles of comparable size. If you want to go all out, you could even run on 100% biodiesel resulting in net carbon dioxide additions of zero to the atmosphere.

2007-04-20T15:04:00.000-04:00

...sitting inside a rest stop center on the New York State Throughway relaxing. I woke up this morning at 6:45 at the hotel in Boardman Ohio, took a shower, and then received a call from one of our sales executives. He was being terribly polite but I could sense the tension in his voice. He was concerned about me but disappointed at the same time. I failed to show at breakfast in the ballroom at some hour that would pain the birds. "Mr. X is presenting at 7:30... I see that you're still in your room... You can grab a bite to eat and then be ready at 8:30, okay?"
"...7:30?! The meeting is starting at 7:30? I didn't know..."

When this happens at school, it's unfortunate, but you get over it; when it happens at work, you also get over it, but you imagine the worst.

I gathered my things, checked out at the front desk, found the ball room...empty. There was orange juice and pastries on a table, so I poured myself a glass, looked around, pondered my screwedness, and began walking around listening for any activity. Finally I found where I was supposed to be at 7:30. I opened the door, kept a straight and very stern face, and maintained a level of confidence as I always do at work, no matter how uncomfortable the situation. Wow... the room was packed with about 100 people from sales assistants to product management to the executive board. Quickly, I found a seat, put myself beside our new VP sales in Canada, and took a breath. Someone up front was giving his presentation... Oh shit. He's very well dressed, has great posture, very well compossed, his slides are great, he's making a lot of sense, and it sounds serious. Shit Shit Shit. I looked at my watch... 7:55... I was next.

Thank goodness for my UBC education though. Had I not given dozens of presentations in school, I would have passed out. At 8:30 I set up my laptop, plugged in the projector and looked out over the crowd. Was I just imagining things or did they look concerned?

It didn't take long though and I was in my element. The presentation was a big success and best of all, I had the support of the president throughout. At some point during the presentation I gave out some fact which was quickly followed by a hand up from one of the sales associates. Clearly I had said something quite controversial and he was challenging it. Others were on his side. Trouble... He gave his comments and ended with, "and who says so?" My response, "I do." It was bold but when I'm on my game, I know my material and I'm not afraid to project it.

In the end the president quoted something from a presentation made by our resident forest scientist who has worked for the company for twelve years. It countered the opinions of the group but supported my points exactly! "Case closed", said the president.

The icing on the cake was even better, but I'll leave that to myself.

I packed my laptop, walked the room, handed out a guide I wrote, informed the president I was leaving, and away I went.

It was a good day.

On Driving

2007-04-09T21:14:00.000-04:00

It’s not possible for me to deny it. Driving can and often is a religious experience for me. Today for example, my day was über awful, I felt exceptionally low on physical energy, emotional energy, inspiration, creativity… The list could go on. The asphalt leading away from work beckoned. It didn’t really matter how I escaped. It only mattered that I escaped to allow my thoughts to roam free and to recuperate.

Then, I got into the car and quite literally the moment the engine pre-glow light went out, I knew everything was going to be just perfect for the rest of the day. As usual, the new TDI fired with uncanny immediacy and smoothness. I backed out of my reserved parking stall and drove through the security gates. However, instead of immediately hitting the road, I opened the glove box to remove another CD I hadn’t listened to in a while, popped it in, turned up the volume, put on the sun glasses, put down the window, and hit the road. The connection I had with the car at that moment was not a coincidence. It was there for me and only me! With the window down I could hear the turbo whistle reflect off of whatever it could outside and back in through the windows. Did I mention the religious experience? The positive feedback between the acceleration, pedal position, and the changing sound of the whistle from the variable geometry turbo maintaining appropriate boost pressures under higher and higher inlet exhaust flow was pure sensory bliss. You can really hear the boost controller doing its job. How did we ever get by with wastegate turbos!? Yes, the car was there for me, comforting me, after a long painful day at work. I rested my palm onto the perfectly shaped shifter and at just under 3000rpm simply flicked my wrist back in synch with my left foot depressing the clutch pedal. It’s like a switch feeling it click into the gears! The gearbox is magnificent. The Jetta is a beautiful piece of machinery with all parts working in perfect harmony with one another.

My last VW gave me very similar levels of enjoyment. It’s a VW thing, not an any-old-car experience. They make exciting cars that are a hell of a lot of fun to drive. I feel privileged to be able to drive such a thing. With the new diesel you can get a nice burst of thrust with application of the throttle in any gear from just 1800rpm. Airflow and other engine sensors along with drive-by wire and ultra high pressure injection systems (Pumpe Duese) have eliminated diesel smoke emissions on hard acceleration. Fifth gear passes at any speed on the highway couldn’t be easier with the engine producing prodigious amounts of torque everywhere at cruising speeds. With only 100HP I wouldn’t dare to call it a hot rod by any means, but with the diesel’s power characteristics, it gives true high performance sensations and still offers nearly 50MPG! Hmm… If a Toureg V10 TDI can pull a 747, I wonder if I could pull a 737…. Okay, no.

Then there are the days when driving is just a chore. Maybe I need a Porsche for those days… or comforting…from a human.

2007-04-01T13:24:00.000-04:00

Chili Pepper is unleashing the fury again on May 17 with their 2006 Jetta TDI! They blew an pump injector seal on their first race.

DON'T SNORT DANDELIONS!

2007-03-31T00:02:00.000-04:00

You should really be more careful.

Giving

2007-03-28T21:17:00.000-04:00

This was a gift I bought for a special friend of mine. I'd like to have it myself, but giving it to a friend was worth so much more.

How to kiss someone passionately

2007-03-26T23:10:00.000-04:00

Purpose

2007-03-25T19:36:00.000-04:00

What is the purpose of life? This seems like a slightly more valid question than what is the meaning of life?

Love is created through life. Life is created through love. We live for love and we live to love. Simple as that. That is the purpose of life. However, it would seem that existence is constructed in such a way to make loving a challenging.

It's no surprise to me that loneliness and depression can physically damage the heart. Of course this may have something to do with the distinct possibility that depressed people don't get much exercise, or eat properly. I'd have to research the details.

automotive obsession

2007-03-18T22:14:00.000-04:00

This is really not good at all. Here's the first peak of what's to be the new most exciting car on the planet. Why is it not good, you ask? Well, I'm a little obsessed over this machine... Mmmm.. listen to this beauty.

More.

Even More! *bites fingernails*

2007-03-15T20:29:00.000-04:00

Preserved

Cat Chat

2007-03-06T20:16:00.000-05:00

Muck: ACCCCCCFD8HUOP8=0

Will: NOOOO It's ACCCCCCFD8HUOP8=1

Muck: U.=\7

Will: huh!?

Muck: 888IU8)+}}j}k

Will: yeah, I agree

Will: Are you alive? Are these help signals?

Muck: ^%m|<%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%*}uI666666
6666666666666666666666666\\\\666666666666666666666666\[\='

Muck: ]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]
]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]

Muck: sorry

Will: what the hell.....

Muck: the cat got on the computer

Will: lol. are you serious? I was really confused. that's hilarious

Will: I can now say I had a chat with a pussy!

Muck: yes.. he must've stepped on some keys, and then some more before he plopped down on the keyboard

Muck: hehehe that's right, you can...

Muck: I went back to read your comments hilarious!

2007-03-04T22:09:00.000-05:00

I ran into Walmart to buy an iron today and stumbled upon this issue staring me down. It's a
good one. I wonder where I put that iron.

2007-03-03T19:49:00.000-05:00

My order conversation at the McDonald's counter:

McGirl: I can help you here.

Me: Hi. I'll have a Crispy Chicken Sandwich

McGirl: Just the sandwich, not the meal?

Me: Yeah, just the Crispy Chicken

McGirl: That'll be $5.65 (or whatever)

I do my debit thing, then I wait... She returns to the counter

McGirl: Sorry, it'll be about four minutes for the Crispy Chicken. Would you like a Chicken McGrill instead?

Me: Is it the same price?

McGirl: Yes... and it's better for you!

:-o

People are more important than places.

2007-03-03T13:07:00.000-05:00

2007-03-02T21:29:00.000-05:00

All the goodness in the world, combined in one blog post...

First, I present you with Pingu, courtesy of Andrina.
Then, I suggest you check out Geostationary Banana Over Texas, courtesy of my fellow creative Canadians?
Finally, check out which presidential candidate has the most friends on Myspace. Is it merely coincidence that democrats have more Myspace followers?
Oh, and finally finally, the cutest person in motorsports, Danica Patrick!

Uhm...
Next...

Boy, do I know it!

"Love what is ahead by loving what has come before"

"Making the simple complex is easy. Making the complex simple is brilliant." I read that on an Ivory soap bar.

Pimped mein Auto

2007-02-28T21:36:00.000-05:00

Do you like what I did with my car?

2007-02-28T19:11:00.000-05:00

A couple quotes I found that were quite appropriate today:

"Better three days without food than one day without tea." - Chinese proverb

Tea is wonderful and I have a lot of it, but I wonder what the Chinese have to say about coffee.

"God made solids, but surfaces were the work of the Devil" - Wolfgang Pauli.

This isn't quite in the same context as what Pauli had in mind, but it reminded me of my work nonetheless. Five engineers, myself, enough data to fill a stadium, and we still can't manage to solve a certain technical problem I won't go into detail about here.

2007-02-25T17:20:00.000-05:00

My wonderful friend Emily made me this t-shirt! There are only two exactly like this in existence!

DARPA Autonomous Vehicle Challenge

2007-02-21T20:18:00.000-05:00

Stanford University students develop autonomous VW Passat TDI for the second Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency competition called Urban Challenge. They won the first challenge (DARPA Grand Challenge) of navigating 175 miles of dessert in under 10 hours without human intervention. They used a VW Toureg TDI.

Update - Here's another team entering a VW TDI

2007-02-21T18:25:00.000-05:00

wonderful

2007-02-10T18:21:00.000-05:00

scenes outside my apartment...

Queen's Bush

2007-02-10T15:09:00.000-05:00

A new Saturday brunch experience -I thought that would be nice. So, I went to the Queen's Bush Cafe hoping to kick back and enjoy an Americano, maybe with a sandwich. About thirty minutes into this experience, it finally dawned upon me why I had decided in July never to return to this place. Maybe I had become forgiving and decided to give them another chance. Mistake! The food (perogies, in this case) was okay, reasonably well prepared, but nothing to write home about. The salad was alright, with a nice light dressing and mandarin oranges. The orange juice was fresh, the Americano made me alert, and the the server was polite. So, what was the problem? Well... I received a miniature Americano, not much bigger than a triple espresso, orange juice served in a large fancy schmanzy glass but only about one third full (looked ridiculous, and half of that one third was ice!), three perogies (that's whole ones, at least), and the kicker..... a $20 bill.

They tried much too hard and failed miserably! This is Mt Forest, you idiots, not Bay Street, Toronto. Even on Bay Street I'm sure lunch-goers would expect more for their money! At the very least they wouldn't accept the fake fine-dining experience. When I was nearly ready to pay the outrageous bill, four...FOUR cooks, all gussied up in chef outfits, sat down to eat beside me. No wonder the food is so expensive! Why the hell does a place with about six tables need four chefs?

If you're visiting this part of Ontario and want good food, with unique flavours, go to Chicory Common in Durham. The new chef there is truly talented and they don't pretend to be high-society. They're real people who simply know how to make good food. There's no cover!
Oh, and their one chef prepares the food for everyone!

My Feelings Expressed as a Photograph

2007-02-05T19:30:00.000-05:00

At this instant, my feelings can be expressed in part by this photo. It's a feeling of euphoria and energy. Nothing in particular put me into this mood. Everything just came together and mixed properly, somehow. My dangerous drive home followed by all this wonder music, perhaps...

2007-02-04T14:26:00.000-05:00

She sure looks happy! Unfortunately, this newborn needs a little coaxing. The extreme cold weather we're having is apparently preventing the starter from engaging properly after sitting for hours in the cold. At least, that's the theory. I called the service manager at his home today (Sunday) to ask what the heck is going on with this brand new car. They're going to rectify the problem for me starting tomorrow. Until then I'll have a courtesy car.

I'm slowly adjusting to the slightly new way of life here in the cold winter. Scarfs for example are truly a godsend. Also, never wash a car in this cold without opening and closing the doors/hood/trunk and wiping away excess water in and around latches after the wash. Things will freeze shut in a hurry! Foolish foolish me...

2007-02-03T18:45:00.000-05:00

Photos of the car in daylight...

http://picasaweb.google.com/onewill/MyNewVWJettaTDI

New VW!

2007-01-31T20:50:00.000-05:00

Well, here's the new love in my life (2006 VW Jetta TDI). It's the latest and greatest in diesel passenger cars.

Here she is in the dead of winter, just after coming from the showroom floor.

Some of the features:
1.9L PD TDI engine - the best feature, by far
4 wheel disk brakes with ABS and EBD
Traction control
electro-mechanical steering
brake assist (it senses panic stops and automatically applies full braking power)
cruise
AC (including the glovebox and centre console)
heated seats
heated mirrors
remote entry
power windows
semi-auto climate control
mp3 CD player
10 speakers
front/side/side curtain airbags
active front head restraints and pedals that reposition themselves in an accident
power outlets
alarm

Canada - Passport

2007-01-27T14:13:00.000-05:00

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Canada requests in the name of Her Majesty the Queen, all those whom it may concern to allow the bearer to pass freely without let or hindrance and to afford the bearer such assistance and protection as may be necessary.

My passport was delivered yesterday. I found the above message inscribed inside on the front cover and thought it was quite nice.

2007-01-27T12:33:00.000-05:00

This morning I'm treating myself to a good cup of coffee. It's been at least a week since I've had coffee that inspires. Yes, inspires! Good coffee can do that, if you give it a chance. Unfortunately, those poor little beans that Tim Horton's use never get the chance to live up to their full potential. Each Timmies bean is clearly pumped through the processing chain, from soil to paper cup, faster than one can say Triple-Triple. Of course, anyone who orders a Triple-Triple, doesn't give a shit about the delicate and complex nature of Coffee arabica.

2007-01-18T22:10:00.000-05:00

Here's a snap I took after the little ice storm we had on Sunday. This was in New York on the Interstate 90. Ice covered everything.

2007-01-18T17:27:00.000-05:00

Need to relax? Play a game. Meditate.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiT8imqaHgY&mode=related&search=

2007-01-15T23:34:00.000-05:00

Look what I found in the US! It's like coffee, but I don't have to worry about it getting cold. Mmmm. Has anyone seen these in Canada?

2007-01-14T00:51:00.000-05:00

Day before the apocalypse, UBC, 2014

On cars and comfort, from the Pub

2007-01-13T17:51:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I had an experience that put me back into check. It came in the form of a $359 speeding ticket. I drove for years without a ticket and then suddenly in a single month I end up with two. If I get one more ticket in the next two years, I could potentially lose my license. I'm not a compulsive speeder, I'm really not, but from time to time I will indulge in a little speed and power. I don't do stupid things, but I have a weak spot for a little open throttle from time to time. Cars these days are built with an abundance of power that's really unnecessary for daily driving situations. I'm not sure why they tease us with so much power. There aren't many places in North America where you can utilize it for more than a few seconds without breaking the law, and don't tell me it's a safety feature. I get by just fine with 68HP in my old diesel Jetta. It does what I need it to and it doesn't get me into trouble.

So, I've changed my opinion of it (power), ever so slightly. So many of us are addicted to it. I'm addicted to it, but it's almost a sin to have when it's not needed. It's akin to gluttony. I don't think the Nissan Murano I have for the weekend will be towing any trailers, so, what's the point? It's not going to be seen at any race tracks anytime soon. So, are high powered cars ever acceptable. Yes... We're only human... I think a vehicle that has other qualities to appropriately compliment and balance the power, it's moderately acceptable. :) For example, my Jetta with 150HP would be silly. It's not designed for recreational racing... on a track. I'm very satisfied by my car. It's the epitome of efficiency. I can cruise at 120km/h effortlessly, pass without downshifting, most of the time, and it handles beautifully. An average car at 100km/h is only using ~30HP to sustain speed. The rest is wasted most of the time. The experience of driving is only defined partially by the power of the vehicle. Of course, that depends on the person.

So, that brings me to my other point. Comfort. Aside from driving dynamics, there's comfort. My Volkswagen is raw. Everything about it is geared more towards getting from point A to point B efficiently and capably, with more emphasis on driving, and without much excess. The Murano, Nissan's top-spec SUV that I'm driving at the moment is the complete opposite. It's like driving the Starship Enterprise around. There are more buttons in the thing than a 747, I'm sure of it. It really doesn't know if it's the Enterprise, a 747, a sports car, or an SUV. It's very nice, but it's the wrong kind of nice. Cars these days are so decadent. The world is going to hell in an SUV. I am very thankful and appreciative that my boss lent me his four wheel drive vehicle for the purpose of being safe on my trip in the winter. He's a really good guy. I just feel a little guilty driving the vehicle. I see environmentally conscious drivers around me in Smart Cars, Toyota Echos, and VW Golf TDIs and I just can't look them in the eye. I don't feel proud. I feel like I'm playing the part of a rich asshole and I would never be like that, even if I was rich. :-) I'd even feel a bit guilty driving an M3, my dream car. Anyway...

Right, so, my battery is almost dead. I'm sitting in Williams Coffee Pub. For the record, they make a decent americano.

The weather is beautiful today. Clear and crisp...

Renée Zellweger

2007-01-12T19:08:00.000-05:00

Oh my love, my love, my everything, when will you be here with me, in my arms?

Okay, got your attention. The cold has numbed my brain into a state of constant affection for Renée. I swear. It's like a Damien Rice song or something.

Really, you'd think I'd be worried about the Canadian kid shot in Mexico or the tear in the roof of BC Place, but no. It's all about Renée.

Hmm.. If a spur of the moment sex change is possible, is a spur of the moment race change possible as well? I'm thinking of trying Muslim. I think it would shake me out of my drab shell and help me see things from a new perspective. I hear they're only $199.97. A combo sex/race change is the best deal. $399.97. It comes with a free RFID tag.

Would you buy a car made by Chung Fung? This is the name of the Chinese auto manufacturer considering entering the North American market. I think the first thing they need to clue in on is that Chung Fung just won't fly here. It's worse than Hyundai... I still don't know how to pronounce that. Hmm, okay Chung Fung has that going for it.

It's true. It really is possible to die of a broken heart.

:(

Ein frohes neues Jahr!

2007-01-02T20:48:00.000-05:00

Okay, so, happy new year and all that. At midnight I was still sitting on a plane, but not in the air. We were waiting on the tarmac in Toronto for the ground crew to get their act together. It was as if they were holding off on their duties until the clock ticked over or something. The flight (AC 152) was okay. There were nice, cheery, young flight attendants for a change. Everyone on the plane was offered a bit of white wine before landing and then on the tarmac they did a countdown. I'd always fly Air Canada if all flights had such nice flight attendants.

Winter (snow) has yet to arrive in Ontario. Apparently the forecast calls for 5+ degrees for the first week of 2007. Fine by me.

If there's a Patricia Vidalin reading this, please send me a note. You left your plane boarding pass (seat 16A, flight AC217, Calgary to Vancouver, December 31, departed 3pm Calgary time, transfer from a Continental Airlines flight) in my seat pocket. I bet you're cute.

My dose of caffeine is wearing off. I should brew another cup. The french press is soaking in vinegar to clean some gunk off the screen so I'm using the Bialetti pot. It's time for me to get some fresh beans. Maybe I'll do that tomorrow if they have any fresh stock at Chicory.

Anyway, two more of my friends are getting married this year and I've been invited to both weddings. I'll most likely only be able to attend one, the wedding of Jason & Tatina.

Also, a rant... Who in the hell flies executive class? What kinda people are these? Four times the price?! All you get is a bigger seat and the ability to change flights for free. It's not as if there's free sex. Even with free sex, it would still be mighty steep.

'(end rant)

Okay, anyway... The Prince of Arabia was skiing in Whistler. I saw his personal 747 taxiing at Vancouver's airport with his flag sticking out. Rumour has it there were 15 people on board. That's on a plane that can carry 500 people. _That_ is executive class flying.

Lastly, I finally convinced my parents to get highspeed internet. They're also going to be trying Skype for long distance calls. How's that for a transformation into the world of high tech? Pretty good, I'd say. Big change. I'm also considering getting myself the Netgear Wifi Skype phone. The only problem is that it has no web browser and therefore can't connect to browser-based authentication wireless networks.

Holiday Post

2006-12-26T23:49:00.000-05:00

Very few things have impassioned me lately, which might explain the lack of posts recently, not to suggest many of my recent posts have been particularly impassioned. The weather here on the west coast is grey, wet, soggy... Life here is slower and perhaps more cozy than life in Ontario. This may be in part due to the weather and the holidays. Overcast skies, rain, and fog can make everything feel a little cozier. However, BC in general seems more laid back than Ontario somehow. Of course, ultimately this is all non-sense and completely dependent upon very specific personal experiences of the past and present. Perhaps I feel the way I do because in Ontario I'm on my own and fending for myself. Freedom comes at a price *groan*.

Christmas here on the coast was very slow and humble, as usual. I spent it with my parents, four younger sisters, dog, and cat. The day passed like any other day. It was entirely unremarkable. Then again, my dad dig drag us to church, which was an unfamiliar experience. My dad didn't start going to church until earlier this year - odd. Oh, and how can I forget... egg nog and canned cranberry jelly. I love that stuff. I do.

Dinner conversation was same as usual with my dad preaching. Although, it was a sign of the times when the conversation turned to me describing Skype for saving money on long distance phone calls. $240 phone bills!? What!?

Any holiday in my mind means convenient access to delicately prepared espresso. Tomorrow the cafes will finally be open and you can bet I will be there to get my dose -perhaps a double espresso con panna for a change. Which reminds me, I must look into the Clover machine, a new coffee brewing invention, somewhere between a drip maker and a french press I hear.

The most special part of this Christmas was receiving a scarf from Morgan that she knitted herself. Thanks Morgan. I love it!

BS resolutions for a new year: exercise until I'm totally ripped, acquire a good quality coffee grinder, espresso machine, and apartment amenities. Does that count as a resolution? Sure. Switch to Mac platform for home computing, wire myself to death, learn to fly, master chess, master art of coffee preparation, renew membership with CIF, make and strengthen friendships.

I'll leave you with a few shots from my flight. YYZ - YYC - YVR, December 21, 2006

Approaching Calgary - note the wing flex - B767-200 Chinooks in the region, temperature 1°C.

Over the clouds just west of Calgary after a rapid climb - E190

Descending rapidly into the clouds after passing over the coastal mountain range ~150km east of Vancouver - E190

Air Canada A320 painted with an old livery in soggy Vancouver

Faceless

2006-12-10T18:32:00.000-05:00

2006-12-05T07:00:00.000-05:00

I'm living in a hotel for the next two weeks or so. Feel free to call my room if you want to say hi. The little city here is a bit dreary, and worse yet, it's almost winter, so, add (cold and gray) and you end up with miserable. Then, take that and multiply by (speeding ticket in New York) and you get mud. Either I need a whole hell of a lot of time off...to beat my head against a wall, or I need more friends. It occurred to me just now that I have a lot more female friends (mostly back home in BC) than I do male friends. For some reason I just get along with them better and can relate to them more so than guys.

Loneliness is known to be bad for the heart, literally. I can feel it.

A link for the day, completely unrelated to my post, for your enjoyment: http://ask.metafilter.com/mefi/52160

a noble profession

2006-11-29T20:51:00.000-05:00

My Sunday

2006-11-26T19:42:00.000-05:00

So, today...

I was lonely and went for a drive to a pseudo-random place

...in meinem Auto.

Of course, I made sure I had plenty of fuel...

...which I got from a Tim Hortons DRIVE THRU. That's right, a Tim Hortons DRIVE THRU, not a regular Tim Hortons! This is ONLY a drive thru. There is no parking. Now everyone should know how much I love the Tim Hortons drive thru. Well, this place is perfect for me! I don't have to fight with the annoying people trying to park to actually go inside! What a strange concept...going inside. This is bloody brilliant. Or, maybe I'm falling victim to the stuff the Americans have in their water.

I eventually ended up in Collingwood. This is a bit of a resort town, full of places to shop, dine, buy jewelery (I stopped counting after seeing four... so you can bet there was at least five), and relax. They even pipe classical music from speakers lining the main street.

Of course, I eventually ran low on fuel and decided to walk into a cafe for a mocha. As it turned out, the cafe I entered was more than just regular coffee house, but a well appointed place to dine. So, I decided to try some of their breakfast.

Here's a little bit of advertising I found for Cafe Chartreuse. That's right, their chef is world renowned! How often does one walk into a little cafe in some small town to discover the chef their has worked at famous hotels?!

Here's a shot I grabbed of the mural on the side of the cafe.

Along the main street, there's this old Bell Telephone Company entrance. It's no longer a Bell building.

There are musical instruments for sale

...and Christies junk

...and a clock tower, which all resort towns must have

...and strange frilly stores for the tourists

...and more frilly stores with green doors

...and more stores

Then I stopped along Georgian Bay on Lake Huron

and read this sign...

and finally,

I found this fossil

Jets are Good

2006-11-25T11:05:00.000-05:00

Did I ever mention I like jets? Well, I do! I'll be flying on the brand new made in Brazil Embraer E190 on a connecting flight from Calgary to Vancouver. I leave from Toronto December 21st. I'm sure it'll feel like another rushed trip.

I feel the need - the need for speed!

2006-11-14T19:54:00.000-05:00

O_O

This is brilliant! Some crazy French Top Gun skit, choreographed in a flight simulator.

Aliens don't like my quality...?

2006-11-13T18:15:00.000-05:00

This morning at work, I received this in the mail. I suppose they're friendly, as they did send their regards, in English. Egypt... What solar system is that in? Fantastic language they have.

-
For the first time in I can't remember how long, I popped a Tylenol (Regular Strength) today. My head was pounding with a headache that was threatening to burst out of my temples. No, I don't think it was any sort of alien mind-control ray that caused it...

peeing on microcircuitry

2006-11-08T23:03:00.000-05:00

one of the reasons why I probably won't get a pet anytime soon... I was considering a bunny. Seriously, I was, for about half an hour...

...

2006-11-08T07:29:00.000-05:00

Posted straight from my phone with Nakama.

Mentos News

2006-11-06T18:40:00.000-05:00

Well, Jeremy alerted me to this far more extreme Mentos-Pepsi reaction demonstration. How about that...

2006-11-05T21:53:00.000-05:00

So, my weekend summary:

-Discovered the java tool from Google for my phone (gmail.com/app). It's great! It's even better that I have unlimited mobile browsing with Bell Mobility. Who needs a Blackberry?

-Did laundry... :-| Yeah... nothing much else to say here. Although, I did learn that using more than one sheet of fabric softner stuff is not recommended.

-Mentos and Pepsi... Anyway... O_O fun.

-Looked into buying winter tires but now that I see the weather will be warm again, at least for the next week, I'm putting it off. Besides, winter tires wear faster than all-seasons, so there's no sense putting them on early.

-Ate a bunch of strawberries

-Listened to a live stream of Amber McArthur & Leo LaPorte's new podcast, net@nite on Talkshoe, which they managed to break.
They're both prolific podcasters/tech journalists from Toronto. Love you Amber!

-Went to Tim Hortons *groan* ...but I love Tim Hortons, the great Ontario townies hang-out!
"Tim Hortons has supplanted McDonald's as Canada's largest food service operator"

-Didn't go to the Spoken Word's Festival... I was planning on going with Morgan -didn't happen

Right, so, it was a very uneventful weekend...

2006-10-28T23:19:00.000-04:00

This was the view out my window this morning. Apparently I'm in the mood for winter, because I quite enjoyed the site of snow. Around 7:30 this morning I went out for coffee at Tim Hortons and sang the whole way to a new CD I mixed. While at Tim Hortons I filled out my student loan consolidation form and almost enjoyed that as well! Anyone want to play in the snow?

My day:

2006-10-24T20:19:00.000-04:00

I woke up to the sound of SCREETCH SCREETCH SCREETCH, hit the snooze button, slept an extra 9 minutes, rolled out of bed, shut off the alarm clock, had a shower,dried myself, shaved, applied after shave, brushed my teeth, put denatured alcohol, PVP, VP/Dimethylaminoethylmethacrylate copolymer, hydroxypropylcellulose, hydroxyisohexyl 3-cyclohexene carboxaldehyde, PEG-90M, PEG-40 hydrogenated castor oil, PEG/PPG-22/24 dimethicone, triethanolamine, polyquaternium-11, polystyrene, pentasodium pentetate, benzophenone-4, benzyl salicylate, carbomer, butylphenyl methylpropional, and fragrance C14204/3 into my hair, got dressed, put on my coat, picked up my laptop, turned off the lights, opened the door, closed the door, locked the door, unlocked my car, started the diesel engine, scraped ice off the windshield, drove to work, did a bunch of stuff, ate an eggplant portabello mushroom brie sandwich with a greek salad and large coffee at Chicory Common, did more stuff at work, drove to Macs, stopped, bought two cans of drink not recommended for pregnant or breast feeding women and not to be mixed with alcohol, drove home while listening to Sirius channel 33, stopped to pick up the mail, drove home, and did a few more crazy things... This was not an exhaustive list.

2006-10-18T19:51:00.000-04:00

I'm feeling nostalgic today. This video shows UBC, a place I called home for 8 years. The students here did a good job with it.

2006-10-18T18:58:00.000-04:00

I need suggestions on how I should spend my Christmas holiday time and I'm not certain yet whether that will be one or two weeks. It never fails that my holidays always feel too short and I don't want that to happen this time around. My goal is to make my holiday time the most rewarding, fun, exiting, entertaining, enjoyable, relaxing, and perhaps adventurous... Yes, all in one. I know, I know, it doesn't sound easy, but this is why I'm asking for help. At the very least, I don't want to end up doing the same old nothing.

It should be about living. Whatever I've been doing for the past long period of time has not been living. Shake me up or help me shake myself up.