Friday, January 28, 2005

Smoker (diary, bitching)

At my office, at the elevator, this morning, there was a guy in the elevator with a lit cigarette in his mouth.

(For those of you not from Ottawa, it is illegal to smoke inside any public building, and in most cases, within nine metres of main entrances.)

So as he left the building, I gave thim the look (the bad one). He turned and said "what are you looking at?" I said "You!"

In retrospect, I realize I should have said something more like, "You, fucker!" or "You, jackass!" But at least I got my point across.

I will continue to hate him.

- RG>

Thursday, January 20, 2005

A haiku

Loneliness; solace.
Unmade footprints in the snow
Continue for miles.


For the less poetic:
Too late for the bus.
It's a fucking long walk home
In the goddamn snow.

- RG>

Wednesday, January 19, 2005

Beautiful Sight (diary)

One day a couple weeks ago, it was cold and foggy.

I was taking the bus downtown, and I peered out the window, to find an incredible sight.

With snow on the ground and ice on the Ottawa River, and with a white foggy sky, it was impossible to see where the water ended and where the shore and the sky began. I could see the trees on the near side easily, but only faint shadows on the far side of the river; quite different from what you would see in a blizzard.

The image of the forest and hills on the opposite coast seeming to float in midair was absolutely spectacular and beautiful.

I thought I'd share it with you to keep it from being lost.

- RG>

Sunday, January 16, 2005

Simplicity (wanderful)

I am feeling a bit philosophical, and this might sound a bit preachy. That said, it's wise words.

Beware simplicity, it is deceptive.

A simple solution works only for a simple problem. When tried on a complex problem, a simple solution will only create more troubles.

There is usually a problem with everything. If you don't know what the problem is with it, then therein is the problem. Similarly, if something seems easy or too good to be true, then it's because of your perception of the situation. You are missing on some part of it that would make obvious the flaws in the simple choice.

Simple objects are flawed. We do not posess the power to create simple machines to perform tasks; we must create complex machines that malfunction frequently. Our complex machines are composed of many parts, each of which is necessary to the proper function of the whole, and each of which is vulnerable to cripple it.

Only in nature is there simplicity, yet this, too is deceptive. Anything natural seems so simple. A small animal. An insect. A plant. But look at it more closely, and think of all the components that are in its design. Think of all that this creature can do, yet it appears so simple. That is because it deceives you.

Even water seems simple, yet it is not. It freezes and thaws, rises and falls, countless times. It metamorphises and crystallises. It nourishes and cleanses. Its incredible chemical properties make it so that it can do this. Were it not for the hidden complexities of water, life might not have been able to evolve. Lakes would freeze from the bottom up, and be unable to thaw from the top down. The world would be a cold and truly simple place.

Go out in the world and watch. See the birds in the trees, or the hustling people parade randomly through town, each following his or her simple goals, not realising how complex they really are.

Consider the consequences of every simple action. Does it have any consequences? Is it a simple action? By considering the consequences, are we making this simple action complex? Then it would not be as deceptive.

You might find that instead of questioning simplicity, it is better to accept complexity. Though one path may seem faster, by taking the longer one you avoid the hidden traps of the simple one. It may seem that you have lost time by taking the longer option, but in the end, time is only as you spend it, and you can make only one choice.

Though the complex may seem deceptive and cryptic, this semblance prepares you for twists and falls. If you always opt for simplicity, you become blind.

- RG>

Thursday, January 13, 2005

Every day, your hands come into indirect contact with 30 penises (bitching)

Apparently, it's true. Every time I go for a piss, I remember this and wash my hands.

However, there are some bathrooms where this is nearly impossible to do cleanly.

For example, and the Rideau Centre in Ottawa, there are some bathrooms where the water only flows if you're pushing this stupid button on the tap. This makes lathering difficult, and it also allows for transferrance of germs through touching it. There are no paper towels to act as a medium.

This makes it very icky. Very, very icky.

I am sure that the number of penises you indirectly contact is much higher if you touch these taps than if you didn't (well, in the men's room, at least. I don't know how many women touch themselves in the bathroom).

I plan to write a letter to the Rideau Centre, and also to Dr. Robert Cushman, the City of Ottawa's chief Medical Officer.

- RG>

I hate the current exchange rate (bitching)

So I sell something on Ebay for $77US, and how much does it translate to in CDN$? Eighty-four dollars. Eighty-four dollars!

What a piss-shit exchange rate!

OTOH, I like the fact that we are pwning the US currency.

I haven't been blogging lately. I really don't care. Sue me. You'll lose.

On another note, I am currently in class. Go wifi!

- RG>