Random Thoughts

I've been trying to find a replacement for Microsoft Outlook. Despite all its bulk and penchants for getting infected with viruses (from way back I should say), I do miss using Outlook. I just don't feel like paying for it nor do I need all of its diverse features.  So, I am looking for alternatives to Outlook. I tried Microsoft Mail and it was actually quite decent. I also tried Thunderbird and while I am not a huge fan of its mickey-mouse icons, I don't mind it either. If only Thunderbird had the polish that Firefox has.  I heard from people that Entourage sucked. Its not like I have a mac, but while doing research on this subject I ran across that.  So far, I have the mail part covered. I find it weird that despite using IMAP, my client only gets mail every so often (by default one of them was set to retrieve mail every 30 minutes!), but I was able to configure it to grab mail every minute. The parts I am having trouble with though are the calendar and the directory...

Vancouver has been enjoying a bit of snow. As I sit here, watching India play England and learn some new things in the Java world, I look out my window and see snow falling slowly. It has been falling all day and all night now. Good thing its Sunday. The odd thing is, there are still people trundling about even at this hour (past 4:15am on Sunday).  Anyway, hope all is well wherever you are and here's hoping things turn out well for all. looks like someone drove over the concrete barrier snow is covering everything out there The photo does not do the tree justice snow on the planter stand on my balcony

Apparently, there is an impending flood of democracy sweeping North Africa. That's what some people seem to think. I don't know what to make of it. While it sounds like a progressive sort of thing, I have my doubts. Recently, the Tunisians managed to chase away their dictatorial leaders out of the country. What started at some unfortunate soul dousing himself in paint thinner and setting fire  to himself (ending in his death a few weeks later) has toppled a government and thrown the whole of North Africa in political chaos. I am not sure what made the rulers of Tunisia flee. My guess is, they had enough funds stashed outside of the country and had a plan on what to do post-ousting. They probably had safe-havens sorted out (apparently some of the crooks are Canadian residents!) and made their way out rather than risk getting killed by popular anger. Perhaps the army said it would no longer support them, perhaps they were wishing for some peace and quite on the golf course somew...

I got my property assessment today. I don't know if I should be excited or sad. My property is worth more than it was worth last year. By a decent percentage. Yay. Of course, that also means that my property taxes go up. Not so yay.  I finally broke down and bought my first ever paid app from the App Store from Apple. Damn. Is Angry Birds ever addictive. I had read about it before and dismissed it as a silly game, but I think it is worth the 99 pennies I paid for it. The guys who created it are dealing in digital crack I think. If you've ever wanted to do something worthwhile with your time while you're stuck in a line, bored at a party or on a bus, train, airplane or just can't go to sleep, play Angry Birds. It will make you happy. And if you have an Android based phone, the game is free (ad supported). Also, I've been watching the last season of Da Vinci's Inquest . This isn't American Law and Order, but its really good. A narcotics cop turned coroner, D...

As I sit here on the eve of 2011, I am drawn back to this past year. Many good things happened, many not so good things happened. I can't remember much of this year, but the little that I do remember gives me reason to pause and consider those events. I suppose the single biggest thing to happen this year was me taking the plunge into the housing market. While it wasn't an entire failure, it wasn't an overwhelming success either. A lot of the inventory in the market is quite expensive. I think I was caught between waiting to save more and hoping for the market to cool down and not really making a difference because prices were steadily climbing. It turns out that prices have gone up more since I bought my place. I am not sure if that's a good thing or not, but that is what it is. Getting settled in has been quite the affair; I am home, but I am not entirely sure this place is a home. There is still plenty that needs to be done. I know at least a few other friends who ...

I can't believe that it has been over 5 years since Robin Cook passed away. He was one of the few principled politicians out there that I have known of and dare I say, admired. Listening to his resignation speech (from the cabinet), I have a profound sense of sadness for Britain and for the larger civilised world. It is sadder still when you go back in time and think of people like Hans Blix, much maligned by the then US administration and by many others in the world. History will be astonished at the diplomatic miscalculations that led so quickly to the disintegration of that powerful coalition. says Cook of the split between the allies in regards to this war. The world is worse off today without people like Robin Cook. I sure hope the folks that went to war and decided to rename food are enjoying their freedom fries secure in the knowledge that at least now, those (phantom) weapons of mass destruction are indeed beyond use; safely put away in the figment of their collective...

Lots of things have kept me busy the last little while, so I haven't had a chance to write about something that has been on my mind of late. It is that season once more, when fat men in red suits and excuses to make merry come together to have a go at making the ailing retail market better by buying loved ones things they likely don't need because some guy was allegedly born in a manger in a land far, far away... Aside from getting that Lexus with the ridiculous red bow tied around it in honour of Jesus' birthday, there are well meaning people out there collecting unwrapped toys for children or money so toys and things can be bought for needy children. And it is a beautiful thing I must say. Local celebrities, the average bloke in the suit and tie, all come out to do their bit.  I was watching the news the other day and one of this city's more venerable events was on at the local hotel. Apparently, last year, they raised more than 26,000 toys and $25,000 for the kids...

As we come upon another Remembrance Day, we are once again greeted with the spectacle of red poppies on lapels and backpacks and hats and things. We wear them as a mark of respect for all those who went to the various wars and either died fighting or came back to tell their tales. A Canadian physician (and solider) Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae wrote the poem, In Flanders Fields after losing his friend at the Battle of Ypres. It goes like this: In Flanders fields the poppies blow Between the crosses, row on row, That mark our place; and in the sky The larks, still bravely singing, fly Scarce heard amid the guns below. We are the Dead. Short days ago We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, Loved and were loved, and now we lie, In Flanders fields. Take up our quarrel with the foe: To you from failing hands we throw The torch; be yours to hold it high. If ye break faith with us who die We shall not sleep, though poppies grow In Flanders fields. Because of this poem, we...

I've seen a few batty broads in my day, but this one takes the cake. Batty doesn't quite do it justice. I haven't a clue how to deal with her batty ways, but avoiding her as best as I can seems to help.  Anyway, onto more fun topics. Why do people dress up for Halloween? I never quite understood the point of it. Maybe I don't get Halloween. It looks like a whole lot of batty folks go all out and get dressed up as princesses and sailors and nutty things of that nature. I thought Halloween was for children and that the point of it was to scare them. Perhaps not. And I thought trick or treat meant that someone would pull a trick on the onlookers? Or is it all about chocolates and a way to go overboard on it? And while we're on the subject of things I don't get, what does the Easter bunny have to do with Easter? And why pray tell, does it lay chocolate eggs? Or is it just the bearer of chocolate eggs? What does the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus have to do ...

I don't know why, but I have this urge to run away from everything and everyone I know and go hide in a forest somewhere. Maybe its because it is the wee hours of the morning or because I can't sleep from all the coffee or because I feel uneasy about something, but I sure do feel like hiding from the world right now.  As I sit here, staring at nothing in particular, when I should be content and happy, I feel to urge to get away from it all. Not sure why. Maybe its because I haven't been on vacation for a while. Maybe its because I don't know what I want to do in life. Maybe its because I am not happy about the way things are. Maybe its because I just want to get away from it all and sit in a place where I have no choice but to contemplate what to do next in life. Away from computers and cars and phones. Just me and nature.  We do live in a strange world I find. We chase after silly dreams; buy a house; establish and raise a family; do well at work and so on. But what ...

I have been reading news from back home in disbelief at the amount of violence that one crazy preacher in Florida has caused. It seems that the people of Jammu and Kashmir have decided to go back to curfews and violence and what not. The issues in that mountainous part of the world are exceedingly complex, but this much is clear: whatever illusions anyone had of peace and prosperity and improvements that were supposed to happen... cannot quell the underlying sense of anger that seems to exist there.  I feel sad reading about it. As a child, I remember listening to the news and wondering what these terrorists were; in Punjab, in Jammu and Kashmir, in Sri Lanka. So much violence. They used to rattle out how many paramilitary forces and militants were killed on a daily basis. I don't think it ever dawned on me that these were people... they were just forgettable numbers to me. They were these odd beings, these terrorist creatures... they died a lot.  Also as a child, I remember...

I am sure there are tonne of blogs about this topic out there already. But it bugs me, so I shall write about it. Apparently, an alleged man of god, somewhere in Florida decided to burn a few holy Korans to make a point. Somehow, he equated Islam to terrorism and decided that September 11 would be a great day to set them alight on a bonfire. This man is a pastor of a tiny church, supposedly bringing the word of god to his parishioners. Except this man isn't applying many of the lord's suggestions. Like love thy neighbour.  It is incredible that one lunatic person has managed to cause such a lot of trouble for so many people. I think I saw the American President talk about this whole book-burning-Islam-bashing event two or three times. It is sad that so many people take this man's threats to heart and believe that he is the voice of reason and representative of America. Because he's not. I am not American, but by all the gods, there are many that I know and they are not...

I think I am a good wingman. Or something like that. To date, I have facilitated 3 or 4 people's ability to get laid. Seriously. I seem to be able to create the  atmosphere for my friends to get busy with other people. Sometimes, even without copious amounts of alcohol. Which makes me wonder. What am I getting in return?  At any rate, my plea/advice/request to them is as follows: Do not blame me for how well or poorly this turns out for you. I am only here for to facilitate; any mistakes, diseases, children are not my responsibility.  In at least a couple of cases these folks have been friends of mine. As in, a guy I know got busy with a girl I know (and they have no business knowing each other in any other way). When it comes to that, my plea/advice etc has been to not make me take sides when things go sour. For I know they will.  But this isn't about them. This is about me. What am I getting in return for facilitating these things? For saying all the things tha...

  I don't know why I don't blog more. I mean to, but I get side tracked. I've been busy of late. The home is coming along well, though I am still on the hunt for that couch and dining table. I even had my first visitor. Work has been keeping me quite busy too. I can't think of the last cool thing I have learned at work though, so that's starting to worry me.  As for what else I have been up to, I was out once again to Kelowna. We do this every year for the BC Day long weekend and this time I got a head start by getting there a day earlier than the others. It was an awesome time. By the end of it, there were 16 of us there. I learned many new things there. I learned that I can tan and peel. That's a little scary. I finished a book while there (R. K. Narayan's Waiting for the Mahatma , worth a read) and got part way through another (David Davidar's The Solitude of Emperors , also pretty decent). I ran for about 80 minutes across the farms and fields of K...

Dilbert can be remarkably close to reality on many occasions. I think I have had similar conversations at work. Thank god for Dilbert.

In case you're a Canadian, you likely know that Conrad Black has got bail and wants to come to Canada. He wants to come home apparently. Whose home? His Lordship surrendered his Canadian citizenship in order to become Baron Black of Crossharbour. While I disagree with the then Canadian government's stance on Canadians being honoured by other countries, I find it quite amusing that Lord Black wants to come back to Canada after saying such lovely things about us as a plain vanilla place or, to paraphrase our distinguished travel writer, Jan Morris, “a good second prize in the Lottario of life”. More haughty wisdom from his Lordship can be found on this blog post .  I say we let him in. We're better than that. But your Lordship (for you are indeed a Lord in this country too), if you say such silly things about us... we are not going to be very keen to see you around here and you might just be the recipient of a nice pie in the face. What do you guys think of this whole af...

I wonder why there is so much unhappiness in the world sometimes. I'm currently reading R. K. Narayan's Waiting for the Mahatma. The world the protagonist in the book lives in is a rather harsh one. And he seems to be quite unhappy. What makes one unhappy? Some days, I ask myself what the heck I am doing here. Maybe its because I have worked for the same person for 4 years and the same company for over 6. This was supposed to be a short-term job that would bring bigger and better things. I don't know what it has brought. I mean, I am doing better things. I am doing bigger things. But I don't know if it makes me happy any more. I don't wake up with the anticipation of hurrying to work to learn something new and make the world a better place. I don't know why. I suppose I have the ability to do that to a certain extent. Is it the lack of ambition?  Reading back to some of the earliest posts on this blog, I gave myself the task of being happy. Like it is somethi...

For those (one, maybe two people) who read this blog, you may recall that almost a year back, I did something I wanted to do for a while. Move. As in, move back to Vancouver and be happy. Well, that happened last year. The second half of that return home was to buy a place. That happened as well. It feels like months ago! Well, the next bit of that saga is happening now.  I got keys to the place a couple of weeks back and I have been unpacking ever since. I can't begin to tell you how awesome it was to move the way I did. This may sound like a bit of an advertisement, but who cares, it is my blog after all and I shall sing these people's praises if I choose to.  Firstly, the good folks at Certified Packaging & Transport from the DC area (Jessup MD I think is their home) did wonders packing my stuff. They came over, packed everything with hundreds of thousands of sheets of packing paper. The guys who did the packing and moving were pleasant and seemed like real decent f...

I witnessed something today that made me feel very sad for Canada. As I was walking home from my bus stop today, I noticed 3 of my neighbours standing by and talking to each other by the road. Nothing special right? Right. They happen to be folks who look like they came from the far east of Asia. Except, if I spoke to them on the phone or looked at their well maintained lawn and garden, I wouldn't know they were Asian. If I were to take a guess, I would say they are people like the average person here; they worked hard, squirrelled away money and bought themselves a place, paid their taxes and went on with life. A white Pontiac Grand Am was going by. It slowed down next to these people. The person in the front passenger seat threw something at them and then the car bolted out of there, turned right onto my street and disappeared. I wasn't sure what happened. I think those folks who got some kind of iced coffee drink on them were just plain stunned. I walked across my little st...

I fully intended to write about how awesome a time I had during the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics. I never did because I had too much fun during that time. If I were to be succinct, I would say that it was the best time I have ever had in Vancouver. EVER. The city buzzed with a veritable slew of happy (some drunk) people, running about, giving people high-fives, cheering on the athletes of all nations, talking about Canada's chances and generally having a great time.  Transportation worked. I was in downtown Vancouver nearly every day of the Olympics. I was able to get in and out in good time, within reason. I even drove down a few times and didn't run into major issues with traffic.   I went to a couple of curling games. I had an amazing time cheering the players and watching curling of all things with a huge crowd of people. I spent a lot of time in Robson Square watching the festivities there and hanging out with the crowds. I stood in many, many lines for hours to...