Number6's Journal

First, in "odd things to happen to me while I was walking to work" category... well, as suggested by the name of the category, I was walking to work. Up ahead, there was a girl, could have been anywhere from 15-25 (it was still dark out), but fairly attractive. She said "Hey". Like she was saying hello to a friend, not trying to get somebody's attention. Naturally, I assumed she was talking on a phone or something. She said "Hey" again, right as I passed by, in the same way, and she didn't seem to have a wireless headset, but I'd already ignored her so I just gave a brief nod and continued. To be honest, I couldn't imagine she had any reason to want to talk to me that would be innocent, and in case she genuinely needed help or something, she could always try again with something a little less ambiguous that couldn't be interpretted as a 'passing hello'.

A few steps beyond her, I noticed another guy, same potential age range, sitting on a little raised ledge to somebody's yard. He said "No fun, brother?" I muttered something like "No," (but a polite mutter), and after I passed, he yelled, "You know what you are, a $@!$!ing (derogatory expletive for homosexuals, or bundle of sticks)!"

So, my thoughts were a) no call for that kind of hate, b) if I was gay, I'd have said a polite hello to her, and given YOU the awkward silent treatment from having no idea what you were after or if you were trying to come on to me in some way, c) Did I just pass a prostitute and pimp? Or an attempt to distract and rob people? Or a novel begging scheme? d) Whatever it is, I don't have time for it e) But you really should work on your pitch, because it's awfully crass and ambiguous.

None of those were said out loud, of course, I just kept walking.

In other news, I ordered some books online today. And a few weeks ago, too. A few weeks ago I finally relented and ordered The Clockwork Rocket, by Greg Egan (the one I was ranting about because the bookstore price was so high... the online price was much more reasonable), and, because I needed a $25 minimum for free shipping, tacked on The Windup Girl by Paolo Bacigalupi (Hugo and Nebula winner I believe, if not both than at least one).

But that was just a dry run, because I knew this day was coming. This day being a book I've been waiting for, for years and years. Children of the Sky, the long-awaited sequel to A Fire Upon the Deep (there was a prequel, A Deepness in the Sky, which was awesome, but the stories were very independant. Regardless, I now expect two more novels in the universe: Children of the Deepness, and A Fire Upon the Children, just to make the names all fit together) has just been released. This is one of my all-time favorite books (both, really), and made Vinge into one of a very few authors I'm willing to buy in Hardcover with little reservation. I can't wait to see how the Tines' world develops, and in a matter of days, I'll have that chance.

Again, I wanted free shipping, so I also added The Hunger Games, which I've been wanting to try for a while, despite that it's super-popular apparently.

Life update:
My last post (about a week ago, eesh) ended on a complaint that I was getting sick (in addition to a myriad of other problems, like no hot water).

I'm happy to report so far this seems to be either the shortest and/or more mild cold ever. I had about one day of more-or-less mild hell, which is what I posted on. About two of discomfort, but I could at least be mostly functional. And other than that, aside from maybe a minor symptom here or there but not long lasting or especially distracting.
I'm relieved, because my last cold hung on for EVER (or was several in a row).

In other news, happy belated Thanksgiving to all the Canadians on my flist. It was this past Monday, although we did the family thing on Sunday. Good meal (Turkey, Roast Beef, two kinds of Gravy, mashed and scalloped potatoes, turnips, corn, rolls, coconut creme, blueberry, and pumpkin pies, and lots of leftovers), minimal family drama, and one moment where I felt really old. I realized a step-niece of mine is in her first year of high school. She was born the same year (but a couple months after) I finished high school. It doesn't FEEL like a whole freshman's-lifetime ago. I still regularly feel a little like I need to get up to go to college.

Anyway, I believe that's all for today. I'll do a Book Foo sooner or later, and maybe a 'thoughts on this season's TV' roundup (sneak preview: not all that exciting). Oh well, at least Walking Dead starts Sunday, that's something to look forward to.

Captain Britain and MI13 #4 (good moments, but kind of disjointed)
Secret Invasion Runaways/Young Avengers (fun but I want more interaction between the teams)

Full reviews as usual at my comic reviews site for anyone interested.

Work was okay, much later than usual (new guy, the regular one was having a baby or something), but it was a light load and we got done relatively quickly. Plus I have demonstrated that I officially do the work of two men. Since we had 4 skids, 2 dry and 2 frozen, and I do the dry, and 2 guys do the frozen roughly equal size, and we did them both at once, and I finished first. Barely, but still (and I have to put things all over the place instead of just in a freezer). Me manly man! ;)

On the way home, though, well, let's just say it was a bit of an odd day.

I had my first direct experience with bird crap. Luckily, it didn't hit me. Unluckily, it hit my book. Not much, just a little at the bottom, and I had paper around to wipe it clean (and it's an old book), but still a little disconcerting - it must have come in the few inches between the book and my body, since none got on me at all.

Then at outside the used bookstore, I saw a guy either inspecting his tongue in the mirror, or making a weird attempted-erotic come on to his reflection. Then an old man in a pink Ambercrombie and Fitch t-shirt, which struck me as odd for some reason.

But the real weirdness came when I was crossing the bridge. There was a bunch of police cars going by first. Then I noticed they stopped at the bridge. And there was a guy sitting on the curb with a bunch of cops surrounding him. Three bikes, two - maybe they were cop bikes but for some reason my mind said '3 bikes, but only one bicyclist' (the guy at the curb). Then a cop looked over the side of the bridge. And, as I was passing by closer someone asked the guy on the curb if he wanted an ambulance, and another cop replied a few seconds later, "What about the guy that already jumped?" Now, I was a little too short to casually look over the side of the bridge without really being obvious about it, but, yeah, I don't think it's hard to put together at least some of what happened, although since the news doesn't tend to report such things I might never know how it turned out (the bridge was fairly low so it was conceivably survivable). *shrug*

This week I got two books:

Captain Britain and MI13 #2 (a little too fast paced for me, but enjoyable and my Pick of the Week)
newuniversal: shockfront #2 (conversely, a little too slow, but enjoyable)

Full reviews as usual at my comic reviews site for anyone interested.

At the comic store I saw the Heroes action figures, which apparently came out... was tempted to get either Hiro (with sword and super-hero messenger bag!) or Claire (with replacable wounded head and arm), but they were almost $20 each, and, well, on a budget. Maybe if they ever get cheaper. They also had Sylar and Mohinder, and maybe there were others behind those but I didn't see them.

Work was okay, and of course I did the long walk both to the comic store and home. Except, there was a little problem. On the way, I started to feel a little gassy, which, well, happens from time to time and is only a mild concern. Then, later, added to that, I began to feel a strong sense of... let's call it intenstinal urgency. This was not a good feeling, particularly when you're a) about 45 minutes walk from home, and b) in an area without anywhere convenient to duck into for a washroom (an area with homes, apartments, and long stretches of bridges). I managed to hold out across the bridges to get into a McDonalds. After I was done, I bought a double cheeseburger, of course, because, well, they really helped me out and when I use else someone's bathroom I feel guilty for some reason. Now, you might rightly think, "hey... given what sent you in there, perhaps eating McDonald's food was not the best idea there", but I think I know what happened. There was no logical reason for me to have those troubles that day, as I'd barely eaten anything. So, I think I scarfed down that double cheeseburger so fast it broke the speed of light on its way to my stomach, and thus travelled back in time, and caused a predestination paradox.

Edit: Oh, and I think I got a touch of sunburn on my shoulders/neck.

So, I'm a fan of ImprovEverywhere, but I usually only go to their site when I'm alerted to their shenanigans from some other site like . So today I saw their prank where 200 people froze in place in Grand Central Station for five minutes, and as is my nature, I went back to see if I missed anything else. Well, I did. They had their annual No Pants Subway Ride day... and this time, in addition to the New York one, they had it in Toronto as well, along with something like 8 other cities. How did I not hear about this? Probably because I don't read the papers, since it supposedly made both of our big ones. But yay for Toronto.

I personally never could have gone on No Pants Day due to extreme shyness (I don't even wear shorts in summer), but, still cool. The other new development I missed was that they've set up an Improv Everywhere Global where spinoff groups are sprouting up in other cities. Maybe one day I'll actually get to see an op in progress, or if I ever get some nerve, participate.

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The latest selection from Harper Collins Canada's First Look program (where they are willing to send me free advanced review copies of books in exchange for writing up my opinion of them) for this month actually had a book I was interested in. It's a YA book called "Gone", in which everybody over 14 suddenly disappears from the world. I've toyed with similar concepts in my own head and have enjoyed seeing other variations of it (the plague that kills adults, like was done in Jeremiah). So I put in a request for that one. Hopefully I'll get it, and it'll be my second book.

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Judging by the commercials, people who like Malteasers are easily amused.

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Why Canadian Teachers should be carefully monitored

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Crazy snowblowing today.

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Lost was last night. Decent episode, although I still haven't had a chance to really 'get into' it again. Hopefully the next few eps will help with that.

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I got a "Wow, good for you" from a stranger today. I was at the grocery store after work, and the cashier asked me for my postal code, and if I walked there. Now, either she's stalking me and is now on to getting rather obscure information to make her fantasies extra complete, or it's some kind of market research thing. In any event, she just noted it down, but I guess the woman in front of me in line must have had some idea that my postal code was rather distant from the store, because she said, "Wow, good for you" when she heard I walked. (It's about a 45 minute walk, maybe an hour when the snowfall's heavy and unplowed as it is was then).

This week I got two books:

Avengers: The Initiative #9 (okay but felt a bit pointless at times)
Ultimate X-Men #90 (my Pick of the Week, the major developments here at least felt like they had something of a point)

Full reviews as usual at my comic reviews site for anyone interested.

I also picked up, at the used bookstore, Woken Furies, by Richard Morgan (last book of the Kovacs series), and Otherland, Volume 2: River of Blue Fire by Tad Williams.

Work was okay, came fairly early actually and wasn't too heavy, although the usual annoyances due to the renovations.

Since I had comics I did the full walk around, which was even more painful this time around because of the horrid windchill. Now, granted, it wasn't as bad as it's been in some parts of the country (-50, man), but it was pretty annoying for a 2 hour walk,
and particularly since it seemed to follow me around and blow in my face no matter which way I was walking. For a good portion of it I had to don my vigilante identity, the Red Toque again, pull it down entirely over my face, hook it under my chin, and walk around like that. If my book was smaller I would have tried to read while walking while having a toque over my eyes, just to freak people out.

Also on the walk, I did have an interesting idea I'm going to have to play with somehow. Sort of a superhero/team concept, inspired a tiny bit by a novel I read as a young kid and now can't remember anything but the base premise of it. Unfortunately if I mention the premise I'll possibly have given away the idea, so I'm going to keep it to myself a bit until I decide what to do with it.

Things I saw on the walk home: A poster of an Ood, from Doctor Who, just lying there on the ground. I almost picked it up, but it was really frayed around the edges.

And, posted just for the sheer wtfishness of it, some Dream Foo! ( Read more... )

And now, delicious cake.

This week I got one book:

Astonishing X-Men #24 (okay but this last arc's not worth the waiting)

Full reviews as usual at my comic reviews site for anyone interested.

Work was a pain. Late, and due to renovations it's a more annoying job even though the load's lighter.

Almost took the subway home (from the comic shop, anyway), due more to lateness than any tiredness, but I decided to press on. I'll need the fitness if I ever go on the long walk. Speaking of walking, did help me develop some ideas... unfortunately, they're mostly ideas for the story I'm editing now. Which is good in one level, since the story involves rapid technological progress and I was needing to add more tech stuff to the background, but I worry the story might already be getting too bloated as it is. Maybe the story's beyond my capabilities to tell well at this point, but oh well. And of course, it's a problem because that story's in the editing stage, and since tomorrow is the start of another writing cycle I need either completely new stuff to work on, or new ideas for older stuff, and I didn't get much of those. Ah well.

Also on the walk home, I wanted to check the time, and I saw a phone booth, which usually displays it. Except when I got there, it said, "Please hang up receiver". So I did. And then it immediately changed to "Please pick up receiver." No. Just because I do you a favour, doesn't mean I'm your little puppetmonkey. Make up your mind. Anyway, then it put the time up.

On other fronts, I'm still enjoying the Sarah Connor Chronicles quite a bit. It's going in directions I don't expect, which is often a good thing (though I still hope it goes in a couple directions I expect). And bonus points for a mention of the Singularity.

And, I suppose I should mention something about Heath Ledger. I'm not a particular fan of his -- by which I don't mean that I had any dislike for him whatsoever, just that I haven't _seen_ a whole lot he's been in. The only real connection I had to him, aside from looking forward to his role as the Joker, was that I used him as the character model/actor for Scuzz on XET. So it does hit me a _little_ more than any other actor that I don't have a particular connection to, so it was something of a shock. I think I actually said "Holy crap" when I heard it on the news. And of course, mostly, it's a tragedy for his family. Must be hard for them, especially with him being fairly young (he's actually younger than me, though I wouldn't have guessed), and him having a young daughter. I wish the best for them in the times ahead.

First new comic day in a couple weeks. This week I got one book:

New Warriors #8 (okay, still annoyed at too many characters looking alike)

Full reviews as usual at my comic reviews site for anyone interested.

Work was okay, but new drivers and so they arrived a bit later than usual and the load was heavier. Ah well.

The long walk wasn't bad, though. I just came off a writing cycle. Met my full quota, but I think I'm going to have to throw out about half of it. I worked on 3 stories. One, the one I wrote the most on, is more or less okay, but I still have to decide where I'm going with it and how to finish it. One of the others I need to revise drastically as I finally decided who the viewpoint character needed to be - I sort of wrote it with some kind of vague guy in mind as is, and it won't work. The third, well, there was something that wasn't clicking with it, and on the walk today I figured out what it is. ( Read more... )

So, Sarah Connor Chronicles. Episode One was similar to the pilot I saw, luckily. They changed a bit but not what I feared they'd change. The only big disappointment was the recasting of one of the characters - I liked the old actor much better. Second ep kept up the plot very well. I'm enjoying the show and glad it's done decently in the ratings. It's not perfect - there are a few potentially big glitches in the concept and the couple eps we saw, not to mention that you have to shut your brain off anytime they mention a timeline that's in any way supposed to match with the movies because it just doesn't no matter how much you try. Treat it as an alternate universe or rebooting where that much makes sense. But it's enjoyable, and love seeing Summer Glau active again.

This week I got just one book.

Astonishing X-Men #22 (bit disappointing, really)

Full reviews up as usual at my comic reviews site for anyone interested.

In books, I picked up Judas Unchained by Peter F. Hamilton, and in not-books, I also broke down and got Serenity: The Collector's Edition. It was the only one I saw at the store. Which I suspect either means it sold really well, or it wasn't ordered very much. Considering I found it in the regular 'Movies starting with S' section, rather than any display for it (and it came out this week, didn't it), I'm expecting the latter. Oh well, hopefully it'll pick up.

I didn't do the full walk, just most of it. After the comic store, it looked like it was starting to rain, and I was running late from work (which was okay, but late), and since I had a DVD and a new comic I figured I'd not chance it (even though my bag is somewhat waterproof), save myself an hour of walking, and take transit. My pre-transit walk was fairly productive though with ideas.

Oh, and didn't really have lunch per se, but had chicken fingers and fries when I got home.

This week I got two books, but I got them late due to hurting my back on Monday.

X-Factor #21 (My Pick of the Week, low action but still pretty enjoyable)
Ultimate X-Men #84 (some nice developments and much better art than recently, but some glitches)

I wanted to get Deadpool/GLI Summer Fun Spectacular, but it seems it was sold out when I got there. Oh well.

Full reviews up as usual at my comic reviews site for anyone interested.

I also picked up Scatterbrain, a book of short stories and nonfiction by Larry Niven for $1, and Odd John by Olaf Stapledon. Odd John's a book I've been looking for for a long time. It's one of the early "mutant superhuman" novels (1935).

I've quite liked some of Stapledon's other work, including Sirius, about a superintelligent dog, so I'm looking forward to see his take on the superman.

For lunch I had a slice of pizza, some samosas (beef) and some spicy fries.

Finally, an update on Back-Out '98!
I did work today. I woke up and I was a little sore. But I said I'd be there, so I went. Took a hot shower first to help loosen the muscles, and then begun the long walk. There was soreness on the way, so I kept repeating, "I am the Master, you will obey me" to my back, to show it who was boss - it had felt perfectly normal before I went to bed, so there was no reason for it to be acting up. At work, I took things a little slower but managed to do it all with no significant pain. So, then it was on to do the long walk for comics and books. Now, I suppose I could have taken it easy and taken the bus or subway. But I have a policy. When I get hurt or sick, I take it and rest up until I'm almost back to normal... and then I punish the part of me that betrayed me by putting it through a trial by fire. When I'm too sick to eat, as soon as I can eat I start with the most spicy and greasy foods I can. And when I am physically impaired, I do a couple hours of walking. That'll learn it. So, I'm tired, and sore now. But, importantly, I'm sore and tired all over, rather than REALLY sore in one particular place. Since I have a furthur two days to rest up before having to work again, I tentatively declare Back-Out '98 to be over!

This week I just got one book:

Teen Titans #44 (okay issue, glad of one development though)

Full review up as usual at my comic reviews site for anyone interested.

Also picked up The Naked God by Peter F. Hamilton (last part of the Night's Dawn trilogy).

Skipped lunch, but had cereal for breakfast for those people tremendously curious (golden grahams + sugar crisp + frosted flakes mixed in one).

Work was a pain... later than its been these last few weeks and much heavier, too. So tired. Didn't walk home like I usually do, took the bus for about half of it - this was in part due to fears of an oncoming storm and that I was carrying an 8 pound hunk of pork.

Edit: Oh, and I made some Heroes icons, one I'm rather pleased with but it's spoilery for a part I know at least one person on my flist hasn't seen yet so I don't want to use it or post it here directly. So I'll just post a link to my non-comic icon list where they're kept.

Oh, and it's 10 days till my birthday. and Pi Day, apparently.