[the act of just being here] "he's a part-time punk"

Everything Ends

jadigioia@mac.com — 2006-09-06T20:00:26-04:00

I'm excited about the possibilities to come and feeling good about how things are going for me. I feel renewed, and refreshed, and am glad I took the chance on such a big change in my life. ...This site will re-launch soon, so keep checking back for updates, or better yet, sign up for the mailing list. Just send a message to jadigioia@mac.com with "Update" in the subject line.

Everything Ends (part four)

jadigioia@mac.com — 2006-08-28T22:01:38-04:00

I decided, some time mid way through the second post that on the anniversary of this blog, I would end it all, put [the act of just being here] to rest, and allow a new chapter of my life to start. ...I have been so negligent in my posting as of late, and have been enjoying this build up to a farewell, that I've sort of renewed my enthusiasm for writing it, just like creating it helped renew something in my life that was missing. I visited the site myself tonight, surfed to my own page and saw that I had a couple of nice comments on the last post, from people who don't know me personally, but now, by reading this, know me better than some of the people in my inner circle.... Maybe it will never end, maybe I'll just keep writing this post and telling you what I'm thinking forever and ever and not stop for fear that when I do stop I'll lose something forever, something special, something that's a part of me.

Everything Ends (part three)

jadigioia@mac.com — 2006-08-19T09:39:46-04:00

No, I didn't say, "hey, I should start a blog to let the world know how messed up and helpless I feel," it was more like, "hey, I think it would be cool to design a website and post some comments and see where this whole thing takes me."... I won't bore you with technical details, but suffice to say I found some software to help me on my way, and I also found some helpful blog pals to answer some of my neophyte questions, some of which are still here with me today (thank you, Matt).... Along the way I've documented the arrival of my kittens, Rufus and Tai Chi, and shared with you how Rufus inspired me to write my first children's book, Rufus Is A Doofus, which is being shopped around to publishers as I write.... There was one post that never made it on here about the appropriateness of the blog's name: for most of my life I've just been engaged in the act of being present, but not participating in what was going on around me.

Everything Ends (part two)

jadigioia@mac.com — 2006-08-16T09:08:20-04:00

In March of that sae year, my dad and I have a discussion, basically saying that if I don't get accepted to any of the teacher's colleges, I could move back home and live with him and mom and decide what I want to do next--without any need to get a job or work; what he was saying was come bak home, I don't have log to live and I want tot spend it with you. April of 1999 I find an envelope in my mailbox a day ahead of schedule telling me I've been accepted to teacher's college, and I break down and cry, knowing that I will be moving home very soon. ...I attempted to make myself happy by spending money and surrounding myself with objects of worth to make my life seem worth-while, and whether consciously or not, I was blaming the people and the relationships in my life for holding me back and oppressing me (as opposed to taking responsibility for my own happiness).... It turned out to be pericarditis, a viral infection, but in my head, it will always be my heart attack--because after that episode, it seemed like my heart and my head started working together.

Everything Ends (part one)

jadigioia@mac.com — 2006-08-14T00:31:46-04:00

If you've been reading this blog for a while now, you know that some months back, I decided to watch the Six Feet Under, from the first season all the way through to the last episode, which aired in June 2005. ...And while we're off pondering the meaning of our existence and whether we did anything worth while we were alive, those people will wonder if the tie they chose to wear to the funeral service goes with their shirt. ...I'm not one to spoil anything for people who may or may not want to experience it themselves, but suffice to say that the show whose goal and objective, as described by creator Allan Ball, is to look at the experience of death in the open and in reality should end by embracing death by dying itself, only makes sense.... That's why I really think, like I said in that March post, that death makes you question "the validity of the choices you've made in your own life, and point out how flawed your own perception of yourself is by reflecting your very existence back to you."

Saturday morning musings

jadigioia@mac.com — 2006-08-12T10:30:21-04:00

I've been trying to make this post all morning, twice attempting to o it from my new laptop while sitting in my comfy living room. ...There's a small camera/webcam embedded in the frame of the laptop just above the screen that lets you take pictures with some fun effects. ...I know I've not been posting here as regularly as I have been, and the other day I was thinking about this blog, and about what I wanted to get out of it when I started it almost a year ago (I was actually developing and working on the blog a year ago, and it went live on the 28th of August 2005).... I'm beginning to rethink the future of this site, and don't have any clear plans just yet, but I hope you'll consider sticking around into the next phase...

Warm days, cold showers

jadigioia@mac.com — 2006-08-07T21:56:47-04:00

At first I thought the pilot light had gone out, but it turns out my water tank sprung a leak. They told me a new tank would be delivered and installed on Sunday morning. When the workers got here, they realized the tank they had wouldn't fit in my space, so now I have to wait for them to come and put the new tank in tomorrow, between 9 AM and 1 PM. I've learned that hot water is a luxury I won't take for granted anymore, and that getting up at six without so much as a coffee to drive to my mother's house to shower is a pain in the ass. I've also learned the fine art of sponge bathing regularly throughout the day.

Like a kid in a candy store (except all the candy is shiny and made of white enamel)

jadigioia@mac.com — 2006-08-06T22:12:58-04:00

My new iPod arrived right on time last Thursday, and the MacBook laptop is scheduled to arrive on Tuesday evening...... I've decided to use the iPod as a back-up/warehouse of as much of my music as I can fit on it--it's a 60GB, which holds 15 000 songs, and I'm up to 1 300 so far! There's no video or photos on it yet, either, but I have been very diligent about making sure that album art has been included with each track I've added (which I think is my favourite feature of all). As it's a holiday weekend in Canada, I've been finding myself rather busy, which has kept my mind off regular posts here (and I guess I should admit that a lot of my time has been taken up with my new music blog which is going very well so far) but I will keep you updated as best I can.

Can you decipher the code?

jadigioia@mac.com — 2006-08-01T22:58:06-04:00

End of Month Blog Clearance!

jadigioia@mac.com — 2006-07-31T11:15:40-04:00

I've been a bit pre-occupied through these dog days of summer so the posts have been few and far between, but here's a quick recap of July events as we get ready to head into the season's home stretch, and the first anniversary of [the act of just being here]! ...Quick, Before It Melts has been added to the blog list of I Guess I'm Floating and I'm getting quite a few of hits thanks to their link. Nathaniel and Conner over at IGIF have really welcomed me to the music/mp3 blogosphere, and I've been enjoying getting the new blog up and running (another reason why my attentions have been turned from here). There's been a few downloads from QBIM so I hope that will get me some regular visitors--I already have had a return visit or two from someone in Israel.

Now that's what you call a "Hot Rod"

jadigioia@mac.com — 2006-07-28T08:44:53-04:00

So imagine her surprise, when not more than two hours after getting the keys to her new home, her car decides to spontaneously combust in the parking lot at her (summer job) work. ...No one was injured, no damage was done to he building she was parked in front of (which just happens to be a church!) and besides a pair of Birkenstocks and a few odds and ends, nothing of great value was lost in the fire. ...I think someone, somewhere is trying to tell her that this is going to be a new chapter in her life.

Scissor Sisters: Holy Crap Moment No.1

jadigioia@mac.com — 2006-07-27T08:34:22-04:00

I posted this on my other blog, Quick, Before It Melts, this morning and thought I definitely wanted to share it with you here, too. Holy Crap Moment (noun): The instant you realize that what you are experiencing is of a caliber greater than conventional language could possibly explain.... and may be followed by a momentary depression in which the person realizes that they'd never be able to create or accomplish such a feat themselves. ...Best Bit: at 1:04 when the first funky synth laser fires a triple shot straight to your hips, instantly causing you to strike a Saturday Night Fever pose.

One door closes, another opens

jadigioia@mac.com — 2006-07-27T08:26:30-04:00

The gym was located near my old school (well close enough) so I could easily go there after work and then head home. Now going to the gym would be like driving from my new work location, back to my old work location (further yet even) to go to the gym, then drive that distance back home.... I'm looking forward to getting into a more regular routine now, and the Y seems like a nice place.... This reduction in gym fees will help offset the cost of the new laptop (which I haven't bought yet by the way--hey, it's a big decision, and I'm always second-guessing huge purchases).

Blog 2: Quick, Before It Melts

jadigioia@mac.com — 2006-07-24T14:24:00-04:00

After quite a bit of hard work learning to decipher codes as stealing from other established blogs (ssshhh don't tell anyone) I've got myself a second blog up and running over on Blogger. Quick, Before It Melts is going to be primarily a music/mp3 blog, while I'll reserve [the act of just being here] as my own personal blog. I'll probably still post some music etc. on here when it's really good and I think you might like it (whoever you are) but the new blog gives me a chance to explore that side of me a bit further. So tell all your hipster friends, tell the whole bunch there's a new blog in town and you'll have to be Quick, Before It Melts (oh shut your groaning!).

they say the devil's water it ain't so sweet

jadigioia@mac.com — 2006-07-22T21:24:50-04:00

So it seems the increased traffic is coming from people Googling the lyrics of the new Killers song, which I've mentioned below and now have used as the title for this post.... So if you ended up here looking for the Killers tune, I hope you find it enjoyable, but I suggest that you check out "You And I Are A Gang Of Losers" from what will definitely be one of the best Canadian albums of the year--The Dears "Gang Of Losers" ♬ The Dears ~ "You And I Are A Gang Of Losers" ...Tai Chi is the most well adjusted animal I've ever met, and Rufus, while beginning to act as mother hen to the kitten is also extremely jealous and gets sucky every once in awhile.... d) In about 10 minutes or so I'm going online and buying a new MacBook laptop which will come with a rebated (but not free) 60GB iPod.

Pimping Mom's ride

jadigioia@mac.com — 2006-07-17T22:09:50-04:00

I think she had a hard time getting her head around the fact that it's the first new car she's ever owned. My Dad always felt confident enough buying used cars because he was a mechanic and did all the maintenance on the vehicles. Before he died though, he made me promise him that when it was time for my mom to get a new car, I made sure she bought a new one, and that I did the same; no more taking risks with used cars (he didn't trust anyone else but himself to pick the right car). So I kept my word: both I and my sister before me bought new cars when we needed them, and now so has mom.

The U.S. vs John Lennon

jadigioia@mac.com — 2006-07-16T10:08:04-04:00

I've been getting into quite a few documentaries lately, and this morning I came across an article for this new film at You Ain't No Picasso: Sounds very interesting and very relevant. See the trailer for the film here.

Happy Birthday, Rufus!

jadigioia@mac.com — 2006-07-15T10:12:50-04:00

My beloved Rufus turns One Year Old today! Happy Birthday, buddy!

The Killers ~ "When You Were Young"

jadigioia@mac.com — 2006-07-13T23:30:18-04:00

The geeks at Stereogum trashed it, but Brandon Flowers and The Killers have made good on the promise that their next album, Sam's Town, will be throwing a few Bruce Springsteen poses. "When You Were Young" sounds like it could have been on Born To Run (if Born To Run had been released about 10 years later than originally).... 1 so far: the break mid song where Flowers croons "They say the devil's water it ain't so sweet/you don't have to drink right now..." I can imagine burning down the highway with the top down at this on the 'Pod.

Introducing...

jadigioia@mac.com — 2006-07-12T22:08:56-04:00

OK, OK, so it's not Kumiko (I was pronouncing it "Coo-me-co", Katy), and in the end, as much as i liked "Eko", Tai Chi was the best fit for this little guy because, like many practitioners of the the ancient internal martial art of Tai Chi, my little Tai Chi has a well balance mental and physical state, and instantly made himself comfortable on my lap as we drove home after picking him up.... Rufus on the other, may need to go on some medications to help him cope, and I have a strong feeling before too long, he and I are going to need couples counselling. The breeder had all kinds of animals at his place so TAi Chi feels right at home among others--Rufus got a bit freaked out when their was a rabbit on the lawn this morning...... But of course the whole point of another cat was to keep him company, and I think given some time to adjust, Rufus will come around (I hope!).

I can't sleep

jadigioia@mac.com — 2006-07-12T01:03:20-04:00

I went to my friend Kelly's house for dinner tonight and had a couple Smirnoff Twist coolers, followed by a whooping cup of java post-meal and now I'm wired beyond all belief and can't sleep. I truly don't know what to do with myself, because I can't focus on any one thing too long--can't read, get bored; can't watch TV, nothing on. I've been looking up more cat names, so I've added a few more to the list: Kumiko (still a fave) Genji (like benji, only with a G) Kinsey (as in Alfred) Dijie (sounds like DEE GEE) Omar Suni Ping Pong (I thought it as a joke, but now I don't know...) Eko (I kinda like this one myself, Lost reference or not) Tai Chi Sufjan (SUF-Yan, as in Sufjan Stevens) Juji (sounds like Jew-GEE) Feel free to chime in with any comments, all you freakin' voyeurs who just log on and read the site and never say anything!... To get the full effect you should try reading this post as fast as you possibly can--I typed it in about 6 minutes flat.

Name that kitten!

jadigioia@mac.com — 2006-07-11T12:31:54-04:00

He's a lilac point Siamaese kitten I found online from a cattery in Milton, ON. I haven't seen him yet, but I'm sure I'll be falling head over heels for him (which is more than I can say about Rufus's reaction to the new addition!).... If it was going to be a female, I would name her Martha, after Martha Wainwright (Rufus Wainwright's sister).... Part of me says I should choose a traditional oriental name for this one; while part of me says that I should stick with the trend I've started with Rufus--how does George Michael sound for a cat name?... they listed Kumiko as a possibility; it means "companion child" which is kind of what this kitten is supposed to be, right?

A History of Tootie Cronenberg

jadigioia@mac.com — 2006-07-07T13:00:01-04:00

One idea was to pull a 150-item list of random nothings out of my ass as I did circa post 100th--but who cares about my opinions on peanut butter (chunky not smooth) or set design on The Facts Of Life (Edna's Edibles over Over Our Heads)?... Really, by July 7th, having officially been out of work for a week (unofficially I have been in a school every day this week, save for Monday's holiday) I really haven't done too much or experienced anything overtly earth-shattering to write about.... 01 "The Same Fire" ~ Bishop Allen 02 "Long Distance Call" ~ Phoenix 03 "Portions For Foxes" ~ Rilo Kiley 04 "Skip To The End" ~ The Futureheads 05 "Lloyd, I'm Ready to Be Heartbroken" ~ Camera Obscura 06 "Some Kind Of Chill" ~ Arizona 07 "Country Girl" ~ Primal Scream 08 "Awoo" ~ The Hidden Cameras 09 "Don't Call Me Whitney, Bobby" ~ Islands 10 "Take Me Out (Hot Chip Remix)" ~ Franz Ferdinand But does anyone really download this music?... BY this point, I was so fed up of thinking that I decided to go out and fix up the garden a bit more, and try and do some of the housework I famously postpone because I'm too busy staring at a computer screen wondering what to write about on my blog, which reminds me of the kids in class sitting there staring at the ceiling saying, "I don't know what to write about, Mr. D," which I know is just plain laziness.

Final Fantasy gives good fiddle.

jadigioia@mac.com — 2006-07-03T22:25:13-04:00

I've raved about Final Fantasy on here before, and you can still link to the video for "This Is The Dream of Win and Regine" from here (I think), but when I saw this live performance video, I knew I had to post it (this is actually my second attempt at getting the video on the blog--I hope RapidWeaver doesn't quit on me again). ...This link will take you to a clip of him playing my favourite Bloc Party song, "This Modern Love" live all by himself. Notice the use of effects pedals and other technology to allow him to actually accompany his own violin playing with even more violin playing. I had read that Final Fantasy shows were mesmerizing, and I never could understand how one man and a violin could be that interesting--now I know.

the first/last day at my new/old job...

jadigioia@mac.com — 2006-06-29T21:16:41-04:00

Remember when you were a kid and you'd decide to do something on the spur of the moment because it seemed like a good idea until you actually get right into the middle of it and realize that you're up shit's creek without a paddle?... the difference being I have a paddle with me on shit's creek, and there's probably an extra one buried under a pile of stuff at the bottom of the canoe.... The staff at the new school are going to be a great help to me, and there is so much support for me right now that I'm really feeling like I can handle whatever will come my way in September. ...and getting it all set up and organized (I ♥ organizing), so there's really is a dichotomy of emotions I'm experiencing here over this new job.

I got the job.

jadigioia@mac.com — 2006-06-28T22:34:33-04:00

Uh, that kind of pretty much says everything, doesn't it? Kinda late right now to say more, but it's been a pretty emotional day for me. I'll write more about it later, but in a nutshell: happy for the possibilities and the future; sad for the friends and family I'm leaving behind. I've been an emotional wreck so I really have to deal with this later.

why Blog?

jadigioia@mac.com — 2006-06-27T21:47:43-04:00

Why should we not allow our voices to be heard and read in the medium of the masses? Let's not fool ourselves into thinking that a blog will exist far beyond the reaches of our mortal flesh, for they may suffer a death via Error 404. Yet if an idea exists, and is released via blog, does that idea not live on in the hearts and minds of those who read it? We know not how far reaching our influences will extend, but if we don't give them legs, if we fail to allow them an outlet, then they will extend no farther than our own frontal lobes.

one more sleep!

jadigioia@mac.com — 2006-06-27T19:46:54-04:00

Alex is closer to home, so there will be less of a commute, and it's a much bigger school with a higher profile than little Ol' St.... Mary not knowing whether or not I'm coming back in September, so I won't have a chance to say good-bye to the students, and their families. It's my first school and very much home to me, and it blows my mind to think that I may not be going back there again, even though I've been working on a change in work all year.... Anyway, it's out of my hands now, and in the hands of the board administration, which means that it's going to be much more than one sleep before I know what's happening to me next year.

crossing "Atlantic"

jadigioia@mac.com — 2006-06-24T10:30:27-04:00

Some may call it bedwetter's music (a la Coldplay), but I've really been enjoying the new Keane album, Under The Iron Sea, specifically the lead track, "Atlantic". Irvine Welsh (the writer of Trainspotting) directed a web-only video of the song, below.

blink and you'll miss it

jadigioia@mac.com — 2006-06-24T10:09:54-04:00

Even though the official end to the school year is a few days away yet, my year is already wrapped up. It's gone by in the blink of an eye, really. It's been a good year by all accounts; lots of changes at work with staff, lots of new and challenging initiatives, and a lot to try and cram into nine months, but I am ending this year with a smile on my face--I said last September that I would take things easy, not stress too much over the little stuff, and just take things one day at a time.... My course should be done by midsummer, at which point it will be time to start getting ready for September all over again (at which point I will be lamenting about where the summer has gone, I'm sure).

I'd even kneel down and kiss his ass if he were here...

jadigioia@mac.com — 2006-06-18T10:50:47-04:00

In all the commotion of the past week, I failed to mention that I finished reading JPod, the latest novel from Douglas Coupland (faithful [taojbh] followers will be aware of the high esteem I hold Coupland in). JPod has been variously described as Microserfs 2.0 for those in the Coupland-know, but as I was reading it, there was something more to it than just a return to writing about techno-geeks making their way through this world.... He encapsulates all that is means to be Canadian in his writing style: observational, frank, non-judgemental; cynical and self-mocking with a certain amount of reverence for his own genius; celebratory in the diversity of the country and not afraid to skewer minority cultures, middle-class criminals, and people smugglers; he's got more one-liners and wit in his little finger than the majority of U.S. stand-up comedians, and he's one hell of a conceptual artist. Having said all that, he's not a cold or calculated writer; he gets to the deep emotional core of his characters and their situations and exposes the pain, the bruises and all the beauty of the human condition, all the while setting it in a video game development office.

Please remove all personal items from the fridge and thank you for loving me

jadigioia@mac.com — 2006-06-16T18:48:09-04:00

The aforementioned work-related "incident" has reached a mutually-agreed-upon conclusion, and I'm glad to say that I feel much better. I have to give props to the great people I work with for all their support and help over the last week; I don't think I could have made it through without them. The turn-over rate of employees this year has been absolutely crazy, so there's fewer people there that I am close to and have worked with for a while--most people are new as of this past year.... It makes work such a joy when you like what you do and you love who you do it with (that sounds a little kinky, doesn't it?).

Everything in its right place

jadigioia@mac.com — 2006-06-14T22:49:53-04:00

Part of me wishes that when I started out to watch the entire series from start to finish that I made a point of recording my thoughts and feelings; I've never been so moved and so stirred by anything like it before.... It's not my place to get into details about it here, but I've been walking around since Monday with the weight of it on my shoulders, and it feels like the burden is too much to carry right now.... I wish it would have a happy ending when all is said and done but the truth of the matter is that there's a mark on me now .... I think it's beautiful that we never truly know what we will mean to the continuum of time once we're gone, because then that sort of ruins the journey for us. The ride's not always smooth, but it's our ride.

Waiting for something to happen

jadigioia@mac.com — 2006-06-11T23:35:50-04:00

There are some days when the course of time and space seems pre-determined by a force greater and more complicated than anything humans could create whilst deliberating in a network television think tank dedicated to designing another star vehicle for Raven "That's So Raven!" ...That's when you find yourself sitting at a computer at 11:42 PM trying to recall something meaningful from the days events, and all you can come up with is that you actually did watch an episode of "That's So Raven!"... I was supposed to get a new kitten today, but I got a call from the woman selling them on my way to her place telling me that someone else had just showed up and wanted to buy the last two kittens she had. The rest of the day seemed filled with the same kind of stop-start events: I watched Fantastic Four and it sucked; I did some work in the garden and there's still a lot more to do; I forgot to call someone back (sorry, Burgie!)

5 Years

jadigioia@mac.com — 2006-06-08T23:04:27-04:00

I remember exactly where I was and what I was doing at this moment five years ago today. It has nothing to do with a tragedy in my life, or a global catastrophe. As a matter of fact, it was anything but tragic, and when I think back on it, it still feels like it all happened yesterday. What actually happened to me is of very little consequence; what's important is that every once in a while, each one of us needs to have experiences like mine that stay with you forever.

Another close encounter of the Waterloo kind

jadigioia@mac.com — 2006-06-03T10:19:53-04:00

In the early 1970s, Joel was involved with the production of Godspell at the Royal Alexandria Theatre that featured a number of performers who would go onto fame and fortune on SCTV; that production of Godspell was also the debut of a young Hamiltonian named Martin Short. ...Okay, flash forward to yesterday: I was on my way into Toronto to see Martin Short's new one-man show, Fame Becomes Me, and I wondered aloud to my companion, "Maybe I'll run into Joel Greenberg at the theatre," sort of like how I ended up talking to Dylan Roberts at Lord Of The Rings. At intermission, I was standing in the lobby looking around, when I caught sight of something familiar--not something, but someone--not really someone, but--have you ever seen someone from their backside yet you instinctively know who they are? ...Seeing Joel has done the same thing, as if it affirms to me that it's the right thing for me to be doing.

2006.5: the year so far

jadigioia@mac.com — 2006-06-01T22:01:37-04:00

So today, on 1 June, almost half way through this year, I thought I'd keep the tradition alive and tell you what iTunes tells me I've been listening to the most this year so far: ...10 Song Song Song, Final Fantasy 11 Remember, The Boyfriends 12 Munich, Editors 13 Gold Lion, Yeah Yeah Yeahs 14 Yeah Yeah Yeah Song, The Flaming Lips 15 The Eraser, Thom Yorke See yesterday's post. Sorry I couldn't be bothered to post all the track myself tonight; I've used my new best friend Hype Machine to find me links to the songs for now. Sample them, enjoy them, and purchase them if you can by clicking here.

"Can I download your Eraser?"

jadigioia@mac.com — 2006-05-31T20:26:44-04:00

I didn't time it, but I think it took me all of six minutes to find and begin downloading each of the tracks from Thom "Radiohead" Yorke's new album The Eraser, which was leaked to the 'net earlier this week. I've listened twice through already. Crackin'. ♬ Thom Yorke ~ The Eraser

...because of the wonderful things they've done...

jadigioia@mac.com — 2006-05-30T22:12:10-04:00

I'm a theatre person by nature, so when I decide to do a school play, it's not a song and dance show with a couple lights and a mic hanging from the ceiling: there's a full sound system installed in the gym with lighting rigs and fog machine effects that need three of four bodies to run it (remember folks, this isn't a high school I work at, it's a grade school, Kindergarten to grade 8, with just over 200 kids in it, small by all accounts).... So suffice to say it is a spectacle we're putting on right now (two more shows tomorrow), but it's not "The Mr. Di Gioia Show", at least I hope people don't think that way.... I went into tonight's show feeling a bit apprehensive about what people will think of it, and what they'll think of me...and then the show started, and I realized that it's not about me at all--it is about the kids, and about potential and growth.... I would love to share with you photos of the show, but professional responsibility dictates that all those involved remain nameless and faceless, though in the interest of gloating and being a proud papa for this production (which I swear will be my last at this school, and the last in a school for a while), I'm creating a new photo gallery page here celebrating the success of Oz.

Not everyday is like Sunday

jadigioia@mac.com — 2006-05-28T22:31:52-04:00

Chances are there will be little activity from me here over the next week or so, so while I had a few thoughts floating I thought I'd make a post.... Out in the garden today, I realized that I have so many things on the go right now, so many commitments and "things" that need my attention, and that is something new for me.... Today I cut the grass, plated a flower bed and four flower pots, did two loads of laundry, changed the bedding,made lunch and ate, finished the program and the slide show for The Wizard of Oz, watched an episode of Six Feet Under Season 3, and posted to this blog.... He's happy to feel like his day was worth something, and best of all, it was a day of worth for me personally, because everything I did today was really about me.

one more thing, before I forget...

jadigioia@mac.com — 2006-05-26T23:50:32-04:00

I thought to myself, hey this is going really well so far, even though I have been super busy and not able to post anything in the class discussions as regularly as I would have hoped, and I fell behind a bit on my group case study. ...See, when I logged in tonight (at about 9:25 PM) I realized that, yes, I had contributed quite a bit to the online discussion portion of the course, and the group case studies, and even submitted my project proposal on time, I had neglected to complete the 10% assignment that goes with each module. ...So of course now, I can't go to sleep because I'm wound up tighter than the Tin Man in a scrap yard (there's a little OZ reference for all you keep track of my extra-curriculars).... Thought you might like some down home Canadiana from A.C. Newman, chief New Pornographer, whose latest project is the soundtrack for Douglas Coupland's Souvenir of Canada movie, based on his books of the same name, which opens in theatres today.

Zoë and Austin: Part 1

jadigioia@mac.com — 2006-05-24T22:52:48-04:00

There's a certain tension that's created when you're lying in bed at night and hear the sound of a car door opening and closing nearby; that tension makes an evolutionary leap to anxiety when the sound of the car's engine starts, and then relief as the tires squeal (just a little) as it heads out into the night. ...To go all mental on me and then peel out of here in the middle of the night on some freakin' mission?" ...When the slight swoosh of the screen door closing stopped echoing in my ears, I peaked my eyes over the covers of my bedding and stole a glance at the clock beside my bed: 2:16 AM. ...I recount to her the details of the conversation I just overheard, and as many of the nuances of the exchange as I could decipher through the walls on my home, while she writes it all down in a steno notebook I've seen her carry in her purse.

public service announcement No. 1

jadigioia@mac.com — 2006-05-23T21:32:50-04:00

An excerpt from the Introduction to Focus On Cocaine and Crack, by Jeffrey Shulman: "Dope is not for sale in any store.... Dope is bought from someone called a 'dealer' or a 'pusher' because using, buying, or selling dope is against the law.... Often, that means they are trying to run away from their problems. But when the dope wears off, the problems are still there--and they are often worse than before."

Montana & the Slut: another Zoë and Austin

jadigioia@mac.com — 2006-05-20T11:25:37-04:00

In the vein on my post last week about Zoë and Austin, check out Alan Gentry's post about a guy named Montana, as overheard on public transit. This is one of the best posts I've read in a blog in a while. As for Zoë and Austin, I haven't forgotten about them; I hope to have something here about them soon.

what's in the box?

jadigioia@mac.com — 2006-05-20T11:13:31-04:00

Here's the deal in a nutshell: Sign up for a Pandora account, and you can customize your own streaming radio station by telling Pandora what song or artists you like, and instantly songs are played that match your favourites. If a song comes up that you don't like you can flag it and have it removed from the playlist and the song selections in the future will reflect your taste. I like the idea of this because I'm not relying on making an iTunes playlist with songs I already like--I'm getting a chance to hear new stuff that I may like.... Best of all, once a station is created, you can access it from any computer with an internet connection, so you can listen at home, at work, or anywhere you want.

a post with no name

jadigioia@mac.com — 2006-05-18T22:40:29-04:00

no time to post

jadigioia@mac.com — 2006-05-17T18:30:34-04:00

I can't believe it's been a week since I posted here last, but truth be known, I really don't have anything spectacular to post about. Work has been the dominant force in my life this last little while, and work is slowly coming to a head on this year's musical production (we're doing The Wizard Of Oz--or did I tell you that already?). ...since this is really a stop-gap post, why don't I make it worth your while, and give you a sample of what Oz is going to look like? Click on the pic below to see what one of my student's has done to create Munchkinland for us--he's drawing all the scenes and then we are using a projector and a large back-drop/screen to create the locations of the play.

Zoë and Austin

jadigioia@mac.com — 2006-05-11T21:31:48-04:00

If this conversation is so important to have that it must take place in the middle of a big-box bookstore, does it have to happen at a volume that allows, nay INVITES, others around to hear?... They are having what is clearly a joyous moment right here in public, surrounded by people who don't care, or are ignoring them, or listening to their conversation and trying to pretend to ignore them...... Because as they start walking away, I can't help but smile and think that this would make a great blog posting, even though I don't know exactly what it is all supposed to mean. So I decide to dial my home number and start dictating this posting into my voicemail as I wander through the stacks looking at books I'm not interested in buying, trying not to draw attention to myself (unlike these two), so that I can go home later and type it into the blog.

Persephone's Bees ~ "City of Love": The Bee's Knees

jadigioia@mac.com — 2006-05-11T20:31:51-04:00

I have become smitten with the purring voice of sexy vixen Russian kitten Angelina Moysov and her band, Persephone's Bees.... I've been listening to "City Of Love" non-stop for the last day now, and I can't get the song out of my mind. It's spare groove leaves tonnes of room for Moysov to wrap her sultry vocals around spiralling organ lines. You can just picture her making "come over here" gestures with her finger as she leads you down back alleys where hobos all play bass, and the daily special is a can of woop-ass funk.

it's 1:07 AM...

jadigioia@mac.com — 2006-05-10T01:07:27-04:00

May rolls around and suddenly, all the things I said I'd plan for in September start happening and I realize that I didn't plan for them after all. Life should have some kind of warning signal, like a a back-up beeper on a truck or van, that let's you know when impending stress is near.... So, don't feel sorry for me that I can't sleep from the stress and anxiety (that's what Tylenol is for anyway), just feel sorry for the folks at work who have to deal with my crabbiness and foul mood all day (don't say a word Katy, I can read your mind). ...P.S. I was looking at this page on another computer today, and I noticed that the sidebar and menu were pushed below the main blog posting windows, rather than being right beside them.

My Space: the Video

jadigioia@mac.com — 2006-05-07T18:25:21-04:00

Thanks to Steregum for bringing this to my attention, and welcome to my first YouTube embedded broadcast everyone. If you've not experienced the "joys" of MySpace this won't be as funny to you as it i to me (an others).

I'm thinking about getting a personal trainer...

jadigioia@mac.com — 2006-05-06T17:32:15-04:00

Their pictures are on each one, but I can't be bothered to scan each one, so here's a run-down of what's available: 1. Mike K: Mike is a chiropractor, has worked for three years as a personal trainer, and specializes in diagnosis and treatment of lower back and shoulder pain.... Mike has potential because of the back and shoulder problem treatment (of which I seem to be suffering from) but I'm not too fond of chiropractors and their trade so I don't know; Karen just sounds like a well-rounded person and I have seen her around the club, and she's very pleasant, but she does tend to work with more elite athletes; Louise I know nothing about, really, and I don't think I've ever seen her there; Kami I know from the club, she's always around when I'm there, she's a nice person to talk to, but I don't know if her skill/ability level is what I need; Rick sounds like he's a "kick-in-the-ass" kind of guy, which may be exactly what I need, but I also think he primarily deals with elite athletes...... I wish the personal training fee was included in my membership fee, seeing as how I pay enough for it every month, but it may be worth it for a few sessions if it helps me out.

Douglas Coupland's JPod: Microserfs 2.0

jadigioia@mac.com — 2006-05-03T06:34:23-04:00

Good-bye beauty queens and dysfunctional, disfigured astronauts; gone are the ubiquitous Smiths references and pastiche storytelling-narratives; welcome back Lego-blocked cover art, and technology-led tales of urban geeks.... JPod was mentioned this morning in the National Post as a "novel about a group of software developers" but one look at teh cover art and preposed subject matter would make any Couplandite think immediately of his third (and much loved by me) novel Microserfs. Here's a selection of quotes from Publishers Weekly that Amazon.ca has on it's site: "Young Ethan Jarlewski works long hours as a video-game developer in Vancouver, surfing the Internet for gore sites and having random conversations with co-workers on JPod, the cubicle hive where he works, where everyone's last name begins with J...Ethan must help his mom bury a biker she's electrocuted in the family basement which houses her marijuana farm...feed the 20 illegal Chinese immigrants his brother has temporarily stored in Ethan's apartment..." ...Click on the jacket pcture to go buy the book from Amazon.ca.]

how to combat iPod fatigue and sonic complacency

jadigioia@mac.com — 2006-05-01T20:53:35-04:00

Driving into work this morning I couldn't be sussed to even turn the iPod on. In the last few days it's felt like every song on it has overstayed it's welcome, and I've heard upteenth thousands of times already.... Somehow, I ended up at a site called Puddlegum, where I found an mp3 by The Boy Least Likely To called "Be Gentle With Me."... In truth, I've been finding a whole lot more "new" music by regularly checking and downloading from a whole slew of mp3 blogs (I've included as many as I can in the links in the sidebar). There's been quite a bit or merde (pardon my French), but half the fun has been sifting through all the downloads to find the golden nuggets, just like when I found Bishop Allen--who release their next track today, May 1st (see the April 19th post for my previous comments).

my day at the Shaw

jadigioia@mac.com — 2006-04-29T09:41:12-04:00

It was amazing getting to listen to Tadeusz Bradecki (the director) talk about the choices and dilemmas he and the creative team faced in trying to take on The Crucible.... The stage manager's binder was ENORMOUS and I wanted to desperately look through it all, but alas, I tried not to let curiosity get the better of me.... Here's a couple though that looked okay (you can click on the thumbnail below and it should take you to the full-sized image): ...Tadeusz called the structure "God's Mill," a continually rotating structure that "stops occasionally" to allow the action of the play to take place.

Witch hunts, Psycho Killers, cell photos, and a new "Zed"

jadigioia@mac.com — 2006-04-27T21:57:55-04:00

I'm attending a full day workshop called "The Crucible In The Classroom" being run by the director of the Festival's production of The Crucible this year. ...The 'Heads would go on to sign to Sire eventually, but this is probably the earliest recordings the band ever made, and I think they sound great. If you're familiar with any of their work, you might like to hear how some of the songs gestated and developed from these first recordings to the versions that eventually made it to mass market ("Psycho Killer" sounds like it's just taking its first tentative steps to greatness). ...I saw this on Alan Gentry's site, and thought it would be a good excuse to use my new phone's camera feature and configure it so I can send a picture via e-mail.

The Game: Update

jadigioia@mac.com — 2006-04-26T21:40:45-04:00

Some fluctuations in weight by a few pounds but other than that, I haven't come any closer to my targets.... I've been talking to folks and looking things up, and the target I wanted to hit and the timeframe I was looking at are a bit unrealistic, but if I can get any change at all by the target date I'll be happy, and that will be motivation enough to keep going.... things are chaotic at work, and I feel slightly out of my head about 70% of the time. It comes with the territory, and I should know that this time of year is crazy, but it always seems to creep up on me and take me by surprise...

The cell phone-eating chair...

jadigioia@mac.com — 2006-04-25T20:52:11-04:00

Do you think a cell phone could get wedged between the armrest and the seat? I'm guessing no.

Free stuff is good stuff.

jadigioia@mac.com — 2006-04-25T20:18:23-04:00

The web site MacZot promotes Mac specific software and I guess occasionally does what they call a BLOGZOT: get as many Mac bloggers to mention the deals on MacZot as possible, and with each mention, MacZot knocks the price of the software down in increments.... I'm all for sharing info and resources, and never would have heard about the promotion if I hadn't been reading another Mac users blog. It's awesome that MacZOT offers deals like this for such a specific community, and I will definitely be adding them to my Regularly Checked Sites list (do they have an RSS feed??). I think you should all go out and buy Macs, so you can participate in this fun at MacZOT.com, too.

I have TWO new cell phones now and one is being returned.

jadigioia@mac.com — 2006-04-24T21:11:23-04:00

And now a conclusion (sort of) to the saga of the missing cell phone: I was sitting at my desk at work today just a bit after 11:00 am, when I rolled backwards to get a book from the shelf behind me and I heard something fall and hit the floor.... I still don't fully know what happened to it, but there's two theories: a) the phone somehow fell out of my pocket when I put my jacket over the chair last Thursday and became lodged between the arm rest and the seat (the chair is a typical rolling office chair). It stayed lodged there until somehow I dislodged it this morning, which means that it was there all along, even while I was whipping the chair around on Thursday afternoon looking for the phone under the desk, and all day Friday while I sat in the chair.... I'm glad this little episode is over, but I still want to know what really happened to it--was it there all along, or was it placed there to make it look like it was?

Happy (B)Earthday!

jadigioia@mac.com — 2006-04-22T00:14:15-04:00

Not only should you go out and hug a tree today in celebration of earth Day, but you should also go out and hug me, in celebration of my birthday (or, as I like to say, my BEarthday)! ...Last night I decided that I wasn't going to let a bad thing get me down, but I would let it get me a little poorer: I went out and replaced my phone. Bell Mobility said they were sorry to hear about my situation, but that I was pretty much SOL because I signed a 36-month contract, so my only option was to get the same phone and pay list price for it, or buy a cheaper phone and have it assigned to my new number (by the way, I have a new cell number for those of you privileged to that info--contact me and I'll give you the new one).... Here, as promised, is actually a pic I took with the old phone, but it's now the screensaver on my new phone.

I have a stolen cell phone and I'd like to !@#%$#@!!

jadigioia@mac.com — 2006-04-20T22:09:01-04:00

I had the phone with me at work this morning, it was in my coat pocket (or so I believe) and at the end of the day it was not there. I have some investigative work to do when I get in tomorrow, and if nothing turns up then I guess I'm out $200 bucks for a new phone.... (For those now keeping score, that's five post titles in a row in the first-person, I just wish the title could be "I still have my new cell phone and it's not missing".) What gets me is not even that someone violated my personal space (which I hate) but that I bought the phone for myself as part of this self-motivation plan; an incentive to go and do what I want and not over-analyze and procrastinate--and hell, it was an early birthday present to myself.

I have a new cell phone and I'd like to show it off.

jadigioia@mac.com — 2006-04-19T21:44:26-04:00

I can watch TV on it and listen to music, I can take still pictures with it or video clips, it's Bluetooth enabled, which means I can sync my Mac's Address Book with the phone instantly so I don't have to sit and push all the little keys trying to enter people's names and numbers, and it even let's me make phone calls! I'm still trying to get the hang of everything, but so far so cool (yes, I love my little "toys") The picture quality of the camera is pretty fair, too, so as soon as I snap some shots I'll post some on here. ...The Game Update: Things have been going okay since Friday, considering it was a holiday weekend, but I've been feeling a bit under the weather the last few days. ...Although the idea is not original (the Wedding Present did it in 1992 with a single a month) the songs are really great, and I especially liked March's title track "The Monitor".

I'm getting into The Game

jadigioia@mac.com — 2006-04-14T08:54:08-04:00

The pairs had not met the other people previously, and had no idea what each of the participants looked like, so in effect they were looking for two other people who were looking for them.... In this experiment a number of people who had been battling weight issues and continually failing were given a challenge: lose a set amount of weight in a set amount of time, or photos and video taken of them in skimpy bathing suits would be made public.... So in the spirit of game theory, I'm setting a little game for myself, and here is the scenario: I have 31 days (until May 14th) to lose 25 pounds, 10 inches from my waist, and at least 10% of my body fat (according to my Tanita scale).... An in order to be perfectly clear and transparent, here's where the numbers sit as of this morning: WEIGHT: 222 lbs WAIST INCHES: 47 % BODY FAT: 40 It was a few years ago, on the Easter weekend, that I first started to do something about my weight problem.

I'm man enough to cry at reality television and admit it on the internet.

jadigioia@mac.com — 2006-04-13T22:16:29-04:00

I've never seen it before, and probably won't make a habit of watching it, but gosh darn it, those TV producers got me crying! All these people out there, bearing their souls, staking their very existence on a single idea--that's freaking scary, if you ask me. I can't imagine the level of self-commitment it would take to stand behind your idea and see it through to the end.... It will be interesting to see what tonight's final twelve inventors do with the $50 000 they were each given to refine their product, so I might have have to keep an eye out for that episode.

I Love You But I've Chosen Darkness

jadigioia@mac.com — 2006-04-12T22:30:19-04:00

I got my latest copy of Under The Radar yesterday (still a great music magazine--all killer no filler) and was flipping through it earlier when I cam across an interview with a band from Austin with one of the best names I've ever heard: I Love You But I've Chosen Darkness. The review section provides a couple of differing opinions on their debut album Fear is On Our Side, but I was at their record company's web site (Secretly Canadian) and got a download of a pretty cool song. Definite 80's synth/goth influences going on here, but like that's a bad thing.... It matches my site's colour scheme (almost).

Lord Of The Rings: Hobbit-forming

jadigioia@mac.com — 2006-04-08T10:03:05-04:00

On the play: if you are a fan of the trilogy, you will be mesmerized by the show; if you are a fan of theatrical productions, you will be awed by the the intricacies of the production; if you don't fall into either of these two camps, you're bound to be a big cynic anyway, so we won't bother listening to you when you go on about how "overrated" it is and how it can stand to lose about an hour's worth of material (which it can--come on, it's three and a half hours long!). ...As I sat down in my seat waiting for the show to begin, I flipped through the program as is my custom, and was utterly surprised and thrilled to find that the part of Merry the Hobbit was being played by my former University of Waterloo classmate and unofficial roommate, Dylan Roberts!... I've been complaining/blogging a lot about what it means to go out and live your life fully; take charge of what happens to you and do the things in life that make you happy, and give your life purpose.... "Our time will come," we'd say, and it really has for Dyl--I can't think of a better role for him than a Hobbit, and I mean that with the utmost sincerity and respect.

Morrissey: "I am an utter jackass."

jadigioia@mac.com — 2006-04-04T19:27:31-04:00

"I Will See You In Far Off Places" is the title of the lead track on Morrissey's new album Ringleader of the Tormentors, and apparently it's also the only way his Canadian fans will have a chance to see him perform his new material live. ...I fully realise that the absence of any Morrissey concerts in Canada is unlikely to bring the Canadian economy to its knees, but it is our small protest against this horrific slaughter - which is the largest slaughter of marine animal species found anywhere on the planet. The Canadian Prime Minister says the so-called "cull" is economically and environmentally justified, but this is untrue.... The Canadian Prime Minister also states that the slaughter is necessary because it provides jobs for local communities, but this is an ignorant reason for allowing such barbaric and cruel slaughter of beings that are denied life simply because somebody somewhere might want to wear their skin. ...It's good to see that his sense of perspective hasn't been hindered by early onset dementia, seeing as how on 13 and 14 March, 13 days earlier, he played two concerts in Tulsa, and Oklahoma City, U.S.A. Where George W.

change is good.

jadigioia@mac.com — 2006-04-03T22:04:24-04:00

OK, so this probably means very little to very few people, but I just wanted to post and let everyone know that this is the last posting before some of the aforementioned changes will take place. As of the next post, this page become the sites home page, and I'm guessing the RSS feed link will have to be changed too. I've been fiddling a lot with the CSS codes for the site (CSS = Cascading Style Sheets; it's the code that makes the site look the way it does) and am kind of happy with the changes (for now).... And by the way, for you non-RSS feed users: If you click on the little button that says RSS in the sidebar and bookmark the page it links you to, you can get a continuously notified of when I make any changes (that is, of course, only if your web browser supports RSS feeds--if it doesn't you should download/switch to a great free one like Firefox).

no news is good news or is it?

jadigioia@mac.com — 2006-04-01T10:51:04-05:00

However, I didn't feel like waiting any longer to post something so I thought I'd take a few moments this morning and do so, but it's been one of those weeks (or two) where there just isn't anything really on my mind. Work is work, and I don't like to post about it here, I've been spending most of my free time working around the house or taking care of some family business, so I just haven't felt like there was time for me lately.... Sure I was falling asleep in the last 20 minutes, but hey, I decompressed after a long week, and I slept in 'til past 9 (which is another nice indulgence) so I'm probably all the better for it. ...So since it's April Fool's, I thought we could "take the piss" as the British are so fond of saying, and post a track here that I've been digging for the last little while.

a note to RSS subscribers

jadigioia@mac.com — 2006-03-23T22:45:32-05:00

This page will soon become the site's index page again, so it may necessitate changing RSS subscription settings (I'm not totally sure on that). Changes should be occurring as of the next posting. Have a great weekend.

paint a vulgar picture: Truman Capote and the price of fame

jadigioia@mac.com — 2006-03-23T22:14:21-05:00

At first, the book felt like I was reading the world's longest newspaper report, but the more I got into the book the more I was lured into it's examination of the criminal mind, and the motives behind the murders.... I didn't stop to consider how accustomed I'd become to the media bombast of murder, violence, greed and corruption I face everyday until I watched both the movie version of In Clod Blood (highly recommended), and the aforementioned hype machine Capote (also highly recommended). ...This amount of detail, this amount of reporting/storytelling is foreign to them and you can almost feel the contrasting forces in the room: they can't believe what they're hearing and want to stop but at the same time they can't help but listen. ...And what does that make me now, in 2006: I am being drawn into the story of how one man was drawn into a story that he in turn drew millions of people into.

the life of Riley

jadigioia@mac.com — 2006-03-20T19:00:23-05:00

You downloaded it onto your iPod the day before from your sister's computer, because you remember how you owned the album back in 1992, and what a great pop band they/he are (The 'Seeds are basically Ian Broudie, producer of Echo & the Bunnymen).... I don't mind, I get the feeling, You'll be fine, I still believe, That in this World, We've got to find the time, For the Life of Riley...... The air is still crisp with -0°C temperatures, but the sun is out, so it feels like everyone in the world simultaneously left their front doors open while their air conditioners are running.... You open up the sun roof, the fresh air rolls in, and at the top of your lungs you belt out in time (yet out of tune): I don't mind, I get the feeling, You'll be fine, I still believe, That in this World, We've got to find the time, For the Life of Riley You know that regardless of all the whining and complaining, bitching and moaning, there's no one to blame for your current circumstances but you.

Hello my name is Jim and it's been nine days since my last post

jadigioia@mac.com — 2006-03-14T22:33:10-05:00

Work has been busy and I've not really found a lot of time to myself, and I spent the first part of my March Break at my Association's Annual General Meeting, so I haven't really been doing, or thinking very much.... Ever have those times in your life, when it doesn't seem like anything too extremely important is happening to you, and it feels like the present is going to become a vague memory when you know you did/were doing something at this/that time but can't for the life of you remember what it was?... But I guess, in a way, I've circumvented the loss of this time by making a blog entry right now that will solidify this moment in my memory, or at least give me the opportunity to recall it at a later date.... nothing really, because I'm just making a post for the sake of making a post because I haven't made a post in awhile and that's something you're supposed to do when you have a blog, right?

Four things

jadigioia@mac.com — 2006-03-05T10:24:38-05:00

I've seen this making it' way around some blogs lately, but I was tagged by a friend via e-mail to fill it out and forward it. I've decided to add it here as a post, too. ...Right now I keep checking www.morrisseymusic.com every day to see if there's anything there ...Four of your favourite things to do: 1.

The home page: needed or not?

jadigioia@mac.com — 2006-03-01T15:22:30-05:00

Just looking for anyone's opinion here. I've been wondering whether I should just get rid of the "home" page I started using a few weeks ago and make this blog page the home page for this site, or leave it as is. It will mean anyone whose reading the RSS feed has to change their link to the page, but I'm not sure how many people are actually doing that. Leave a comment below.

don't fear the Reaper

jadigioia@mac.com — 2006-03-01T14:19:56-05:00

Here's a multiple choice question for you: Watching upwards of three hours of Six Feet Under in a row will make you: a) Ponder the fragility of human existence in a world that no longer cherishes life as precious and commodifies personal relationships as tools for validation of our own self-worth.... c) Question the validity of the choices you've made in your own life, and point out how flawed your own perception of yourself is by reflecting your very existence back to you in the form of a fictional character (or characters) on an HBO Original TV series. ...And while we're off pondering the meaning of our existence and whether we did anything worth while we were alive, those people will wonder if the tie they chose to wear to the funeral service goes with their shirt.... I think a) If a TV series can provoke this much philosophical thought, it should be required viewing; b) I'm being far too analytical here, and should stop using the first person plural pronoun when I'm obviously referring to myself; c) I may have exceeded the daily maximum dosage for Buckley's cough syrup.

taking a sick day

jadigioia@mac.com — 2006-02-28T14:58:55-05:00

Seeing as how I like lists (and the response my 100 things list has garnered) I thought I'd list a few of the things that have made my day a bit more interesting: 01. ...(click on the pic to see what you'd look like) 03.... How appropriate, given George Michael's most recent run-in with the law.... Can you tell the difference between a Serial Killer and a Computer Programmer?

100 things

jadigioia@mac.com — 2006-02-21T19:02:21-05:00

I've had this idea for a little while now, and have seen it on other sites.... The favourite role I've ever had on stage was Amos Hart in Chicago; it's also the only time I've ever sung in public.... I love The B-52's--Cosmic Thing was the first CD I ever owned, and I wore out a cassette copy of it before that.... I struggled to complete some parts of this list, but now that I'm at 100, I'm sad I can't add more.

on the phenomenon of "cross-Podding"

jadigioia@mac.com — 2006-02-13T19:54:40-05:00

When I get back in my car and start it, the radio turns on, and instead of the usual static that's on the frequency when I'm not using the iPod, i hear a broadcast from someone else's iPod, presumably in a car near me. The first time it happened i was dumb-founded: I was in a (practically) deserted parking lot, and when I started the car I heard the strains of a Morrissey's "Late Night, Maudlin Street" from his Viva Hate album.... After a moment or two the sound began to fade and I eventually lost it, but not before I bolted out onto the road and tried to find the car whose personal listening experience I was now eavesdropping on. And that's what it really boils down to, isn't it?... I'm not sure why I even bother to ponder the issue--it's only happened a handful of times, this evening being the latest one (broadcast content: unidentified female country artist singing about being a redneck--come on, country music on an iPod?

of interest to no one in particular...

jadigioia@mac.com — 2006-02-12T09:49:11-05:00

so I've been doing a lot of soul-searching about what blogging means to me, and what it should mean to me, and what a blog should really be like, and here's what I've decided: a) so what if no one is reading it, I'm not trying to make a buck off this site; b) what I am really doing is giving myself an outlet to share my thoughts, share my work, and if anyone wants to come along for the ride, bonus; c) I really enjoy doing this, and I think it's necessary for me. So, if you want to know what's going on with me, then I suggest you click on the RSS (Really Simple Syndication) button below the Archive links to keep abreast of new posts to this blog, or bookmark this page directly (if you haven't noticed, it's no longer the site index).... One of my new year goals is to hit a specific weight target by my birthday (no, I am not going to tell you what that target is, or where I'm starting from!... Maybe I could just stop doing everything, start ballooning in weight, and then go on Dr. Phil and get him to ass-whip me into crying and committing myself to an asylum for the dietarily deficient.

join the campaign; write a letter

jadigioia@mac.com — 2006-02-11T09:00:00-05:00

I said I'd start it, so here is my letter to the .Mac folks concerning the development of a .Mac users community: I've been maintaining a blog/site on my .Mac account for over six months now, and I appreciate your service, and commend you on the development on iWeb (and hope that you will continue to make improvements to it).... Even though I'm interested in what others create with RapidWeaver, what I would really love is to see what others are doing on their mac.com sites. I get quite a few hits from Google searches for "site:mac.com" which tells me that people are just as interested in viewing other mac.com sites as I am. Recently on my blog, I posted about the concept of a .Mac Communities group/web site where links to mac.com web sites could be gathered and shared.

if a blog falls in the forest...

jadigioia@mac.com — 2006-02-09T22:54:33-05:00

I'm not bitter, but suddenly over the course of this past week, as I have meticulously tried to reinvent/redseign this blog and work out some of the kinks, I have come to the realization that no one is reading it. When I first created it, I added the blog address to the RapidWeaver Site Showcase, where people who used RapidWeaver to create their blog could post their work for others to see. I was getting quite a few hits from there, and I have popped up in a few Google searches too, but lately it just seems that the site counter isn't moving like it used to.... I'm not part of a Blogger chain, and as far as I know, there's only one person who has linked to me from their own blog, so how much traffic can I seriously expect to get?

have you heard?...

jadigioia@mac.com — 2006-02-06T22:09:10-05:00

The Life Pursuit by Belle & Sebastian There is always an element to a Belle & Sebastian record that makes the listener feel like a voyeur; and awkward eye-witness to moments of lost innocence, painful bullying, and shy first steps to romance...

site updates

jadigioia@mac.com — 2006-02-04T22:58:27-05:00

The about page has been updated/redesigned; punch/click the geeky kid in the face to go there.... The playlist page has moved into the brand new sounds section (oooh!). To know what's been playing on my iPod this week check out heavy rotation, and coming soon is the desert isle discs and have you heard?... Visit the all new [Art Gallery of Just Being There] in the new art gallery section by clciking here.

"I Will See You In Far-off Places" ~ new Morrissey track

jadigioia@mac.com — 2006-02-04T17:28:44-05:00

All the way from Forum Music Village Studios in Rome comes "I Will See You In Far-off Places" the opening track on the forthcoming Morrissey album, Ringleader of the Tormentors. Click on the song title to hear the track (if the link stops working, let me know, and I will try and update i). It's a little middle-eastern in flavour, and very drama-heavy and the horns at 3:30 min are very un-Morrissey but by no means sound out of place--which sort of sums up the track.... Lead single, "You Have Killed Me" should hit the stores (or the web, whichever comes first) in a few weeks time.

get myself Arrested

jadigioia@mac.com — 2006-02-01T21:56:20-05:00

I just finished watching the first season of Arrested development, and I must say, I am smitten. Sharp wit, smart, funny, fast and, in the case of Michael Cera's character's name, the best Wham!... At Matt Kappenman's blog, he mentions how his Netflix membership is some of this best spent money every month, and I would have to concur about my Zip.ca membership. I wasn't sure whether it would be worth it at first, but I really do enjoy having the movies available when I want to watch them, not feeling the pressure to have to return them in 24 hours (although it did take me a little while to get over it), and with a little effort managing my ZipList, I get some qulaity movies, documentaries, TV shows, and the gems from the past that I've missed out on. I'm looking forward to season 2, and am so sad that season three is their last.

there IS a light that never goes out

jadigioia@mac.com — 2006-01-30T20:01:08-05:00

There is a feature In Uncut magazine's January 2006 issue on the 20th anniversary of the release of The Queen Is Dead and Johnny Marr says, when asked the question why wouldn't The Smiths reform: "There's been an awful lot of very dirty water gone under the bridge, but it is true no one's ever asked us." So, listen, Johnny, if you're out there, and you're looking for someone to ask, then consider me officially at the grovelling stage. It would make an army of very miserable and moribund thirtysomethings extremely happy (albeit for just a few minutes), and just think of the cash you'd make from souvenir tee-shirts proclaiming "THE SMITHS RISE FROM THE DEAD". ...The tension is there right from the opening bars of "A Rush And A Push And The Land Is Ours"--is it an act of protest or an artistic statement to not have Johnny play a single guitar on the opening track? All the way through the signs are there: "Death Of A Disco Dancer", "Paint A Vulgar Picture", "Stop Me If You Think That You've Heard This One Before", and then the death-toll that is the beautiful and heartbreaking "I Won't Share You".

[the act of just being here] 2.0

jadigioia@mac.com — 2006-01-29T10:18:17-05:00

You are now here. I'm making the official switch to the new look of the site today. Over the next little while I'll be updating content, and hopefully making it a more interesting diversion from the demands of your daily existence (and hopefully a better document of mine).

listen to The Elected

jadigioia@mac.com — 2006-01-25T22:20:52-05:00

If you know the band Rilo Kiley, then you already know Blake Sennett, frontman for The Elected, in which case you might know that he was previously known for his acting stints on Boy Meets World, Highway To Heaven and others. I didn't know Sennett had another band besides Rilo Kiley until twenty minutes ago, when I checked my e-mail. I have Google News send my Alerts when anything with the words "Rufus Wainwright" gets posted, and today it linked me to Spin Magazine's Band Of The Day site, which was The Elected, which led me to go to the band's site, which features streaming audio for their excellento-fantastico song "Not Going Home" from the album Sun, Sun, Sun, which led to the tears of joy streaming down my cheeks as I listen to it now for the upteenth time; which leads me to picture sun-kissed California beaches and wind-swept hair as tears of sadness streak the face of an impish girly-boy or boyish-girl whose just realized "sometimes you can't go home/sometimes you're already there." Click on the pic, choose the music tab and listen--I'll get the tissues.

Bonjour, Canada, comment allez-vous ?

jadigioia@mac.com — 2006-01-24T07:47:23-05:00

I won't go on and on, because I'm not a political person, but I do have an opinion.... They have sent a message to the Liberals, and ite message is pretty much "shame on you." But they've also sent a message to the Conservatives, and it's "don't take this for granted, we're keeping an eye on you." The leash is very short, and it's tied tightly to the post; the Conservatives can't wander too far from their yard.

doing what I shouldn't be

jadigioia@mac.com — 2006-01-22T18:31:52-05:00

It's a horrible blogging tool for anyone with any kind of experience at all; it's got crappy themes; it's hideous to customize; iWeb sucks. ...So after spending the better part of the morning fighting with iWeb, I went back to my good ol' trusty RapidWeaver, extracted some theme CSS style sheets, and set to figuring out modifications in earnest.... I don't know how good I'd be at building a theme from scratch, but that might be something to try at a later date. ANYWAY, I did take the style sheet for the theme I use for this blog, and started tweaking and pinching and painting and...

random cerebral firings

jadigioia@mac.com — 2006-01-21T09:12:46-05:00

Update on iWeb: My iLife '06 software arrived earlier this week, and though I haven't had a lot of time to sit down and fiddle with it, my official initial reaction to iWeb is: "eh, it's ok." The potential for original web design is there, but it's going to take some effort and time to build and design. I haven't given up hope, but I haven't the freedom to sit and play right now. ...a) White Noise by Alpinestars b) "Chicago" by Sufjan Stevens c) Witching Hour by Ladytron d) anything by Ian McCulloch, especially Candleland.

In Your Face

jadigioia@mac.com — 2006-01-21T08:55:17-05:00

In previous posts (like the last one) i have championed art project's like Calvin Carl's Postage Project, and this morning while listening to Fresh Air on CBC Radio One, I heard about an amazing project/idea being undertaken at the Art Gallery Of Ontario. In Your Face is an exhibit where anyone--and they do mean anyone--can have a 4' x 6' portrait displayed in a gallery. As long as you are the creator of the work, and it is an original piece, your work will be (not may be) included in the exhibit set to open July 1, 2006. I encourage everyone to participate.

i hope she likes it

jadigioia@mac.com — 2006-01-19T18:26:36-05:00

Click on the image to link to the Postage Project.

awards season already?

jadigioia@mac.com — 2006-01-15T09:32:05-05:00

Here's how my movie viewing of the nominees breaks down this year: MOVIES SEEN: Brokeback Mountain; Crash MOVIES NOT SEEN: A History Of Violence; The Constant Gardener; Good Night And Good Luck; Match Point; Mrs. Henderson Presents; Pride & Prejudice; The Producers; The Squid and The Whale; Walk The Line That's two movies from both Best Picture categories, and all the performance categories. Which is all not to say that I haven't wanted to see any of the movies, nor that I haven't watched any movies this year (with my mail-service DVD rentals I'm seeing more now than ever), but what can you do when all the "best" pictures are released in a 72-hour time period just before the close of eligibility for the awards? I'll let the words of Ennis Del Mar (Heath Ledger) speak for me: "...if you can't fix it you got a stand it."

hello iWeb

jadigioia@mac.com — 2006-01-13T22:43:28-05:00

As Apple is wont to do, this week it announced a whole slew of updates to its product line, introducing the much-hyped iMac computers with new Intel chips, plus a new MacBook Pro laptop with an Intel chip.... iLife still has all the great things about it's previous versions like iMovie HD and GarageBand, but the new version adds something that truly makes my eye gleam--iWeb. As great as RapidWeaver has been for creating this blog and managing it, iWeb now brings a blog/web creation application into iLife, and that is truly a wonderful thing.... My copy is already on order, and with that I would like to signal the official end to this blog as we know it is on the horizon, and I look forward to launching it soon from its iWeb base.

observations

jadigioia@mac.com — 2006-01-12T21:06:23-05:00

It makes you feel old at 32 when someone identifies "It's My Life" as being a No Doubt song and has never heard the Talk Talk original version. ...Christmas 2005--the day the iPod lost its appeal, and found its way into the homes of millions of pre-teens who can't figure out how to turn it off, or use the playlist feature, or properly spell song titles. ...People seem to need to tell others what new year resolutions they've made in an attempt to either: a) elicit false compliments along the lines of "Why would you need to change that? You're perfect!"; b) make others feel self-conscious about their own shortcomings; c) somehow magically make their resolution a reality by telling as many people as they can; or d) justify their reasons for bingeing and indulging over the holidays.

new theme design 2

jadigioia@mac.com — 2006-01-11T06:29:10-05:00

I've had a chance to check out the site on a couple of diiferent browsers and in different situations, and I wasn't pleased with the way the new design looked on them, so it's back to the original--for now. But there are changes afoot, stay tuned... Also, I know it's been awhile since I made a "real" post, but never fear, when I find some time, I have LOTS to talk about.

new theme design

jadigioia@mac.com — 2006-01-06T06:28:37-05:00

If you've been visiting this site regularly, you may have noticed that the site design is a little different. Any thoughts, comments, suggestions, insults??... I'm test-driving it, but not 100% sold on it myself yet. Let me know what you think.

2006: the fourth day report

jadigioia@mac.com — 2006-01-04T11:05:12-05:00

When reached for a comment, the cat turned to this reporter and said, "ahhhh nuts!" ...The Strokes' First Impressions Of Earth is the first album released in 2006 that I have purchased, but it is not the first CD bought in the new year--that title would go to the Brokeback Mountain soundtrack, and Metric's Live It Out. ...Not really 2006 news, but over the holidays I've watched a slew of Zip.ca movies, including Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind, and Sideways. OK, so two movies does not constitute a slew, but I've also watched the 6-hour documentary Broadway: The American Musical which me mammy gived to me for Christmas.

so this is a new year...

jadigioia@mac.com — 2006-01-01T08:52:18-05:00

...kinda looks like the old one to me (ha ha ha--I know, I'm a regular riot!). It seems a little strange offering anonymous wishes to whomever comes across this blog, but in the spirit of the season, I hope you all have a prosperous and joy-filled new year. I've made myself a few resolutions, of which i will speak of one--to maintain and grow this blog. So thanks for helping me keep my new year's resolution, and I look forward to more fun and hilarity in 2006.

calming the Storm

jadigioia@mac.com — 2005-12-30T11:26:17-05:00

Thanks to some of the folks who post at RealMac Software Support, I have been able to fix teh problem with images not loading on the site.... I know there will still be some inconsistencies, and there are pictures and links missing, or download files no longer there, but I will get them all back up and running as soon as possible. In the meantime, I am considering what the next step for this site will be. For now, though, I'm just thankful for getting out of the "Storm" that was this "X-Mas" blog mess (yeah, I know, how lame!).

Wreaking Havok

jadigioia@mac.com — 2005-12-27T22:24:58-05:00

I've been working on a new version of the site, so today I gave it a trial run, and posted the new version.... I won't even go into the process I undertook to rectify the situation (I'm no technical genius, and I'm afraid the technofiles will laugh at me :-[) SO, I got the site back up and running, but now for some unknown reason, all the images I have loaded into posts here have disappeared. Hence, I will attempt to post a new image to go with this post in the hopes that the image will appear online once I update the site. ...P.S. Anyone out there who uses RapidWeaver and thinks they know what I've done to wreak such "Havok on myself, please feel free to post something in the comments for this post--thanks!

happy Ho-Ho

jadigioia@mac.com — 2005-12-24T10:02:40-05:00

Sorry for the deluge of posts today... just think of it as my Christmas gift to you. Whoever you are. Enjoy your holidays.

"I don't think we're in Smallville anymore..."

jadigioia@mac.com — 2005-12-24T09:57:35-05:00

While online and perusing the iTunes Music Store's movie trailer section, I came across the teaser trailer for the new Superman Returns. Click the link or go to the vision section to see it. Go to the official site, and you can download the trailer for use at home or on your new iPod Video (if you have one).

i am trying to break your heart

jadigioia@mac.com — 2005-12-24T09:32:35-05:00

Another little treasure from the Zip.ca archives came my way yesterday: I am Trying To Break Your Heart: A film About Wilco documents the making of Wilco's 2002 Yankee Hotel Foxtrot album. One of my personal favourite albums of the last ten years (and definitely on my all-time favourite list), Yankee Hotel Foxtrot is a rare beast: a great album sonically with a great story about it's birth/release.... When they finally turned the record in for release, Reprise Records, the band's record company (which is owned by Time-Warner) decided that they wanted a few changes to it before releasing it. The band said no, the company said fine, and Wilco were dumped from the label, and allowed to take the record and shop it around for a company willing to release it They eventually signed on to Nonsuch Records (which is also owned by Time-Warner--the company who paid for the record and then dumped the band ultimately end up buying the record back for three times what it cost them to make it!).

"not a creature was stirring..."

jadigioia@mac.com — 2005-12-19T20:59:43-05:00

Saturday morning I realized that there were mouse droppings on the kitchen floor, and then found a stash of the cat's food that was piled just under the piano.... Anyway, I set the traps strategically--some of the old style, and a couple of the se new clip style traps--and lo and behold I caught one tiny, furry, dead rodent on Sunday morning in the laundry room, using the old traps.... I could make some silly comment about building better mouse traps, but I don't think I have the mental capacity for that after the pair of Caesar's I sucked back at dinner tonight (*burp :-[*). ...He doesn't seem to be hurt but I hope once is enough for him to leave the trap alone next time he sneaks in there...I still am not sure how he got in!

why I hate Christmas, part three

jadigioia@mac.com — 2005-12-15T19:04:59-05:00

I received my first three greeting cards of the season in the mail today... one from the salesman who sold me my car last summer, one from the mortgage broker who helped me buy my house, and one from my financial advisor. Who says Christmas isn't about spreading joy and good tidings to the ones you love? ...P.S. For the record, since I know someone out there is thinking it: a) no, I don't send Christmas cards out, and b) yes, I do believe that you reap what you sow.

Hit My Blog...One More Time!

jadigioia@mac.com — 2005-12-14T22:18:12-05:00

Spread the word, tell all your friends about this blog, tell them it's amazing, link to it from your own site...help me get to 1000 hits before 2006!... If you've just dropped in for a visit, and read the latest post, why not drop in again? Just make two hits to the the site instead of one, and maybe by December 31st I'll be able to ring in the new year with a blog that's got over a thousand hits on it. I know, small change for some people, but this has only been going since July for me, and I'm having a blast.

FW: chain of fools

jadigioia@mac.com — 2005-12-14T22:09:08-05:00

If you're anti-chain mail/junk mail like I am, you'll get a kick out of this...

there's a piano in my living room...

jadigioia@mac.com — 2005-12-14T22:01:10-05:00

I just became the proud owner of a upright piano today. It's home used to be my friend's church in Niagara Falls, but they recently had a beautiful upright concert baby grand piano donated to them, so the old upright was obsolete. I offered to take it off his hands, and it makes a beautiful addition to my living room. As soon as I can get my hands on a camera, I'll take a few pictures.

why I hate Christmas, part two

jadigioia@mac.com — 2005-12-10T12:03:31-05:00

The way I see it, you can deal with the New Year (be it January 1st, or your birthday, or the start of a new school year) in one of two ways: optimistic or pessimistic. There's either all the hope and joy that a fresh start can bring, or the doom and gloom associated with the realization that another year of your life has been flushed down the toilet. Couple either of these two extremes with "Christmas Joy" and you can see why the holidays bring a spike in suicide rates: you either drown in the fake sentimentality and spiral deeper into a depressive cycle of anger and resentment, or force yourself to be joyful and the epitome of Christmas by going hog-wild decorating, partying, and spreading cheer in a desperate attempt to hide from the public just how little cheer you have.... And all you have to show for it is left-over stuffing, and a pair of gloves a size too small that have to be returned to some out-of-the-way handwear specialty store that will only take them back for store credit.

why I hate Christmas, part one

jadigioia@mac.com — 2005-12-09T21:16:24-05:00

How many angry socialists will I have telling me that I've lost the true meaning of Christmas and have become a capitalist pig?... How many times will I roll my eyes at someone's bleeding heart "my-cigarette-butt-set-my-Christmas-tree-on-fire-and-burned-down-all-my-uninsured-house-and-all-the-kiddies'-Christmas-gifts" stories and how many times will I mutter under my breath that someone should buy these people a smoke alarm for Christmas? How many times do I have to hear Christmas carol after Christmas carol be sung by tone-deaf, suburban housewives wearing gaudy cable-knit sweaters featuring cookie-cutter snowflakes, or reindeer, or snowmen?... How many times will I remember that it only comes once a year, and tell myself to just shut up and try to enjoy it?

the Postage Project

jadigioia@mac.com — 2005-12-05T21:37:34-05:00

When I started this blog, I spent a fair bit of time looking at and reading other people's blogs, like Matt Kappenman and Calvin Carl's.... Here's how Calvin describes it on the project's site: The Postage Project is a "mail art" project by me, myself, and I, Calvin Carl. I make small pieces of art that fit within any sized envelope and then send it to whoever for FREE.... I read somewhere on his site about him secretly leaving tiny pieces of art in the mailboxes of his fellow students, just to watch their reactions and the conversations they would elicit.

ode to Billy Joel

jadigioia@mac.com — 2005-12-03T21:56:58-05:00

I'm not a dance critic, so I really don't know what to comment on, because the entire show is a choreographed story about three guys and a couple of gals growing up in the U.S. on the eve of the Vietnam War, where one guy is killed. ...Ever since my cousin and I used to air-guitar to "It's Still Rock And Roll To Me" I have had a fondness for New York's piano man. ...Glass Houses was his bold artistic statement: more punk than pop, more rock than roll (I'm not sure what that is supposed to mean, but it sounds good doesn't it?).... This time, the opening one-two punch, was actually a one-two-three-four-five punch--"You May Be Right," "Sometimes A Fantasy," "Don't Ask Me Why," "It's Still Rock And Roll To Me," and "All For Leyna" made for a killer A-side.

good bye Mary Lou...

jadigioia@mac.com — 2005-11-30T20:59:01-05:00

I may be a newcomer to listening to the CBC, but in the last five years or so, I have been a great admirer of Mary Lou, and her co-host Barbara Budd.... Just listening to the two of them reminisce and laugh over past guests and goof-ups tonight, I couldn't help but laugh along. As It Happens is that rare thing--a thoughtful, provocative current affairs show that is not opposed to looking at the lighter sides of things, and having a laugh at itself.... I know it's not as if the show is gone (it's been around a lot longer than Mary Lou has been with it), but it is the end of a chapter in the life of As It Happens and the CBC.

what I'm trying to say...

jadigioia@mac.com — 2005-11-29T21:31:03-05:00

Next, I thought I may comment on the upcoming federal election in Canada, but seeing as the campaign is going to be 55 days long, the longest in over twenty-five years, I thought there would be plenty of time for that later. Next, I wanted to comment on the glut of junk mail I've been getting in my inbox, and the persistent emails from the FBI and CIA telling me my computer has visited over 3 zillion illegal website in the last two months, but today when I cam home, there was no junk mail at all among my emails, so I decided to let that go. After that I thought maybe I would complain about this nagging cold that I've had for over a week now, but I'm actually feeling better, so that didn't make much sense anymore.... You ever have one of those days when everything you want to say seems like it's already been said before, or doesn't need to be said, or just doesn't make sense?

Rufus Is A Doofus

jadigioia@mac.com — 2005-11-27T09:33:01-05:00

Visit the words page to read the initial draft of a new story, Rufus Is A Doofus.

one more reason to revise this site...

jadigioia@mac.com — 2005-11-26T21:27:25-05:00

...as read in my fortune cookie at dinner last night: Reorganization is crucial at this time. It's definitely a sign, I think.

Dieses ist das Bumsen kühl.

jadigioia@mac.com — 2005-11-26T10:45:00-05:00

I don't know if it's pure ego, or an overwhelming curiosity that drives me to look at who visits the site, and how they got here, but I do it anyway.... I thought it looked cool, so I used Mac's Grab utility to take a photo of the window. I've made the pic above a link to the site so you can check it out in its full glory.... I used the handy Translation widget in Tiger's Dashboard to translate the title of this post to deutsch (that's German for german).

zip-a-dee-do-da-zip-dot-ca

jadigioia@mac.com — 2005-11-24T17:44:57-05:00

I got myself a two-week free subscription to Zip.ca, Canada's equivalent to Netflix.com in the US. For my first shipment I got in MIllion Dollar Baby and The Work of Director Jonathan Glazer (Radiohead video director). I guess there would have been four sent at once, but my wish list was limited.... I like the concept of having the DVDs mailed to me, and returning them only requires me to drop them in a mailbox when I'm done with them, not when the company wants them back. I have been looking down the list and there's quite a few titles I would like to see.

everything new is old again

jadigioia@mac.com — 2005-11-24T08:44:07-05:00

Thanks to Matt Kappenman and his timely advise, I was successfully able to restore this site's former theme from the newer version of the theme that comes along with RapidWeaver 3.2. You may not be able to tell the difference, but I certainly can.... Now, it's time to tackle the creation (the modification actually) of my very own theme. I think I'm up for the challenge.

RapidWeaver 3.2

jadigioia@mac.com — 2005-11-20T21:29:45-05:00

As of my last post, I have now begun using RapidWeaver 3.2 to create this blog, and some of you might notice a few slight changes. I know that I'm just beginning to notice them now, and I have to say, I'm not impressed. I know, I know--new application, new update, new bugs, variations on previous themes, change hurts, nothing gold can stay, blah blah blah blah blah.... Am I pissed that I didn't leave the previous version on my computer before I fully explored the new version?

EARTH TO AMERICA: What (and where) are these people on?

jadigioia@mac.com — 2005-11-20T21:01:39-05:00

I remember when there was actually four seasons, and my hair would get bleached by the sun and not the acid rain. Hey wouldn't it be cool if we got, like, a whole lot of really funny celebrities to go to Las Vegas and put on a show about how the Earth is getting all hot, from like the pollution in the atmosphere?... Hey what about starting the show with that short fat guy from Seinfeld, doing a Broadway number, like maybe taking "Too Darn Hot" and making it all edgy and relevant.... It's far too insulting to the intelligence of good people like yourself who already know about global warming, and have been doing something about it for over 20 years.

Under The Radar: the love affair continues...

jadigioia@mac.com — 2005-11-16T17:30:00-05:00

Of course, we up north in the know have been watching and listening for years now, but it's come time for Stars to shine in the international music world, Metric to measure up to the successes hinted at on their first album, and Broken Social Scene to fix what's wrong with the ailing world of indie music.... But once you've heard these bands, there's no denying that this past year and a half, no one has been as original, smart, and lest we forget, hyped in the music press as Arcade Fire, The Dears, Broken Social Scene, and my favourites, Stars. Props to my man, Mark Redfern, Senior Editor of Under The Radar for realizing the wealth of talent north of the border, and recognizing this so-called scene as worthy of in-depth analysis. Very refreshing, especially after reading the scathing comments of another, sub-standard music magazine that shall remain nameless (*ahemMAGNETahem*) who's Andrew Earles asked readers to "repeat my new catchphrase.

happy birthday messages

jadigioia@mac.com — 2005-11-12T09:01:00-05:00

untitled 02

jadigioia@mac.com — 2005-11-10T20:54:00-05:00

Sometimes you just need a laugh. Like I needed one today.

untitled 01

jadigioia@mac.com — 2005-11-08T18:51:00-05:00

It also tells me a little about these folks--what operating system they were on, and, what page had referred them to mine, or provided a link to mine (if there was one). So yesterday I got a hit from Bat Cave, North Carolina, and noticed that they found my page by doing a Google search. If I click the link that sent them to my page, I can see what it was they were using as their search criteria (does this sound a little big Brother to you yet?).... It would appear that if you used Google to search for "exposed gonads" my page will be returned 6th from the top.

welcome Ava Douglas

jadigioia@mac.com — 2005-11-03T19:28:00-05:00

Welcome to the world, Ava Douglas, born Wednesday, November 2, 2005, 7 pm, weighing in at 5 lbs, 12 oz, and 18". Mommy Katy and Daddy Jacen are estatic (I'm sure), and we're all looking forward to seeing you soon. Ah shucks, aren't babies just the cutest?

boo!

jadigioia@mac.com — 2005-10-31T19:51:00-05:00

Scary Halloween Cat Rufus says, "Beware the Vampire Cats! They show no mercy! Flee now before my thirst for blood forces me to kill! Stop looking at my exposed gonads!"

5 posts for the price of 1

jadigioia@mac.com — 2005-10-30T22:00:00-05:00

I think I'm almost twelve months off the bandwagon here, but I've been listening to Gwen Stefani's "Hollaback Girl" all weekend. ...Just so you know I haven't gone completely off the musical deep-end, I will save my credibility by saying what a knock-out the new Bloc Party "trac" is. ...It seems as if I've slipped to page 5 of the RapidWeaver Site Showcase Top Rated Sites. Oh well, I can't be hogging the spotlight all the time.

No1

jadigioia@mac.com — 2005-10-26T19:50:00-04:00

Big shout outs to all my fans who made me the #1 blog on the RapidWeaver Site Showcase! Don't believe me? Check it out.

an open letter to Richard Escobar

jadigioia@mac.com — 2005-10-26T19:34:00-04:00

Rich, thanks for the email! I've been trying to write you back but I can't seem to deliver my email to your mailbox. Not sure what the problem is, but try emailing me at this address. There's a few things I want to talk to you about.

everything's coming up roses...

jadigioia@mac.com — 2005-10-23T21:35:00-04:00

I went to see the Shaw Festival's production of Gypsy this weekend at the Festival Theatre in Niagara-on-the-Lake.... The most startling and effective point comes at the end, when Rose is alone on a bare stage, with the wings and backdrops taken away, revealing the back of the Festival Stage.... Nora McLellan is a formidable Mamma Rose, but there is a real humanity, and warmth to her that at times elicits pity from the audience, and then, in a matter of seconds, with the swish of a dress, turns that pity into sheer admiration for her determination, which just as quickly turns into sympathy for living her dreams vicariously through her two daughters.... Since Jackie Maxwell has taken the reins of Artistic Director, I have had my interest piqued, but never actually took the leap and went to see one of the shows.

getting carded

jadigioia@mac.com — 2005-10-19T20:15:00-04:00

I can't recall the last time I was a member of a public library, but that was then, this is now. We have a new library that has opened in our new city hall building, and on my way home tonight, I had to drive right by it, which I rarely do. So I decided to stop, go in, and get myself a card.... I saw someone sitting reading today's newspaper, the same one I have delivered to my home, and realized, "Hey, anyone can come in here and find out what's going on in the world, and they don't have to pay for a lousy subscription that never arrives on time!"

today is tuesday...

jadigioia@mac.com — 2005-10-18T22:29:00-04:00

Thought I would share some recent info: I got a set of arm chairs and some dusty Shakespearean books at the auction I went to on Saturday. It was held at the Loretto Christian Life Centre, which used to be the Loretto Academy School, a very beautiful, (semi)historic old convent overlooking Niagara Falls, Ontario. The sisters who owned the convent have been forced to shut it down and sell the property on which they've lived for over 100 years. Rumour around Niagara Falls is that the convent will be snapped up for some major dollars, and torn down and turned into a new hotel.

"bastard hippo"

jadigioia@mac.com — 2005-10-14T21:45:00-04:00

It never ceases to amaze me what a Google Image search will return when you type in random search queries, say for instance, "Bastard Hippo".... Go figure.On a completely unrelated note, I bought a LaCie mini Companion Hard Drive for my Mac mini this week, but so far haven't done anything with it other than hook it up.... But It looks cool with my mini. ...And I have to go to an auction tomorrow.

Dig! in

jadigioia@mac.com — 2005-10-09T10:28:00-04:00

Meet Anton Newcombe, the Messiah-complex-toting, speed-talking, speed-shooting evil mental genius behind The Brian Jonestown Massacre, and his rotating band of, well...... Anyone, regardless of musical pedigree, who has even a passing fancy in rock music, will get a huge kick out of Dig!, the seven-years-in-the-making documentary from Ondi Timoner, chronicling the rise and fall of Anton and his nemesis Courtney Taylor, singer/songwriter for The Dandy Warhols.... It's a compelling and sometimes tragic look into the mind of a musical genius, and the intense rivalry, jealousy, and celebrations that go hand-in-hand with the rock lifestyle.... Joel Gion, tambourine-playing, muttonchop-sporting BMJ mainstay is so compelling--how come no one has given him his own TV series?

Disappearing World

jadigioia@mac.com — 2005-10-08T11:27:00-04:00

In the middle of a rainy, grey-sky day, get into your car, and venture into the busiest part of where you live. When you find yourself stopped at a traffic light, or stuck in a moment of rain-induced gridlock, start playing "Disappearing World", the last track on David Gray's new album Life In Slow Motion, not too loudly, but just loud enough that the sound of the rain and the world outside becomes part of the track. ...Then, later that day, after dark has come, while the rain continues to fall around you, leave one lone light on, stand by your front window and play the track again.... If needed, play the entire album while you sit in your favourite chair, curled up to keep warm.

Her!

jadigioia@mac.com — 2005-10-06T21:36:00-04:00

You have to check out this comic strip by artist Chris Bishop. The banner should link you to the site directly. Check out the previous strips--some of them will make you piss yourself laughing. I have to go change my pants right now.

One more thing...

jadigioia@mac.com — 2005-10-06T12:06:00-04:00

Apple has set up an invitation-only special event on Oct. 12th, presumably to announce a new product or product line. Rumor has it that next Wednesday the world will get it's first glimpse at the new iPod video--hot on the heels on the iPod nano release last month.... Most likely there's only a handful of people that do, seeing as that most Apple employees had no idea that the nano was coming or even in development. Steve Jobs is notorious for ending keynote addresses by saying "one more thing" and then introducing a new product or product line.

LOST is found

jadigioia@mac.com — 2005-10-05T00:32:00-04:00

I'm not a huge fan of TV on video/DVD, but this could very well make a believer out of me.... I am coming into this fresh, never having seen an episode, and never having read anything about it (except for an interview in this month's DETAILS with Matthew Fox). This makes it all the more fun, so don't go spoiling things on me if you've been watching all along.... I'm afraid of searching online, lest I come across a spoiler on a website somewhere, but I did happen to use Google Blog Search (as mentioned in my last post), and came across a blog posting that literally stole the wind from my sails by using the title I was planning to use.

Google Blog Search: cool

jadigioia@mac.com — 2005-10-03T21:10:00-04:00

I just came across this Google Beta site that allows you to search content exclusively on blogs.... It would be interesting to just type in some random words and see what kind of returns you get.... Here's what the page looks like (not much different from a standard Google page) If you come across any cool hits from interesting search words, I'd like to know.

You Could Have It So Much Better...

jadigioia@mac.com — 2005-10-02T11:00:00-04:00

...with Franz Ferdinand: Got my hands on the new album last night, and after spending the morning with it, I must concur with the title.... Low on sentiment and emotion, high on energy and flash, this album puts them in the position of being at the head of the new-new wave movement, yet still forging their own sound, direction, and aesthetic. Download "The Fallen", "This Boy", "Evil and a Heathen"--ah hell, just get the whole thing. It's out in North America Oct. 4.

alive & kicking

jadigioia@mac.com — 2005-10-01T21:51:00-04:00

he's still taking his antibiotics and drops for his eyes, but all that will be done by Monday morning, just in time for his second round of shots at the vet's. Have some pictures of him now, and will try and put them into a gallery page soon. ...I will admit, I really did like it the first time i saw it back in 88/89, and then again a few years later, but now that I have a better appreciation of stagecraft and performance, I have to say that the cast I saw perform last night were really third-rate.... Yeah I know they're a touring company, and yeah I know they have some pretty big shoes to fill, but COME ON!

Rufus has conjunctivitis...

jadigioia@mac.com — 2005-09-26T21:15:00-04:00

The vet says he should be better in a week or so. I hope so, because I'm getting a little tired of cat snot on my hands. He's begun to feed (by syringe) and take water, which is good because it turns out he was a bit dehydrated, too. What a way to start off in his new home!

kitten in hiding

jadigioia@mac.com — 2005-09-25T08:51:00-04:00

Rufus is taking his own sweet time adjusting to his new surroundings.... He was last sited sleeping in the gap between the pedestal and table top of the dining room table, and his current location is rumoured to be under the living room sofa. Other cited hiding spots have been clinging to the inside back panel of the dresser in the bedroom, and the obvious one--under the bed. In a related story, Katy sent me this nice e-card from Hallmark: Isn't that sweet?

Meet Rufus

jadigioia@mac.com — 2005-09-24T13:22:00-04:00

I brought him home yesterday. He's a Seal Point Siamese, 8 weeks old. He's still shy and scared, and won't let me take any other photos right now, but I'm sure I'll have more for you soon. He's registered at Pottery Barn, Williams and Sonoma, and PetsMart.

it's official: no heart attack

jadigioia@mac.com — 2005-09-22T18:39:00-04:00

In early July of this year, I was experiencing some chest pains, and was hospitalized after my blood test results indicated I might have had a heart attack sometime in the previous weeks. I had an echo cardiogram (heart ultrasound) that indicated some abnormal wall motions in the inferior chambers of my heart, which led the doctor to believe that I had indeed suffered a heart attack. From there, I had an angiogram done, which showed no blockages in my arteries that would cause me to have a heart attack, so the diagnosis was that I had percarditis, a viral infection of the muscles lining the heart. Today, I saw my cardiologist again, who reviewed the results of a second echo cardiogram I had on August 13, which state: "COMPLETE RESOLUTION OF THE PREVIOUSLY NOTED WALL MOTION ABNORMALITY."

something to see

jadigioia@mac.com — 2005-09-21T21:57:00-04:00

I've finally got some photos on the vision page. If you like what you see, check out the rest of John's pictures.

getting Under The Radar pt.2

jadigioia@mac.com — 2005-09-19T22:15:00-04:00

The folks at Under The Radar have sent me a back issue from earlier in the year that I missed, plus a copy of Spoon's Gimme Fiction. The subscription should start up soon. Delightful.

chaos and creation

jadigioia@mac.com — 2005-09-19T21:38:00-04:00

I'm more of a Wings fan then a Beatles fan, and truthfully I might not have paid so much attention to this CD if it wasn't for the fact that Nigel Godrich produced it.... I wondered just how far he'd take old Macca--would they pull a Kid A and get all techno-spaced-out-ambient-freak-fest, or something more subtle and sublime like he did with Beck's Sea Change. ...This is Paul McCartney's best work in I don't know how long--he's playing almost everything on it himself (that's Godrich's doing), and relying on his own skills as musician and songwriter.... He says so himself on the accompanying DVD in limited release with the CD--this is a Paul McCartney album, not an interpretive account as seen through the eyes of Nigel Godrich.

crash

jadigioia@mac.com — 2005-09-17T00:58:00-04:00

What I wanted to say was that I didn't think random incidents happened to us in our lives without reason or without foreshadowing; everything is inextricably linked to everything else, be it people, objects, or events.... But sometimes that thread gets a knot in it, and becomes tangled with other threads, other lives, and the resulting snags bring about a new chain, a new direction, often in patterns we would never foresee from the outside. It's not until we step outside of ourselves and watch the events unfold from different perspectives that we recognize the chain, and can follow its path; make sense of the apparent randomness of our lives.... and then, in bursts of clarity, like an epiphany, we see the connections, we return to moments we've had before and understand that our actions in the past have lead us to where we are now, and that some day, we will return to this very moment in our minds and witness the truths that are hidden to us now, and we will be faced with the question: what do I do now, knowing what I know now; believing what I believe now?

SURVIVOR Guatamala: yawn

jadigioia@mac.com — 2005-09-15T22:06:00-04:00

I have faithfully watched all 11 seasons, have dissected and analyzed players' strategy ad nauseam, have won a Survivor pool at work, fantasied about contestants, and almost won a Survivor memento on an eBay auction. Still, I'll be the first to admit when Survivor sucks, and tonight's season premiere in the Guatemalan jungle left a lot to be desired. Yes, it was probably the hardest and most grueling challenge in the show's history, and yes I know how hot and disorientating it can be wandering lost in the jungle for 11 miles--I appreciate the physical demands placed on these players. ...By the way, my player in our pool at work is Cindy, so I'm still in. Jim the "old guy" got the boot from Bobby Jon's team (I can't be bothered with these new team names--next time out the tribes will be called by two different guttural throat calls!)

Life in Slow Motion by David Gray

jadigioia@mac.com — 2005-09-14T21:01:00-04:00

I was drawn in, instantly to this lo-tech rat-ta-ta-tat, and then eventually blown away by how such a simple song could create such a large emotional response (if you ever get the chance to see him perform it live you'll know what I mean). White Ladder is high on the list of my favourite albums of all-time, and his latest, LIfe In Slow Motion, may soon join it predecessor there. He's left the lo-fi soundscapes locked in the bedroom studio where he made his last two albums, and moved into a full studio with producer Marius de Vries at the helm.... Maybe its de Vries' touch, adding soft nuances that come out with repeated playing, or its the novelty of Gray's new lyrical stories; regardless, this album can and will draw you in, over and over again, just like White Ladder did.

my new shoes

jadigioia@mac.com — 2005-09-12T21:30:00-04:00

Do you like them? I got two of them. One for each foot.

iPod mini rest in peace (and pieces)

jadigioia@mac.com — 2005-09-11T21:52:00-04:00

So excited, I was, to report on the arrival of the iPod nano earlier this week. So foolish I was, to not realize that with the iPod nano comes the death of my beloved iPod mini. I was just browsing at the Apple Store looking for an additional hard drive for my Mac mini when I realized that the iPod mini is no longer even FOR SALE online.... Anyone want to play road hockey with my mini so that I can go get myself a nano without having to feel guilty about spending yet more money?

YEAR ZERO: The first chapters now available.

jadigioia@mac.com — 2005-09-11T20:17:00-04:00

If you've been visiting this site and wondered what would be on some of the pages that were under construction, wonder no more: "Year Zero" is now up and ready to go. Have a look by clicking here and let me know what you think.

SIN CITY: a graphic and novel movie

jadigioia@mac.com — 2005-09-10T23:31:00-04:00

I just finished watching what has to be one of the most stylish, grittiest, and intriguing movies I have seen in I don't know how long. I was a big comic book aficionado growing up, and a fan of Frank Miller's work on the various Batman titles, but I never got into his Sin City graphic novels.... The digital scenery could have been cut and pasted right out of Miller's drawings; you would swear that Frank Miller was some kind of clairvoyant, having drawn these characters back in the 80's and then seeing his creations brought to life by actors in 2005 that bear more than just a passing similarity to their graphic novel counterparts (see the Behind The Scenes extra to hear Miller talk about this coincidence). And what a cast: Bruce Willis, Clive Owen, Benico Del Toro, Jessica Alba, Elijah Wood, Josh Harnett, Brittney Murphy, and Micky Rourke in what must be the role he was born to play.... Do yourself a favour, and don't watch the bonus material until after you've sat through the movie; then marvel at the sight of these actors playing in front of green screens as you remember the intricate details of the set around them.

help: a day in the life

jadigioia@mac.com — 2005-09-10T09:55:00-04:00

warchild.com's latest musical aid release, HELP: A Day In The Life is now available at their website (click here). The second HELP album arrives 10 years on from its predecessor, and follows the same basic formula: give artists 24 hours to record a track, print, press, and distribute the music immediately for release. This time around, the album was recorded and made available online all within a 24 hour period on 09 September 2005.... I would have had it last night when I purchased it but the traffic to the site was so overwhelming I had to wait to get my downloads.

something old, something nano--iPod nano

jadigioia@mac.com — 2005-09-08T20:14:00-04:00

This past Sunday, I spent the day at the CNE (Canadian National Exhibition, for all of you non-Canuks), and picked myself up a great little vintage-looking turntable made by TEAC Audio called the SL-A100.... It doesn't need to be connected to a Phono jack because it's a line level output, so I'm looking forward to connecting it to my iMic and ripping some of my old vinyl record collection.... I'm looking forward to seeing what types of peripheral devices the folks at Griffin Technology are going to come up with for the iPod nano. I'm sure there will be some negative feedback about iPod nano (I'm already disappointed at the max 4GB size--it's no bigger than my G1 mini) and anyone willing to engage in discussion here is more than welcome to do so (yes this is an overt attempt to generate hits to my website--so sue me).

bob denver 1935-2005

jadigioia@mac.com — 2005-09-07T21:15:00-04:00

When the world comes to an end, and humanity is wiped off the face of the Earth; in all that remains to be found by new civilizations from this world or beyond, it would be a shame if not one episode of Gilligan's Island remains intact.... Because while Gilligan rode the TV waves for the first time in 1964, the world we lived in was much more brutal, much more dangerous, and much less human then the world on the deserted island where the Minnow set shore. That's the kind of world I would like remembered. Say hi to the Skipper when you see him, Little Buddy.

enjoying this so far?

jadigioia@mac.com — 2005-09-06T21:00:00-04:00

It looks like this site is getting a bit of traffic, but I haven't heard from anyone yet! If you've been visiting this site, please feel free to drop me a line and let me know what you think. The old Contact page isn't supported on the .MAc server, so i've just put a link to my email address, but for those who don't want to go there, you can drop me a line at jadigioia@mac.com. ...Tired out, been to the gym, and had a few hours of work to do.

labour pains

jadigioia@mac.com — 2005-09-05T08:25:00-04:00

The CBC is a public broadcaster, a CROWN CORPORATION, and I think it is only right that they return to the federal government most, if not all, of the publicly generated funds they receive to run a network, which is NOT functioning for the people right now.... In doing so, they are repeatedly reminding us how VITAL these program options are to Canadians everywhere, how much raw talent and energy Canadian broadcasters and the subjects of their broadcasts have, and just how necessary the CBC is to Canada. ...While on the subject, my fellow loyal listeners to Metro Morning, LISTEN UP: Andy, Kevin, Jim, and Jill are back on the air as of today with TORONTO UNLOCKED, their morning show coming to us live from the studios of CIUT University of Toronto Radio, at 89.5 on the FM dial. I am sooooo glad to be going back to work tomorrow morning knowing that I will have Andy and the gang to keep me company as i eat my breakfast, and stew about the late delivery of my National Post.

getting Under The Radar

jadigioia@mac.com — 2005-08-31T21:32:00-04:00

So I signed up for a subscription to Under The Radar magazine last night, as per my post yesterday, and I mentioned to them that I talked about them on the blog and here's what Mark Redfern (Publisher/Senior Editor) had to say: "Thanks for subscribing to Under the Radar and thanks for the kind words about the magazine on your blog. Clearly you have great taste in music and music magazines! We put a lot of work into Under the Radar and it’s always encouraging when someone recognizes that work, so thanks again."... Please, check out the magazine, and tell them I sent you.

making PLANS

jadigioia@mac.com — 2005-08-30T23:07:00-04:00

So when I got home tonight I logged into the iTunes store and downloaded my copy of Plans, which comes with a bonus track, digital booklet, and a movie for single "Soul Meets Body".... How can you not when the first lyrics you hear are: "If I could open my arms and span the length of the isle of Manhattan/I'd bring it to where you are, making a lake of the East River and Hudson/If I could open my mouth wide enough for a marching band to march out/They would make your name sing and bend through the alleys and bounce off all the buildings"? ...As far as I'm concerned, the band have not comprised their sound or vision by following a diabolical record company plan to make the record buying public rush out to buy this record (Ben Gibbard says the title Plans actually has a tongue-in-cheek connection to their move to a major label). Stand-outs so far are the above-quoted opener "Marching Bands of Manhattan", single "Soul Meets Body", and the quiet, yet heartbreakingly gorgeous "I Will Follow You Into the Dark" (sample lyric: "If there's no one beside you when your soul embarks/Then I'll follow you into the dark")--a song as much about life and love, as death and loss.

Katrina and the waves

jadigioia@mac.com — 2005-08-29T22:34:00-04:00

Sometimes I think I take it for granted that when I come home from a weekend away, or come home at night from work for that matter, that my house will still be where I left it. I was watching CNN earlier this evening, and listening to a woman from Bilouxi describe what it was like going back to her apartment building from the shelter she was staying in and finding that all she had left to call home was a shoe. (I could make a snide comment about old women and living in a shoe right now, but somehow I think that would belittle the seriousness of this situation). My brother-in-law's sister and her family live in New Orleans, and we know that they did evacuate the area on Sunday; I hope that when they return, they still have a place to call home.

the spaghetti experiment

jadigioia@mac.com — 2005-08-28T09:37:00-04:00

A great riddle of the world has been solved: why spaghetti breaks into more than two pieces when you bend it. It appears that the first break sends ripples through the rest of the strand causing multiple breaks by these shockwaves.... See it all by clicking here. This is science at its best.

going live

jadigioia@mac.com — 2005-08-27T14:11:00-04:00

Like a parent, I've been working on this baby for the last month or so, making sure that it was presentable, and didn't say or do the wrong thing when I take it out into the public. There's only so much you can do, though, and only so long you can hold it back before you want to share it with the world.... World meet website. Website meet world.

welcome

jadigioia@mac.com — 2005-08-27T00:00:00-04:00

It's 2005, and everyone needs a place from which to voice what it is that makes them.... I'm not sure just how much of an explanation you need, so let me just say this: come in, look around, feel free to touch, but if you break it, you buy it. If you have any questions or concerns, comments, or condolences, please let me know. If you like what you see, tell your friends, enemies, lovers, and ex-lovers.