I am amused and happy about google themes, heh... Read about them in wired, and use them following this link. If you are like me, and check many news sites, blogs, tutorials or silly stuff daily, then personalizing your homepage is a good idea to keep track of all the feeds... AND... The themes are cute!. He he he.
How's life going?... Still busy. Had a presentation with supervisor today, and went decent. But there is so so much to do. The next 8 weeks I will be in crunch mode.
Working on: prototype, later writing a thesis.
Projects on hold: making this website interesting and useful.
Correct that... Working on: staying awake! O.o
Thursday, March 29, 2007
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Another quiet wave...
After been posting again for a few days, this blog finds itself with yet another quiet wave. The reason: work work work. I have only a few weeks left to get my masters done!. Can you believe it?... It's been almost 2 years already!... Damn!.
So, what's been going on:
So, what's been going on:
- Installed wordpress, and been playing with it. Eventually I will migrate.
- Thinking about buying a Mac. I hate windows vista and don't want to deal with the damn thing. Besides, unix based, virus-free environment, and boot-camp with the chance to have windows on the same box, makes it a good deal.
- Stuff is awesome with the girl, distance sucks, but plans are going well.
- Learning a lot about Flash and ActionScripting.
- Hanging out a lot with Chris, doing magic and having good times.
- Other than that... Not a lot of social life. Heh.
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
My anxious obsessed-driven
self has taken the goal to do a full migration of this blog into wordpress... I love blogger with all my heart, and have been a happy user since 2003... But it's just not good enough any more... I wish they had a solid category engine, separate rss's for each categories, "read more" features, and a bunch of things... ** sigh **
Anyway, the point is that, I have been going through my blogger archives, formatting for export, etc, and I bumped into May 2006... I am smiling so much... I saw this "this story like many others" post... I can't believe how many things have happened since I wrote that... So many. I am another man, and she is even another women... As in love as I was then, I had not even a clue of how fun and cool she could be, of all the things we would live...
I mean... When I wrote that, I didn't even know if I was going to see her again... And now?... We are discussing our apartment's decoration.
Sometimes I get asked why do I blog... This is why I do it. For self indulgence and amusement... To keep such a clear window to my past, in which I can dive now and then and analyze my self from a 3rd person perspective... Smiling, and realize how little did I know, how things have changed... And how, indeed, everything always works out the way it's supposed to. And then imagine when my kids read this stuff!... Or my grandchildren... Heh...
... ah lala...
Cheers for that. ;-)
(I will get that wine bottle sitting there open just because I'm stoked).
---
[update: now the "azucar" doesn't even exist!... it got burned!... no wonder why I was sad when I heard about it... so many good memories come from there]
Anyway, the point is that, I have been going through my blogger archives, formatting for export, etc, and I bumped into May 2006... I am smiling so much... I saw this "this story like many others" post... I can't believe how many things have happened since I wrote that... So many. I am another man, and she is even another women... As in love as I was then, I had not even a clue of how fun and cool she could be, of all the things we would live...
I mean... When I wrote that, I didn't even know if I was going to see her again... And now?... We are discussing our apartment's decoration.
Sometimes I get asked why do I blog... This is why I do it. For self indulgence and amusement... To keep such a clear window to my past, in which I can dive now and then and analyze my self from a 3rd person perspective... Smiling, and realize how little did I know, how things have changed... And how, indeed, everything always works out the way it's supposed to. And then imagine when my kids read this stuff!... Or my grandchildren... Heh...
... ah lala...
Cheers for that. ;-)
(I will get that wine bottle sitting there open just because I'm stoked).
---
[update: now the "azucar" doesn't even exist!... it got burned!... no wonder why I was sad when I heard about it... so many good memories come from there]
Champagne and Guacamole
The night before I left to Canada I was invited to a nice birthday celebration. Actually, that is kind of the reason why I stayed until then... 80th birthday of Albane's grandfather!... :-)
It meant several things, like great food, a lot of champagne and good wine... But to me, it mostly meant: meet all... ALL... the family, and getting deeper inside the "family circle"... I was happy!... I had such a nice time. Heh... There were over 40 people in this nice house they have by a forest, food was awesome, and the mood was friendly and of good conversation. Of course, there was a lot of older people, heh... And some of then are not horribly energetic party animals... :-P But it was nice!... I finally meet all of Albane's uncles and aunts, and had nice chats with several of them.
Yes... I had nice chats with several, form young to quite old... In French!... I don't seem to believe it my self, but... I guess I am not that bad!. O.o He he he... People are impressed by it, and we have nice full conversations in which I do understand everything, and do my best effort to make my self understood.
I think I am in that stage in which I can listen and understand most of it, but articulating is still not perfect... "subjunctive" and a little bit of the grammar construction fails me, which makes me speak like "Tarzan" sometimes... But hey, we can understand Tarzan right?. Heh... That's what matters.
I was quite pleased, as well, that everyone seemed to enjoy the guacamole I made!... Heh... People were eating it a lot, and giving it "praises"... Which made me smile, and laugh about the whole concept about having nice champagne while eating guacamole... Good clashing of cultures right there!...
One funny thing was that, when saying good bye, I was kind of cornered and surrounded by a lot of her family, and we talked/joked a tad. They kept making me red, and at some point they asked my family name. When I said "Padilla" several of them, including her mom, did say with a smile "ah, albane will keep her initials!"... (she's Prouveur)... Heh.
And earlier that day, we visited her grandma (mom of her dad), and after a nice chat and when the time to say good-bye came, the phone rang so we had to wait for her a little. Close to the end of her conversation she excused herself because she had to hang up, because Albane and her "fiance" hector were there. =)
Heh... I was surprised by her using that word, and when I asked Albane it indeed means what I assumed. Heh... AHHH... Good times. I smiled so much.
I am in love with this girl!!!... I want time to speed up, the summer to arrive and pass by... Late summer / early fall Albane and I may be living together in "our" apartment. And that idea makes me the happiest guy in the world.
^___^
Good vibes.
It meant several things, like great food, a lot of champagne and good wine... But to me, it mostly meant: meet all... ALL... the family, and getting deeper inside the "family circle"... I was happy!... I had such a nice time. Heh... There were over 40 people in this nice house they have by a forest, food was awesome, and the mood was friendly and of good conversation. Of course, there was a lot of older people, heh... And some of then are not horribly energetic party animals... :-P But it was nice!... I finally meet all of Albane's uncles and aunts, and had nice chats with several of them.
Yes... I had nice chats with several, form young to quite old... In French!... I don't seem to believe it my self, but... I guess I am not that bad!. O.o He he he... People are impressed by it, and we have nice full conversations in which I do understand everything, and do my best effort to make my self understood.
I think I am in that stage in which I can listen and understand most of it, but articulating is still not perfect... "subjunctive" and a little bit of the grammar construction fails me, which makes me speak like "Tarzan" sometimes... But hey, we can understand Tarzan right?. Heh... That's what matters.
I was quite pleased, as well, that everyone seemed to enjoy the guacamole I made!... Heh... People were eating it a lot, and giving it "praises"... Which made me smile, and laugh about the whole concept about having nice champagne while eating guacamole... Good clashing of cultures right there!...
One funny thing was that, when saying good bye, I was kind of cornered and surrounded by a lot of her family, and we talked/joked a tad. They kept making me red, and at some point they asked my family name. When I said "Padilla" several of them, including her mom, did say with a smile "ah, albane will keep her initials!"... (she's Prouveur)... Heh.
And earlier that day, we visited her grandma (mom of her dad), and after a nice chat and when the time to say good-bye came, the phone rang so we had to wait for her a little. Close to the end of her conversation she excused herself because she had to hang up, because Albane and her "fiance" hector were there. =)
Heh... I was surprised by her using that word, and when I asked Albane it indeed means what I assumed. Heh... AHHH... Good times. I smiled so much.
I am in love with this girl!!!... I want time to speed up, the summer to arrive and pass by... Late summer / early fall Albane and I may be living together in "our" apartment. And that idea makes me the happiest guy in the world.
^___^
Good vibes.
Monday, March 12, 2007
Waiting by the gate...
Something I wrote while waiting for the plane to take me across the Atlantic:
And now... Waiting in Copenhagen, the funny place where the airport is too big, and the sigs and letters are just saying stuff like "Kskundrgend"... I don't believe there is a way to pronounce those things, I am sure the airport designer got a kick of writing weird things up, and imagine people's reactions.
Anyway... Signs are good, and universal. I could find the bathroom, and with a credit card all you need to know is to "pay" whatever you grab in the food-court, no matter how much you are paying for it... Heh. Weird currencies don't make sense either, and make the whole paying thing quite funny.
... And already, I am feeling that horrible "withdrawal"... I am imagining Albane alone in her appartment, getting her stuff ready, maybe doing laundry, while everything is a little too quiet. I imagine her missing me, and wishing I was there to give her a hug and a kiss while she's doing reading for her school... And it breaks my heart. ** sigh ** I imagine her going to bed, just like we were all this nights, just that I won't be there... "that side" will feel much too empty, and she may just hug my pillow and wish I was there...
And it breaks my heart...
And I see my self arriving later to Edmonton, open the door to my appartment and get into my "cold" room... This utilitary place I have created to exist in, but that makes no sense and feels too foreign... It doesn't feel like my room anymore, it doesn't feel like my bed... Not if she is not there.
I see my self laying down, closing my eyes, and missing knowing she is next to me, hearing her breath... Feeling her coming to cuddle with me...
... I am missing her already a lot, and it's just been a few hours. This travels, and this times of being and living together don't make anything easier. They are wonderful windows that show how good life feels when I am around her, but at the end... Windows that fade and I am shaken into reality by that horrible good-bye-hug in the airport, and walking away from her... Knowing it will be a while before I have her in my arms again.
... ** sigh **
And yes... it breaks my heart.
------
[note: now, back in Canada... i can say I was right... My room is too cold, and my bed is too empty... it really is not the same]
And now... Waiting in Copenhagen, the funny place where the airport is too big, and the sigs and letters are just saying stuff like "Kskundrgend"... I don't believe there is a way to pronounce those things, I am sure the airport designer got a kick of writing weird things up, and imagine people's reactions.
Anyway... Signs are good, and universal. I could find the bathroom, and with a credit card all you need to know is to "pay" whatever you grab in the food-court, no matter how much you are paying for it... Heh. Weird currencies don't make sense either, and make the whole paying thing quite funny.
... And already, I am feeling that horrible "withdrawal"... I am imagining Albane alone in her appartment, getting her stuff ready, maybe doing laundry, while everything is a little too quiet. I imagine her missing me, and wishing I was there to give her a hug and a kiss while she's doing reading for her school... And it breaks my heart. ** sigh ** I imagine her going to bed, just like we were all this nights, just that I won't be there... "that side" will feel much too empty, and she may just hug my pillow and wish I was there...
And it breaks my heart...
And I see my self arriving later to Edmonton, open the door to my appartment and get into my "cold" room... This utilitary place I have created to exist in, but that makes no sense and feels too foreign... It doesn't feel like my room anymore, it doesn't feel like my bed... Not if she is not there.
I see my self laying down, closing my eyes, and missing knowing she is next to me, hearing her breath... Feeling her coming to cuddle with me...
... I am missing her already a lot, and it's just been a few hours. This travels, and this times of being and living together don't make anything easier. They are wonderful windows that show how good life feels when I am around her, but at the end... Windows that fade and I am shaken into reality by that horrible good-bye-hug in the airport, and walking away from her... Knowing it will be a while before I have her in my arms again.
... ** sigh **
And yes... it breaks my heart.
------
[note: now, back in Canada... i can say I was right... My room is too cold, and my bed is too empty... it really is not the same]
Friday, March 09, 2007
Things so far...
Time in France is about to end... It's already Friday, and in two more days I will be on that plane... I don't want to be on that plane. :-(
I have had a pretty nice time here, not because it's "France" perse, but because I am sharing my everyday with my girl. Having shared several of this "times" with Albane, makes me really appreciate the whole "living together" idea. I guess my biggest fear had always been the loose of individuality, or my "alone" space since I enjoy the hermit role a lot... But since we started doing the "staying together" thing, even before she left Canada, I have missed having her around. Specially, since we respect each others space, and we can be doing our thing... I can be reading, or working on my computer... She will stop by, give me a kiss or say something funny, make me laugh, and then we both go on... It feels good.
Soon I will go back to going to bed alone every night, to waking up wishing she was there... Ah lala. Either way, we both hope this "distance" situation will come to an end quite soon. ^__^
And well, in general, I have been having a pretty cool time. My last visit was much more touristic and "vacation-like", now we both have been working a lot, and living "real" life. Still, I had a long weekend in Paris!. I am so grateful to Albane's dad for that... O.o (and a little shy about it too I guess). We were so close to the Opera in Paris, and just 5-7 minutes walking to the Louvre (which I finally got to visit)... And so the "Mona Lisa" or "Gioconda" or whatever... And was, of course, disappointed by the event. Heh... Much cooler things to see in that place.
We got to visit "the catacombs" this time, which is COOL!... Visited again Montmartre, and had a nice coffee in the "Cafe de Flore" in St. Germain, thing that I wanted to do for a long long time!. Heh... St. Michel, the walks, the talks, the food!... ** sigh **
Another thing to note was my weekend with her family too. :-) It was super nice!. They are all so welcoming and make me feel comfortable around them, although I keep thinking they are just too nice, they say my French has gotten better and better. I am happy about that, I notice I can understand it quite a lot now, and my speaking it, regardless of my disbelief, seems to be getting quite better too.
As well, the time with the family had a nice warm feeling, last time there was expectation and nervousness!... It was the "meet the family" experience, and I felt judged and under the view... Now I felt like coming back around a bunch of nice people, I did meet more family members, but it was always nice to all of them!. It seems, as well, that I keep making a good impression. Heh. Albane's mom had a nice dinner in our honor!, and her grandma cooked Frogs just for me... He he he... Yummy!... O.o
No really... Frogs were good. Much much better than I expected. I was afraid to be rude and make a "yuck" face when I had the courage to eat a tad of one, but then I realized it was not bad at all, fear washed off and good times!. ^__^ I even had a second serving... ** sigh **. The food that weekend was all the time superb.
French people make a huge deal about eating, it's not just getting stuff to go on with your day... There is an aperitif, with some alcohol involved, and yummy snacks every time!. Then, when eating there is usually the starter, then a nice meal, then a salad, then good cheeses with bread, and then dessert!... All the time with good wine and conversation. :-) And so goes lunch, and so goes dinner... Ah lala... I shall miss that!.
And the chocolate... THE CHOCOLATE!... No wonder why they don't even know Hersheys exists (It's hard to explain when I talk about my brother's job). They have fine little chocolateries, where things are beautifully placed and decorated, and a nice lady with globes and a cute little utencil picks carefully every piece of chocolate, and places it in a beautiful little package. Every chocolate has it's unique bunch of ingredients and taste and... ahh!...
He he he... You get the idea. :-)
And yes!... I was talking about her family... It was nice!. Being silly around her sister, nice talks with her Mom, and her Mom's boyfriend is super cool and nice!. Albane gave me as a present an "introduction to Qi Gong" so we went to that too... All and all, the weekend was fun and full of good sweet times. If anything, now and then, I felt a tad of sadness, realizing how great her family is, and what it really means for her to leave this world in order to be with me... That... That is hard to explain. I am so so lucky.
... sigh ...
Anyway... The week is closing, I should go back to work and enjoy the time left. Cheers people...
Good gives and hugs.
I have had a pretty nice time here, not because it's "France" perse, but because I am sharing my everyday with my girl. Having shared several of this "times" with Albane, makes me really appreciate the whole "living together" idea. I guess my biggest fear had always been the loose of individuality, or my "alone" space since I enjoy the hermit role a lot... But since we started doing the "staying together" thing, even before she left Canada, I have missed having her around. Specially, since we respect each others space, and we can be doing our thing... I can be reading, or working on my computer... She will stop by, give me a kiss or say something funny, make me laugh, and then we both go on... It feels good.
Soon I will go back to going to bed alone every night, to waking up wishing she was there... Ah lala. Either way, we both hope this "distance" situation will come to an end quite soon. ^__^
And well, in general, I have been having a pretty cool time. My last visit was much more touristic and "vacation-like", now we both have been working a lot, and living "real" life. Still, I had a long weekend in Paris!. I am so grateful to Albane's dad for that... O.o (and a little shy about it too I guess). We were so close to the Opera in Paris, and just 5-7 minutes walking to the Louvre (which I finally got to visit)... And so the "Mona Lisa" or "Gioconda" or whatever... And was, of course, disappointed by the event. Heh... Much cooler things to see in that place.
We got to visit "the catacombs" this time, which is COOL!... Visited again Montmartre, and had a nice coffee in the "Cafe de Flore" in St. Germain, thing that I wanted to do for a long long time!. Heh... St. Michel, the walks, the talks, the food!... ** sigh **
Another thing to note was my weekend with her family too. :-) It was super nice!. They are all so welcoming and make me feel comfortable around them, although I keep thinking they are just too nice, they say my French has gotten better and better. I am happy about that, I notice I can understand it quite a lot now, and my speaking it, regardless of my disbelief, seems to be getting quite better too.
As well, the time with the family had a nice warm feeling, last time there was expectation and nervousness!... It was the "meet the family" experience, and I felt judged and under the view... Now I felt like coming back around a bunch of nice people, I did meet more family members, but it was always nice to all of them!. It seems, as well, that I keep making a good impression. Heh. Albane's mom had a nice dinner in our honor!, and her grandma cooked Frogs just for me... He he he... Yummy!... O.o
No really... Frogs were good. Much much better than I expected. I was afraid to be rude and make a "yuck" face when I had the courage to eat a tad of one, but then I realized it was not bad at all, fear washed off and good times!. ^__^ I even had a second serving... ** sigh **. The food that weekend was all the time superb.
French people make a huge deal about eating, it's not just getting stuff to go on with your day... There is an aperitif, with some alcohol involved, and yummy snacks every time!. Then, when eating there is usually the starter, then a nice meal, then a salad, then good cheeses with bread, and then dessert!... All the time with good wine and conversation. :-) And so goes lunch, and so goes dinner... Ah lala... I shall miss that!.
And the chocolate... THE CHOCOLATE!... No wonder why they don't even know Hersheys exists (It's hard to explain when I talk about my brother's job). They have fine little chocolateries, where things are beautifully placed and decorated, and a nice lady with globes and a cute little utencil picks carefully every piece of chocolate, and places it in a beautiful little package. Every chocolate has it's unique bunch of ingredients and taste and... ahh!...
He he he... You get the idea. :-)
And yes!... I was talking about her family... It was nice!. Being silly around her sister, nice talks with her Mom, and her Mom's boyfriend is super cool and nice!. Albane gave me as a present an "introduction to Qi Gong" so we went to that too... All and all, the weekend was fun and full of good sweet times. If anything, now and then, I felt a tad of sadness, realizing how great her family is, and what it really means for her to leave this world in order to be with me... That... That is hard to explain. I am so so lucky.
... sigh ...
Anyway... The week is closing, I should go back to work and enjoy the time left. Cheers people...
Good gives and hugs.
I am afraid...
I am afraid... VERY. I have been using blogger.com since 2003... THAT IS A LOT OF YEARS!... 4 years using this thing, have seen it change over and over, versions, stuff... Yet... That part of me that wants to turn this spot into a "better", more interesting, better organized site, just knows that blogger doesn't have all the functionality. And that is what frightens me. To get our of the cocoon.
Jumping into hosting my own blog, in a way that if anything happens all my posts would disappear... O.o ... GONE!. Blogger and google?... I mean, they wouldn't just "lose" my blog right?... But... I know I would... Heh... I am quite clumsy and a stupid server command or something and... GONE!...
I know how I want things, how I want to organize them, the kind of information I want to post about frequently, and how to keep all those random rants "semi-coherent" to make better sense in this place. I DO want to post more about stuff, "advice", and general important stuff about life as a young-one growing into adulthood, and as a graphic artist... Not only recounts of my life, but make this a site that I would care about if I wasn't me. O.o
So...
Wordpress?... Any advice on the matter?.
Jumping into hosting my own blog, in a way that if anything happens all my posts would disappear... O.o ... GONE!. Blogger and google?... I mean, they wouldn't just "lose" my blog right?... But... I know I would... Heh... I am quite clumsy and a stupid server command or something and... GONE!...
I know how I want things, how I want to organize them, the kind of information I want to post about frequently, and how to keep all those random rants "semi-coherent" to make better sense in this place. I DO want to post more about stuff, "advice", and general important stuff about life as a young-one growing into adulthood, and as a graphic artist... Not only recounts of my life, but make this a site that I would care about if I wasn't me. O.o
So...
Wordpress?... Any advice on the matter?.
Wednesday, March 07, 2007
Working bits...
The stuff I keep doing for slide seems to be working fine, the users are accepting it, and everyone is happy!. Here they discuss one thing I helped with, and it's cool to see something I made being discussed on mashable with screenshots and all!. Heh. (Then even mention some of the skins I have helped develop!). ^__^
I am proud of those silly bouncing basketballs too!. ^__^ Nice to see when things work.
I am proud of those silly bouncing basketballs too!. ^__^ Nice to see when things work.
Monday, March 05, 2007
Celebrity thingies...
Heh... Nice silly procrastination time took me to this now...
Heh... Gotta love facebook, and the chance of watching whatever silliness is John Arnold up to. :-P
Heh... Gotta love facebook, and the chance of watching whatever silliness is John Arnold up to. :-P
777 posts...
Celebrating the 777 post of this blog... ^__^
I like 7... and I believe 777 is of some sort of luck... no?...
---
On another note... I am scared... Real life... Work... ARGH.
I like 7... and I believe 777 is of some sort of luck... no?...
---
On another note... I am scared... Real life... Work... ARGH.
Cupid is funny...
While I was doing my research on "cupid" for that animation-illustration project I did for Slide.com I bumped into these articles... And they struck me as very interesting, since I know many couples that, after 1 to 2 years, they break up... There is even people that become "serial daters" and go from a one-year relationship to the other... Just feeling that "love fades" but... It really just our body chemistry changing... Anyway, here are the articles... Read them yourself...
Article 1 (BBC), and Article 2 (Dailymail).
I have a bunch of little things, just like this one, on a 2-blog file... Random bits of stuff I find interesting, and want to talk about... Yet lately I really have been busy. I am getting tired of this "being busy" business by the way. I hope I win that lottery soon. O.o
Anyway, for all of you "serial daters" out there... There is nothing wrong!... Keep doing that if you want to, but... It's not love fading a way, it's just a change of phase... And, it seems... If you give it the chance, this new stage will bring a nice, warm long lasting relationship... Which, at some point, you people may want.
It is like that movie "high fidelity"... The thing is, if the rush is not there, it doesn't mean love is gone... Probably that is why there are so many divorces and breakups and single moms now a days... We have such a distorted version of what a "passionate relationship" should be like, by TV and media... That we just have grown to not acknowledge the change of phase, and see it as a good thing in the relationship... We would get to that phase, at some point, with anyone!... Better to know it, accept it, and embrace it. :-)
Article 1 (BBC), and Article 2 (Dailymail).
I have a bunch of little things, just like this one, on a 2-blog file... Random bits of stuff I find interesting, and want to talk about... Yet lately I really have been busy. I am getting tired of this "being busy" business by the way. I hope I win that lottery soon. O.o
Anyway, for all of you "serial daters" out there... There is nothing wrong!... Keep doing that if you want to, but... It's not love fading a way, it's just a change of phase... And, it seems... If you give it the chance, this new stage will bring a nice, warm long lasting relationship... Which, at some point, you people may want.
It is like that movie "high fidelity"... The thing is, if the rush is not there, it doesn't mean love is gone... Probably that is why there are so many divorces and breakups and single moms now a days... We have such a distorted version of what a "passionate relationship" should be like, by TV and media... That we just have grown to not acknowledge the change of phase, and see it as a good thing in the relationship... We would get to that phase, at some point, with anyone!... Better to know it, accept it, and embrace it. :-)
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