Why do Bowling Alleys work and Roller Rinks don't

Probably because you can rollerskate outside but you can't bowl outside...or can you. Maybe that could be a new sport, all terrain bowling. I know lawn bowling and other bowling exists but why not one where you can knock down pins or whatever you have lying around.

Granted throwing a bowling ball down a street may lead to serious injury, but think of the enjoyment...no?

Today, a seagull stole my lunch.

by Shaggy

The title explains it all.

Yes, my lunch. Taken, from before my very fork. To be fair, I should have seen it coming.

The seagull was first on the fence behind me. Staring at me.

Then, he hopped over to the table next to me. Staring at me.

Then, he hopped onto my table. Staring at me.

And, while I was busy taking pictures of his journey, the thinkable happened.

Slowly to quickly, he crept up to my plate and snatched the remains of my lunch, flying just a few feet away, making a big noisy racket over his victory (to which other seagulls and pigeons were quick to join him).

This led me to wonder if there's some eternal score board out there, keeping track of bird vs. human p0wnage.

For every food or dump they take at our expense, they get a point.
For every daily genocide we commit against them, we get a point.
I just figure, someone's keeping track.

Coffee Redux

The thing about coffee is that it's not only a drink but a big part of many cultures. The routine of getting coffee is probably just as important as the coffee itself. The thing is, I do not prescribe to this thing that is coffee.

This at times does make me feel a little left out but a few things over-ride this and here are a few reasons why I do not drink coffee. Initially I'd say that the flavour was the primary reason why I don't drink coffee but as Shaggy put it, tastes change and frankly I feel that after a couple years people should revisit any foods they've removed from their life and try it again because it may in fact taste good now. So blaming taste alone would not cut it.

I think another big thing was that I was reading an article about food tasters and it said that drinking coffee was bad for your sense of taste, it dulled it. I hold eating food in a very high regard and that strengthened my resolve as to not drink coffee.

As I mention before the routine of getting coffee is a big thing. I remember that when I worked a nine to five job for all of a couple months I remember how important my donut break became. That 15 minute excuse to step out of the office to pick something up, to break that work cycle up, very important.

I however do not need that anymore so instead the idea of throwing away a little bit of money everyday doesn't impress me. I guess it's the same reason why I don't buy lottery tickets, purchasing all those small things add up and I don't have any money to spare.

The interesting thing is that I'm encountering more and more people who don't drink coffee...I'm trying to figure out why.

So THAT's coffee.

by Shaggy

Prior to yesterday morning, I've only had a cup of coffee once in my life.

Don't get me wrong, I've had plenty of lattes from Second Cup, frappuccinos from Starbucks, milk coffee cans from Asia, and french vanillas from Tim Horton's, but for all of my life, I've only had ONE straight up, traditionally defined cup of coffee.

I must have been...10 or 12, I donno, but it was at a relative's house at breakfast when they didn't have tea. And I had to put a LOT of milk and sugar in that mug to make it even tolerable.

Since that day, I swore off coffee.

From one experience of "GAWD, this tastes awful" I was never tempted to go back. Even through all of University, I never fell to coffee to keep awake through those long essay nights and early lecture mornings, placing my trust in Red Bull, Monster, and Bawls instead.

I gradually added more reasons why I didn't want to get into coffee. I hated the idea of being coffee dependent, lining up first thing in the morning, be it on foot or in car, waiting to get my fix from a coffee shop employee who by this point knows my name, how I want my coffee, and that I won't be needing a cup as I've long since been using the store branded thermos.

This brings us to yesterday.

So, there I was, ready to eat my share of FREE BAGEL BREAKFAST DAY at the studio, and amongst the variety of bagels, there were boxes of free coffee (y'know, like the box of wine deal) all lined up at the end of the table.

I looked at them, remembering my proud, if not stubborn steadfast abstain of the drink.

...then figured, 'what the hell, know thy enemy.'

After having my first straight up cup of coffee in over a decade (with lots of milk and sugar of course), I am reminded of one of the great changes we all go though in life.

Our tolerance for taste.

As kids, we are VERY sensitive to flavour. So much that we risk any punishment for not finishing a meal if it doesn't suit our pallet. I had my bouts with asparagus, brussel sprouts, onions, Uncle Ben's rice; many foods which are deemed healthy and 'good for you'.

And as I've grown up, I realize a lot of my current distain of these foods is mostly out of memory. I remember not liking green peppers as a kid, but after so many years, finally trying one voluntarily wasn't all that bad. It doesn't taste much like anything really, mostly water with a bit of zing.

This tolerance for taste is also something I apply to beer.

I avoided beers through most of University because of my first experience with the taste in high school (I believe it was a Moosehead). I hated it so much, I actually capped the bottle and hid it under the couch I was sitting on. Any further pursuit of alcoholic beverages would be strictly in flavoured spirits and ciders.

Eventually I got more comfortable with a beer every now and then. I admit, there are very few beers I can claim to enjoy the taste off (the strawberry flavoured Fruli and tequila flavoured Desperados are at the top of my list), but, as I as a person have matured in actions (i.e., NOT hiding unfinished beers anymore) and my taste buds have devolved in sensitivity, I can charge through a pint of something willingly, without as much opposition as child would.

And why is this?

Because I know beer will eventually lead me to getting that much more drunk.

I now understand why people drink coffee in the morning. Because like beer is thought to heighten the enjoyment of a social setting, coffee is to heighten the focus of mornings.

It's a warm, brewed bean beverage that tastes like ass; but it's an ass taste that we can get accustomed to, and form a ritualistic habit around, because yes, it does perk us up in the morning or whenever, so we stop noticing the flavour.

All this being said, I'll still be sticking to my lattes and french vanillas, because even as I know that healthy foods are good for you, alcohol gets you intoxicated, and caffeine wakes you up, I'm still immature enough to know that I want some flavour along with the function.

The Intangebility of the Digital World

In the future a guy named Johnny is going to be carry 320 gigs of classified information in his head. But right now digital real estate is still on standard computers, external hard-drives or floating around the interwebs. Which I guess is all nice and good except for the fact that I can't physically touch any of it. There is no hard copy. And now that another one of my external drives almost crapped out on me again I'm getting more and more paranoid that it's only a matter of time before I lose everything.

So yes I've started backing up my stuff onto other drives but isn't it also going to break down eventually. I used to back things up on DVD but now files are so much larger it's pretty much an impossibility. These days though people don't really worry about the size of things because gigs seem so cheap at the moment. But that just means the gap between physical copies to digital files will grow and grow.

Moving on, all these tablets and things are coming out for people to read books. But isn't half the fun of buying books is to build a library?

I could continue but instead I'm going to watch as I back up 420 gigs onto another hard-drive...hopefully it doesn't screw up.

The Fight was Fought

by Shaggy

Yes, tonight marked the very last night of XBOX LIVE for those who play the original XBOX, or any of it's LIVE enabled library on the X360.

After 8 years, Microsoft has now ended all online support for the old system, and knowing this was to be, I had to give the ol' HALO 2 one more go.


I've found in recent years, I've become distant from the Xbox Live community. Sure, in the early days of Halo 3 and Left 4 Dead, I played my share of matches, but I haven't put any online time into other titles, such the Call of Duty series, Gears of War, Team Fortress 2, or even sandbox games like Crackdown and GTA 4.

What happened exactly?

What turned me off from participating in what has proven to be one of the greatest examples of online console gaming?

Well, we're not here to talk about that. Instead, I'd like to reminisce about Halo 2 and the memories tonight's final online matches had brought back.

The anarchy of capturing multi-flags with 15 other strangers on Coagulation.

The thrill of keeping a warthog up and running n' gunning for more than 3 minutes amongst so much incoming fire on Zanzibar.The fear of poking your head around a corner for JUST a second on any level in SWAT mode.
And the calm, respective silence heard over all headsets during Team Snipers.

These were the things that made Halo 2 online a real treat. And I was able to relive them, for one last night.

Sure, similar experiences may exist on all the more recent titles, but Halo 2 holds one more memory none of these titles can hold a candle to.

Yes, it was during Halo 2, that I drank my very first Bacardi Strawberry Daiquiri.


So here's to you, Halo 2. I don't care what Halo 3's ad campaign slogan was, because you, have finished your fight.

GG everyone.

Double Down, Beginning or End of the Sandwich

The Double Down is a new food that KFC is going to be selling in the states very soon. It's called a sandwich but replacing the two pieces of bread are two fried chicken breasts and jammed in-between are two strips of bacon, cheese, KFC sauce and a couple other things.

I guess my question is...Is that the best or worst sounding sandwich ever? I'm not sure, heart attack on one side, meaty goodness on the other. And I guess my other question is. How have they not come up with this sandwich until now. I'm pretty sure that the KFC brain-trust tries to replace everything with chicken... and now they have.

(The Double Down: Scary or Amazing?)

White People Are Everywhere

The Prince of Persia Trailer is now on Apple Trailers. Yay Prince of Persia, I enjoy the franchise but one thing kinda bothers me with the trailer...why are all the actors white? I mean, I understand why they're white, but seriously, haven't we gotten past this. Same thing with The Last Airbender, all the actors are white. In Glee, the guy in the wheel chair, he's also white but that's fine, the question is why couldn't they of hired a person who's actually disabled...it's such a shame.

Talking to the Micromaphone

Yes, I've started a PODCAST.

One night I decided to figure out just HOW to host one yourself without using the auto systems of Apple's (direct renders & uploads from Garageband), and here is the result.

http://talkingtothemicromaphone.blogspot.com/

Mainly a stream of consciousness on a topic, until the most recent episode which actually has a co-host/guest person.

Damages

After finally overcoming my fear of Glenn Close's forehead, I 've finally gotten around to watching Damages. Actually another reason why I was it was because I found a new copy for 12 dollars! I don't think I've ever found a television season for so cheap. At one time Fox had a promotion and were selling lots of their season 1 sets for super-cheap. The ploy, once you've bought the first season you'll want to keep on buying. To tell you the truth it kinda works.

Now that I'm done with Damages Season 1 I really want to watch the next season! So I went back to the place where I got it and guess what, they don't carry season 2. SO WHAT'S THE POINT. Why would you hook me then not sell the second season for an exorbitant amount? Sales confuses me.

Glenn Close's forehead...scary

Steven = Shaggy

by Shaggy

And here I thought I was the only one, but no.



There are actually a few Steven/Steve/Stephens going around with the moniker "Shaggy".

One I met in person.

Another "Steven" has recently popped up as a supervising animator in How to Train Your Dragon.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhlU3n9k128


As 2 is a coincidence and 3 is a pattern, is there a sociological or scientific formula that can explain this re-occurrence?

...probably not.

SRT - CH05

Well here we are, the last chapter I recorded. I initially made these as a return gift for a friend of mine who was recording himself reading Ender's Game for me, then I started recording these for KT while she was doing some deadline stuff.

Now? Well, I got my hands a little full with other projects, so maybe their won't be any more, maybe their will.


Play:

(right click to download) - Shaggy Reads Twilight Chapter 05 (35m28s, 32mb, warning: contains strong language)