88-cent DVDs

Yes, I went shopping at the evil WalMart. I'd say I didn't enjoy it, but I came home with a half-dozen 88-cent DVDs. Packaged in folded cardstock and stamped off-centre, these "all region" DVDs are largely public domain films, TV series episodes, and cartoons and I expect those I haven't seen to be mediocre entertainment, but I can live with that. Here's the rundown:

1. Dick Van Dyke Show (4 episodes) -- Really, can't go wrong with the Petries and the print is not that bad.
2. Woody Woodpecker and Other Cartoon Treasures (10 cartoons) -- only 1 stars Woody Woodpecker (though it is a good one), 2 are unfamiliar ("Teacher's Pest" and "The Lost World"), 2 star Gabby, 2 star Felix the Cat, the remainder are classic Popeye shorts. Worth it if only because there is just one overlap with the kid's other classic cartoon collections.
3. Suddenly (1954) -- Frank Sinatra as a mob hit-man.
4. Penny Serenade (1941) -- Cary Grant stars. Need I say more? How could I resist!?
5. Father's Little Dividend (1951) -- classic Liz Taylor and Spencer Tracy in the original film that inspired the Steve Martin opus Father of the Bride Part II (1995).
6. Rocky Jones, Space Ranger: Crash of the Moons! (1954, TV serial)-- I expect this to be 78 minutes of painful sci-fi serial not unlike Flash Gordon, but it might be worse. However, I was drawn to it for evoking a certain icon in the cover bumf (emphasis is mine):

Rocky Jones (Richard Crane) is a take-charge and well-meaning galactic trooper that has been elevated to cult status and made James T. Kirk possible a generation later.

So, I expect these to be worth the $6.02 paid (including taxes) as I figure at least three are watchable; the others can be wrapped and passed off by Secret Santa this year....

Card Catalog Project

Last week (and part of the week prior) I was tasked with an interesting project: to create a representation of our full card catalog (author-title, subject, and shelflist) using the one remaining cabinet (60 drawers) and the hodge-podge of cards which had been salvaged. I believe the cabinet will be used for a display.

The first part of the task was to ensure the cards in the drawers were in the right drawers and were in order. This meant reading a wonderful little type-written manual from 1972 on the rules of filing in a Canadian card catalog using the Library of Congress system.

Next task was to fill in the blanks. Some of this could be done by stretching drawers out (we had 3 drawersful of author-title cards starting with H but few starting with I-L). Some had to be pulled out of thin air (there were no subject cards for letters C-H so I had to create them from cards among the remaining author-title and shelflist cards).

Finally, all the drawers had to be numbered and labelled appropriately. Fun Fun Fun! Actually, I am pretty happy with the finished result, and there are far worse ways for a library-geek like me to spend several hours.

Razer? Sharp as a sponge.

Razer is a new tv station in Canada. Owned by CHUM (who own Bravo!, Much Music, Much More Music, Space, SexTV and many other channels....). Apparently if you subscribe, it runs over MTV Canada. It doesn't seem to offer much that isn't available elsewhere -- reruns of Buffy and Dawson's Creek, plus some "extreme" sports, movies and music.

What really slays me though is it's slogan:
"Why experience life when you can watch it?"

WTF??

I don't know where to start with what is wrong with these people.

Happy Birthday, Canada.

Today is Canada Day (formerly known as "Dominion Day") and my country is out there drinking Canadian beer and trying to get a good seat to see fireworks. I think my country is content to pat itself on its back Pride-wise these days**, so I figure it's been a good year for Canada.

I would like to take a moment to shamelessly plug my Live by the Leaf Canadian-pride designs on Cafe Press. If you like them, please consider buying a t-shirt, mousepad, or -- heck -- even a thong. Or buy me one. :) (I could always hang the thong from our rear-veiw mirror. YEAH! Rockin'! A thong in a minivan.)

In the meantime, I'm off to see some things explode in the overcast night sky.

EDITED to add: here's what the fireworks looked like from the West Bay Walkway:



**cave-dwellers may want to do a Google News search for Bill C-38.

Mid-to-Late Thirties

OK. I am now definitely in my mid-to-late 30s. To celebrate, I had a day mostly to myself. Got up, had a lot of coffee, went out for brunch (ordered the "meat-lovers scramble" with toast instead of pancakes) at Denny's, then spent the afternoon shopping, walking, and browsing Downtown. I spent a grand total of $28.80 (plus a $25 gift certificate) in four stores and wandered through many more. I had expected to spend a bunch of time taking photos but took comparatively few. I did capture one in particular that amused me:




I'm not too good at actually reaching for goals I set myself. (You can see evidence at my 43things list; many of the items that should have been long ago completed -- like installing light fixtures in the hallway -- are still hanging around doing nothing while I procrastinate by blogging.) I think, though, that this would be a good time to set some concrete goals for the next year:

1. Lose more weight. (Want a number attached? How about another 25 lbs.)
2. Submit at least ONE manuscript for publication.
3. Install those goddamned light fixtures!

Having admitted that I suck at goal-reaching, I'd welcome encouragement and even nagging from any of you kind readers. Feel free to fling me an email as you see fit to check on my progress on these things or any of my other 43things. For the weight loss goal, you can also check my Fighting to Lose blog.

I'd also like to take this opportunity to thank you all for visiting and for the support over the past year -- as you know, it's been a bit bumpy.