Entry 109: I Don't Understand Finance

Date: September 24, 2008
Weight: 196 pounds

Why are the fat cat financial firms asking for a $700 Billion bailout? And why does a "free-enterprise" Republican like W. think this is a good idea? This can't be right.

Shouldn't the government let 'em all rot?

Talk of "financial armageddon" is nonsense. Companies that have made foolish decisions and didn't understand what the word "risk" meant deserve to be bankrupted. And when other companies go down with them, then they deserve it too. The CEOs who presided over the mess should be hunted down and put in prison camps. There really ought to be a law. In fact, I'm sure there is one.

I hope that the U.S. Congress has the wisdom to turn down these welfare cases and refuse this ridiculous bailout. And if this brings down the whole financial system then I say "Hallelujah!"

Entry 108: Там будут слезы!

Date: July 10, 2008
Weight: 193 pounds
Song: The Beatles - Strawberry Fields Forever

Today was my last day of work for two blessed weeks. Tomorrow the Balfour trip begins at dawn. We head to Christina Lake for the first leg of the Troll/Hoser conflict. It will be a long day given that I am already tired and sleep-deprived, but I think I can handle it.

Let the battle commence.

Entry 107: Almost Balfour

Date: July 9, 2008
Weight: 194 pounds
Song: Pachelbel - Canon in D

The golf season has been hit and miss thus far, but mostly miss. I failed to qualify for the BC Amateur (missing by 20 odd shots, and making a fool of myself). I failed to win the SWUMP, losing to Mark on the 19th hole back on Canada Day. Man - I am still upset that I didn't go for the green on #18 instead of losing because I failed to layup properly and then couldn't two-putt. I wish I'd fallen with my boots on!

But all the miseries of the recent and distant past can be forgotten, because Balfour is upon us. We leave Friday morning and I am excited. I don't expect to play particularly well, but I really don't mind. I have achieved perfect contentment.

Entry 106: Huzzah for Gilman and Wife

Date: July 8, 2008
Weight: 194 pounds
Song: Wagner - Ride of the Valkyries

Gilman and Mrs. Gilman tied the knot on Sunday in a beautiful ceremony at Queen Elizabeth Park. I was maestro of the music and sat at the back of the hall playing the songs on the CD when cued by the commissioner. I didn't know what the songs would be so it was a treat to hear them as they came out. The above song was the Gilmans's exit music - they left in style.

I found the affair quite emotional and was moved to tears (of course I will cry at the drop of a hat). I think part of it is because as Paul is not one to use phony words and phrases (what he says, he means, more or less), so to hear the powerful professings of love and committment - well let's just say it was quite devoid of irony which is a welcome tonic for an aging hipster like me. They're off to Costa Rica so I wish them all the best.

Entry 105: Gilman's Big Day - Part One

Date: July 2, 2008
Weight: 194 pounds
Song: Simon and Garfunkel - The Sound of Silence

Star Wars is on TV right now except that it's the awful version with extra dinosaurs. I will pretend that it does not exist.


"Gilman's Big Day"

"These are truly terrible seats," said Slippers. "I can't see anything!"

"Quiet you! We'll miss the ceremony!"

So Chance and Slippers sat in the second row from the back of the church waiting for the action to begin. As they waited, the sky grew dim, and a crack of thunder sounded in the distance.

"What a beautiful couple," said the Texan. "As beautiful as a couple of ostrich eggs."

Gilman arrived at the altar to tremendous applause and began to speak.

"Ia! Ia! Praise to our Master! Cthulhu fthagn! This shall be done for you!"

"Wow - that's his best speech yet," observed Slippers. Chance nodded as they waited for the arrival of Gilman's bride to-be.

"I hope that this ceremony goes off without a hitch," said Chance, nervously eyeing the cackling villains lurking in the vestibule.

"Fools!" announced Roggles. "I have you now!"

Entry 104: Plastics

Date: June 25, 2008
Weight: 192 pounds
Song: Faith No More - Midlife Crisis

For some reason, people often speak of middle age as being someone in their fifties. This makes no sense. Our biblical allotment is 70 years, so 35 is halfway there (though actuarial tables suggest that a man of 40 years can expect to live for exactly 40 more).

So what should I do with this last half of my life? Keep trudging on? Prepare for something better? Work has been alright lately, but they have recently decided to transfer my work to Bangalore so I don't know what I'll be doing in 2-3 months time. This is tough because I am a creature of routine and I don't like change! The good news is that I may get a trip to India out of the deal, which would be fun (I think).

All these things to think about before my morning coffee.

Entry 103: 35 and Overweight?

Date: June 24, 2008
Weight: 192 pounds
Song: Sex Pistols - God Save The Queen

I'm getting tired of the highly directed Facebook ads that pop up when I log in. They know so much about me. Perhaps sometimes there is too much information out there.

We are now in the heart of summer, and I approve. This week sees the longest days of the year with sunset not falling until 9:20pm. We even golfed till 10:40pm one day last week, but that was crazy.

Gilman's wedding is coming up shortly. Since I'm getting a little nervous about it as just some random guest, I can only imagine how he is holding up. Is it Caves Gilman wondering where the shots are coming from, or is it magnificent Stack Gilman calmly searching and destroying every intruder. Anyways - best of luck to the future Mr. and Mrs. Gilman (and pudge)!

Entry 102: Obama Will Win In a Rout

Date: June 20, 2008
Weight: 191 pounds
Song: Allman Brothers - In Memory of Elizabeth Reed

The consensus until now is that the U.S. Election may be close between Obama and McCain. Strategists pore over maps wondering which states will be in play and craft master strategies for winning 50% + 1 of the electoral votes. On the Democratic side, supporters ring their hands looking at the impossibility of winning battleground states like Ohio and Florida and wonder how the inevitable red/blue electoral calculus can resolve itself favourably.

Well let me tell you now to stop worrying.

Obama is going to win in a landslide. Why? Because the economy is in the toilet (or more importantly, it is perceived to be in the toilet). This is why parties get voted out of office. It's the economy, stupid.

The fact that 10 other factors point towards the Republicans getting demolished is just a happy add-on.

I'm not sure if Obama reaches 400 electoral votes (it's about 50/50), but I guarantee he reaches 350.

Entry 101: I Don't Care About The Environment

Date: June 18, 2008
Weight: 192 pounds
Song: Wizzard - I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday

There's a number of people at work who live and breathe by various environmental concerns. Carbon tax this, take the bus to work that. What do we do about Peak Oil! If they come to talk to you, it's not likely to be about your job or life but about your carbon footprint.

I used to not feel too strongly about the environment one way or the other, but dealing with all these self-righteous environmentalists have changed my tune. I just don't care. Screw this stupid planet.

Now it's not that I don't believe the environmental scare-mongering. For the most part I accept it. No, it's that I don't think the earth belongs to me in any way. It's not my planet, it's their planet, and they know it. They have the money, they have the power. I have nothing.

So I'll do my best to pay my bills and make ends meet. The planet can fend for itself.

Entry 100: All Is Well

Date: June 17, 2008
Weight: 193 pounds
Song: Rush - Vital Signs

Life is OK. Played a scramble against BigJ at Riverway today. Huge victory. Was 6-under through 16 before an unfortunate double-water-double-bogey on #17 led to a 68.

Scramble golf is the wave of the future. One ball golf is for suckers.

Entry 99: Golfing At Night

Date: June 16, 2008
Weight: 193 pounds
Song: R.E.M. - Gardening at Night

I have now played golf the last eight days in a row, mostly finishing the round between 10pm and 10:30pm (it's 100% visibility). Now less than half of these scores have been under 80, and the trend line is not good. Why? I feel things sometimes coming into the focus, but then with a flash they are gone and the shots become poor (and the less said about my putting the better). Why can I not maintain myself at the adequate level that I have previously achieved.

So I need to decide whether to play golf less or maybe play even more, in a last ditch attempt to return to being decent.

Sometimes I just don't understand how something that I allegedly enjoy can cause such little joy.

Sigh. I guess I'll be out again tomorrow. Somebody should bring whiskey, and perhaps a saxophone.

Oh - congrats to Tiger. 14 majors. He is our generation's... actually there is no longer any obvious comparable.

Entry 98: A Sense of Perspective

Date: June 6, 2008
Weight: 194 pounds
Song: The Bee Gees - Massachusetts

Today's song is in tribute to Big Man's dad, who passed away suddenly earlier today. I remember listening to this song on Mark's DVD (or at least the first two minutes of it) while up at Balfour last year, so this is the best tribute I can come up with. I don't recall which one was Mark's favourite song on the disc, but we'll go with this one.

Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.

Entry 97: Ignorance, Dust, and Disease

Date: May 27, 2008
Weight: Unknown
Song: Amy Winehouse - Back to Black

I bought a DVD player for $44 today because the old one has succumbed to the omnipresent cat hair in my apartment. It seems to work OK. I am watching John Adams.

To celebrate I have also bought some beer, which I am now drinking. Today is a good day to drink and I'll confess that I have consumed too many.

I have never watched a match of UFC. It seems clear that I'm missing out on something so I think I will try to catch UFC 85 and then give a more honest assessment. Bring da ruckus!

Addendum: I'm officially in the field for this weekend's Victoria City Amateur. Time to get back to business. Fraserview tomorrow anyone?

Entry 96: Is That All There Is?

Date: May 26, 2008
Weight: Unknown
Song: The Verve - Bitter Sweet Symphony

Entry 95: Money Talk

Date: May 14, 2008
Weight: 194 pounds
Song: Beth Orton - Central Reservation

Growing up reasonably comfortably in suburban Victoria, I'll admit that I never spent too much time worrying about monetary concerns. I just assumed that one day I'd eventually have enough money and didn't really make any plan on how exactly to go about achieving this. But the plan isn't really working as I'm close to halfway done but am barely above water. Obviously my occasionally long indolent between-job layoffs are mostly to blame, but there are structural faults that I need to sort out.

The summer months with their litany of bills now find my expenses once more equalling my meagre earnings. I wonder exactly how I will ever get ahead - I'm slaving my life away at the salt mines, but to what end?

It makes me think that at the end of the day some great reward will not be coming my way.

Perhaps the solution is that I should try harder at work and get myself promoted or something. Even a modest 20% pay rise would make a world of difference in the marginal sense.