Spread Firefox - Download Day 2008

I think most people have tried Firefox at some point. If not, it's time to check out the new version, and help set a world record for most downloads in a 24 hour period.

Spread Firefox | Download Day 2008

What are you waiting for?

Day 2

It's officially day 2 of my 2-week vacation and so far I have done nothing terribly exciting.

Monday was spent vegging on the couch and playing Rock Band. :) Oh... and the inlaws from 4 or 5 doors away came over for cake since it was my Birthday.

This morning my wife and I attended our daughter's school play for an hour, after my wife dropped our truck off at the dealership to get the paint chips on the bumper repaired. The remainder of my family-free day was spent watching a movie and farting around here on the laptop.

Now that the kids are home from school, I'm sitting on the doorstep typing this boring blog entry.

Tomorrow will probably be more of the same, but in the evening I'll hopefully be going to pre-register our team for this Friday's Relay for Life event. That's assuming that I can get everyone's cash donations to bring with me, otherwise we'll have to wait until Friday evening to register during the event.

Guitar Hero & Rock Band Haters Make Me Laugh

I can't help but laugh at all the Guitar Hero & Rock Band haters out there.

I was browsing a few impressive videos of young people playing both of these games when I noticed a trend. It never fails that some know-it-all chips in his two cent comment like "That sucks man, play that on a real guitar" and adding that they hate it when some kid thinks that it's like playing a real guitar.

The only people I ever see making a comparison between Guitar Hero or Rock Band and a real guitar or drum kit is the so-called "real" musicians who hate the game.

Here's a particularly pissed off individual, quoted straught from a YouTube video (spelling & grammar errors included) of Eddie Van Halen's live "Eruption":

"It fuckin pisses me off,kids go into the guitar shops while youre playing a real guitar,and theyre like,yeah,I can play that...on guitar hero,its easy.and they think theyre real bad asses.Guitar Hero has to be one of the worst inventions ever."

Good grief, does that really matter? It's apples and oranges.

I'm sure there are probably a few kids who think that it's like the real thing, but so what? If it gets them interested in music, maybe one day they'll take interest in learning a real instrument?

I've heard some say that these games are nothing more than a glorified "Simon" game. Hate to break it to you, but they're more difficult than Simon. There's more coordination needed to play. It's not as simple as just pressing a coloured button when it flashes. There's timing involved in pressing the button and hitting the strum bar. You have to be in sync with the notes. You need to get a feel for the rhythm and the beat to play the game well.

If you're one of these haters, keep your hate to yourself. Don't slam anyone who likes the game. You've got nothing to fear. You may or may not realize this, but these games are designed created by REAL musicians. People who can play real instruments, AND play the game well.

Maybe that's why you hate the game. Because you can't do both?

CBC - You Snooze, You Lose

CTV purchases The Hockey Theme

CTV Inc. has acquired the rights to The Hockey Theme in perpetuity, the network announced Monday.

The agreement was reached with Copyright Music & Visuals, which was unable to renew a deal with CBC Sports.

CBC Sports executive director Scott Moore said he was disappointed but not surprised the song was shopped elsewhere.

"The two sides were so far apart and there was so much bad blood that we knew a deal would be difficult," he said. "The reality is it takes two sides to do a deal and we tried everything we could to do a deal.

"We offered arbitration, mediation — we offered to meet their price. On Friday, when it came right down to it, we never got a response from them on our latest offer and find out, in the meantime, they appeared to be negotiating with CTV."

Moore said CBC had negotiated for 14 months but to no avail, and that the agency was asking for $2.5 million to $3 million for use in perpetuity.

"If they got that from CTV, we would never have been able to get there," Moore told CBC Newsworld. "It is not a responsible price for us.

"If that is the price CTV wants to pay, it won't be the first time nor will it be the last time, probably, that they outbid us for something. They have a lot more profits than we do."

The song had been used on Hockey Night in Canada since 1968.

"Hockey is a game, it's not a song," Moore said. "We have the No. 1 sports property in Canada.

"I don't expect one less viewer to tune in on Saturday to watch Hockey Night in Canada. They will continue to watch their favourite team."

According to a release, CTV said it agreed to a deal with Copyright Music & Visuals after Friday's deadline with CBC passed.

The agency represents the song's composer, Dolores Claman, who was born in Vancouver.

"The song has a long and storied history in Canadian sports, and has become ingrained in the hearts and minds of hockey fans across the country. It is an iconic tune, embraced by Canadians everywhere, and we felt it was imperative to save it," said Rick Brace of CTV Inc.

Moore said he was surprised a rival network would purchase something so inextricably linked to the Hockey Night brand.

"It's a constant commercial for our network," he said.

Lawsuit complicated negotiations

Earlier on Monday, CBC Sports had said it planned to bring in noted sports and entertainment lawyer Gord Kirke in a last-ditch effort to bring about a mediated resolution.

Complicating the bid for a settlement was an outstanding lawsuit filed against the CBC in late 2004 surrounding its use for ringtones and downloads.

Moore said CBC wanted to resolve that issue along with the song's future use, but that representatives for Claman wanted to keep them separate.

Claman, 80, has written about 2,000 jingles over her career, including the Ontario theme A Place to Stand, which she co-wrote with her husband, Richard Morris.

"I am very moved by how so many Canadians have taken the hockey theme to heart. We are so pleased the song has found a new home," said Claman, who now resides in Britain.

Before Kirke's involvement was announced, CBC Sports announced plans to launch a new national contest in conjunction with Nettwerk Music Group to find a new theme song.

Canadians will be invited to write and record an original song for Hockey Night in Canada, with fans and a jury of experts to choose the best new composition.

"I think it'll help us get a new demographic," Moore said. "The theme that we had was a great theme. [But] it was 39 years old. Maybe it's time for something else."

The son of Stompin' Tom Connors said Monday his father is open to licensing his famed hockey song to CBC as a replacement.

"If they want to use The Hockey Song, it's a good song, whether Tom sings it or not," Tom Connors Jr. said. "There's other versions out there.

"Even if they wanted to commission some other band, like a big [name] band if they wanted to do more of a Hockey Night theme, everything is open for negotiations, of course. That's the business we're in."

The last 3 paragraphs of that article scares me. For the love of all things hockey, please... NOT Stompin' Tom Connors. I don't like Stompin' Tom. And I don't like "The Hockey Song". I don't think it would matter who sang it.

Anyway, the CBC really dropped the ball on this one. They're trying to make it look like they did everything possible, but seriously, how can they expect anyone to believe them when they openly admitted that they were going ahead with the contest to find a new HNIC song, while trying to negotiate a deal? Would a few more days of waiting really make that big of a difference to their contest?

CBC requests mediator for song dispute

From the Sportsnet web site:

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/2008/06/09/kirke_hockey_song/

TORONTO -- CBC appears to be making a last-ditch effort to rescue the popular Hockey Night in Canada theme song.

The public broadcaster has asked Toronto sports lawyer Gord Kirke to mediate negotiations between CBC and Copyright Music and Visuals, the company that controls the song.

CBC Sports executive director Scott Moore says CBC feels it's worth one last effort to save a theme song that evokes such passion among Canadians.

CBC's licence for the song, written by composer Delores Claman and a staple of Hockey Night in Canada since 1968, expired last week following the Stanley Cup finals.

The parties were in negotiations late last week before CBC announced Friday it would begin the search for a new theme song.

The broadcaster has asked Canadian musicians to vy for a $100,000 prize by submitting their own original compositions to replace the theme.

I can't see this making any difference... but hey, it's worth a shot... I guess.

Paint Chips Follow-up

A quick update to my Paint Chips posting.

My wife took the truck to the For dealerership during the week. The warranty on the paint is 3yr/60,000kms. They have to order some part(?) first and will call us to set up a service appointment once it's in.

No definite word on exactly what they're going to do.

Deal to keep Hockey Night theme song falls through

What a load of crap.

Negotiations to keep the Hockey Night in Canada theme song have collapsed, meaning the CBC program is now in search of another anthem.

Copyright Music & Visuals, the Toronto agency representing the song's composer, Dolores Claman, said on Friday that the deal had fallen through.

That news came as a surprise to the CBC, said Scott Moore, executive director of CBC Sports.

"We're disappointed, as many Canadians are," Moore said, adding he found out about the deal falling through from CBC News.

"We have no real idea why the deal fell apart," he said. "We're not sure why because the other side hasn't communicated with us.

"You have to ask the other side what happened."

Copyright Music & Visuals said it had offered the public broadcaster a chance to renew its licence to use Claman's song — a staple on HNIC since 1968 — on terms that were "virtually identical to those that have existed for the past decade."

Previously, each use of the song cost the CBC about $500, the agency said.

After the first two years of a new agreement, the rates would rise about 15 per cent, an increase Copyright Music & Visuals president John Ciccone called an industry standard.

"We offered to continue paying the richest licence fee in Canadian television, which was the price they asked for," said Moore. "We also offered to buy it outright for a high six-figure sum."

A call made to Ciccone by CBCSports.ca was not returned Friday.

Claman, who has written about 2,000 jingles over her career, is also credited with the Ontario theme A Place to Stand, which she co-wrote with her husband, Richard Morris, in 1967.

Contest for new theme in works

Moore said Friday the two sides had agreed upon a price, but added an "unfortunate set of circumstances," including an outstanding lawsuit, hovered over negotiations.

A lawsuit filed against the CBC in late 2004 by the composer alleges that the broadcaster was overusing the Hockey Night in Canada theme and has not been settled. Copyright Music & Visuals said the litigation hasn't interfered with the CBC's use of music, nor was settlement of the suit a condition for the proposed new licensing agreement.

"We really can't do business with a lawsuit hanging over our heads," Moore said. "We feel that we've done everything we possibly can."

CBC Sports will now move on and launch a new national contest in conjunction with Nettwerk Music Group to find a new theme song, he said. Canadians will be invited to write and record an original song for Hockey Night in Canada, with fans and a jury of experts choosing the best new composition.

The winner will receive $100,000 and proceeds from any royalties will go to minor hockey across the country. More details on the contest will be revealed in the next week.

"We expect a lot of terrific music, and we expect that the new theme for Hockey Night in Canada will be as iconic as the last two themes have been," Moore said.

Earlier on Friday, Liberal heritage critic Denis Coderre told reporters in Ottawa that Conservative Heritage Minister Josée Verner must defend one of Canada's most famous musical traditions and do everything possible to ensure the CBC continues to broadcast the theme.

"The Hockey Night in Canada theme is a part of Canada's culture that goes beyond sport," Coderre said. "If the minister wants to show that she cares about Canadian heritage, this is her chance."

This is disappointing, but I'm not too surprised. I don't believe that the CBC went back into negotiations in good faith. The only reason they did it was an attempt to make the public think that they cared. They keep bring up the outstanding litigation "hovering over our heads", when the other side said it has no affect on the terms on the proposed contract.

This sucks.

And now they'll no doubt spend a bundle on promoting the contest to find a new theme.

I feel sorry for the person who wins because I can't see the public accepting it.

More Hockey Night song stuff

Here's a summary of what I've heard about the CBC / Hockey Night song fiasco:

• CBC claims they're still in negotations with Copyright Music & Visuals (the company who manages the copyright on behalf of the song's composer, Dolores Claman)
• Copyright Music & Visuals claims that they received an email from CBC stating that they would not renew the contract.
• CBC said that if they don't renew, they have plans this summer to hold a public contest to write a new theme.
• CBC is currently being sued by Dolores Claman alleging that CBC repeatedly used the theme song in broadcasts not covered under her licence agreement and refused requests to negotiate additional fees.
• Copyright Music & Visuals claims that resolution of the ongoing litigation is not a precondition of the new proposed licence agreement..
• CBC says "You don't do business with someone who is suing you." While that may be true, we're not talking about a multi-million dollar contract here. This smells like CBC trying to take a little heat off their poorly thought out decision.
  

While change can be a good thing, I'm convinced that this change is not. The song celebrates its 40th anniversary next year. To axe the song now would be like firing someone after 40 years of dedicated service in a company.

I think CBC is missing out on a good marketing opportunity/partnership here. Maybe they're trying to use this to their advantage? "Play by OUR rules, or your song doesn't see its 40th birthday."

Related articles

• Hockey Night In Canada theme song in limbo [via Zemanta]

National Doughnut Day

If you're the type of person who needs an excuse to indulge in these doughy treats, today is your day.

National Doughnut Day

National Doughnut Day was established in 1938 by the Chicago Salvation Army to raise much-needed funds during the Great Depression, and to honor the work of World War I Salvation Army volunteers who prepared doughnuts and other foods for thousands of soldiers.

Driving Your Business Into The Ground - Lesson 1

Looks to me like "Nathaniels" owner, Dan Hilliard, may soon discover that he wrote the the first lesson: Waitress loses job after shaving head for cancer charity

The day the music died?

I came across this story about half an hour ago. I'll quote the entire thing, in case the link changes or goes missing:

CBC ending use of 'Hockey Night' song

Sportsnet.ca - The CBC will not be using the legendary 'Hockey Night in Canada' theme song next season after it decided not to sign a new license agreement according to the song's publisher.

The composition was written by Dolores Claman in 1968 and has become one of the longest running theme songs in broadcasting history.

According to the publisher, the CBC was offered a new license on 'virtually identical terms to those that have existed for the past decade (approximately $500 per use)' but the network has chosen to move in a new direction.

In a statement issued Wednesday, Claman said "I am saddened by the decision of the CBC to drop the Hockey Night in Canada Theme after our lengthy history together. I nevertheless respect its right to move in a new direction."

Have the decision makers at CBC lost their fuckin' minds? What kind of a "new direction" is this? Down the toilet?

If they're looking to improve anything, get rid of Bob Cole before next season. Harry Neile can go with him. I'm sure they'll save a hell of a lot more than $500 per show.

Many of the comments on the Sportsnet article say to send CBC a complaint at http://www.cbc.ca/contact. Whether it will make a difference, remains to be seen. I sent one anyway.

Edit: CBC actually found the balls to post the story on their own site... an hour after the story broke: Red Wings victory last outing for Hockey Night theme? There's also an online petition here, if you wish to sign it.

Related articles

• Fresh faces bring HNIC forward at warp speed [via Zemanta]

Help me make cancer history - Pledge me?

My last call for pledges! Here's the scoop...

The Canadian Cancer Society Relay For Life is an overnight non-competitive relay that celebrates cancer survivors and pays tribute to loved ones. It's a night of fun, friendship and fundraising to beat cancer.

I will be participating as a member of the Team W.T.F. (Walk To Fight) team, in the Orleans event on June 20th, 2008.

Why I Relay
I am doing this in memory of my Father whom I lost to cancer in December 1998, and a friend in February of this year. 12 hours of my time and your pledges can make a difference.

Help me reach my goal
You can be part of a community that takes up the fight. Please pledge me now and help make cancer history.

Online pledging is secure and it saves the Society money by reducing administrative costs. You can pledge online by following this link.

Thanks for your support!

More about how your donation helps.

Arnel Pineda -- who is he?

Image via WikipediaThis is Journey with their new lead singer, Arnel Pineda, whom they discovered on YouTube on the Ellen Degeneres Show.

I had read about him a little while ago, but this is the first time I've seen and heard him.

After watching the video, and being quite impressed, I then discovered that Journey has had quite a few lead singers after Steve Perry's departure, all of whom have been pretty impressive.

Here's a comparison:

Dribble Cups

Why is it that 9 times out of 10, Tim Hortons employees seem to line up the tear off part of the lid with the cup seam. Coincidence? It can make for a dribbly sip of coffee.

Weekends and Paint Chips

Once again, a weekend is over before ya know it. I’ll be taking two weeks off work in about 3 weeks. I’m soooo looking forward to it.

After washing our truck yesterday afternoon, I discovered two chips in the paint on the plastic bumper near the rear wheel well. There also appears to be a small bubble that hasn’t yet chipped off.

Our truck is less than a year old, so I’m assuming that something like this would be covered by the warranty. My wife called the dealership this morning asking what we can get done about it and they told her that the service manager would have to see it. Hopefully we’ll be able to bring it in this week.

It certainly doesn’t seem like something that can be “touched up”, since it’ll more than likely continue to get worse over time, which leaves repainting the entire bumper. Or could they replace the bumper with an already-painted bumper? I’d be happy with either of those options. I just won’t settled for a “touch up”.

Hello? Is anybody home?

Over the last few months a representative from MTS Allstream has been leaving us messages on our answering machine regarding our "account". According to the message, there is an outstanding balance on our account that we must rectify to avoid a disruption to our service.

Up until a day or two ago, we have been ignoring these messages. Not because we don't want to rectify the outstanding balance, but because we don't have an "account" with MTS Allstream. In fact, up until today we didn't even know what they did or what kind of service they provide.

My wife decided to call the rep back to let them know that they have the wrong number. The rep who has been calling us was busy, so she spoke with another rep.

MTS Allstream apparently provides communications (phone service?) They have our number on file as the business number for Sophistication. This doesn't come as a complete surprise to us. Sophistication was a bridal clothing store. For the last four years, we've been receiving phone calls every spring from women looking for bridal gowns and/or prom dresses. You used to be able to find our number using Google. It took a few emails to various business listing web sites to get it removed. Now it seems that I can only find it using Yahoo.

Anyway, my wife told the rep that our number is residential, we've had it for four years, it does not belong to Sophistication, we have nothing to do with that business, nor have we ever had anything to do with that business, and that they can remove our number from their system.

The reply she received was "We'll see what we can do."

My wife then clarified that she wasn't asking them to remove it, she was telling them to remove it. It's our home number and they have no business calling it. They will never get in touch with Sophistication by calling it.

I don't know what else was said, but my wife said that the rep didn't seem as pleasant after that.

It wouldn't surprise me if the calls don't stop because they think that we're bullshitting them to avoid paying whatever the oustanding balance Sophistication owes them.

I hope I'm there to answer the phone the next time they call. I'll be polite. I'm really curious what they they're hoping to gain by continuing to call. I'll tell them that they're more than welcome to send someone to our home to verify that they are indeed calling a residential number. I'll also going to ask them if they have a contact name and address on file for Sophistication.

$10 says they're not mine.

Great Mileage

A recent study found the average Canadian walks about 900 miles a year. Another study found Canadians drink, on average, 22 gallons of beer a year.

That means, on average, Canadians get about 41 miles to the gallon.

Makes you proud to be a Canadian, eh?

(I have no idea if those stats are real... it's just funny)

Drive-thru follies

Image via WikipediaWe pulled into Tim Horton's this morning, the same as we do every morning, to get our coffees before I drop my wife off at work.

This particular Timmy's is a small one, with two drive-thrus (driver and passenger sides) and no seating inside the building. There is, however, a counter to place and receive your order.

We always use the passenger side drive-thru. I place the order, pull up to the window, and my wife pays and gets our coffee. That is how a passenger side drive-thru is supposed to work.

This morning, like many other mornings, some nimrod drivers alone in their vehicle used the passenger side drive-thru and held everyone up with their stupidity.

Now, if you can pull up real close to the window and reach across with your payment and get your order without the Timmy's employee having to lean out the window, it's not that big of a deal.

What drives me crazy is the two examples we saw this morning.

1. Moron pulls up to the window, stopping 2 feet short, and leaving 2 feet distance betweeen his car and the window. He then GETS OUT of his car and walks up to the window to complete the transaction. My wife summed it up perfectly. If you're going to get out of your car anyway, park it in a spot and walk inside to get your damn order.
2. This guy was immediately after moron #1. He pulled up beside the window, but left at least 2 feet between his car and the window. He then reached over the passenger seat, and out the passenger window to pay the girl. She practically had to hang out the window to reach for his payment and to hand him the tray of two coffees.
   

Why is Tim Horton's condoning this practice by serving these people? I'm sure there used to be a sign that said they wouldn't serve people at the drive-thru window if they weren't in a car. I'll have to look for it again, because if they'd enforce that, it would take care of morons like #1. As for #2, they need a new sign that says:

** ONLY VEHICLES WITH AN OCCUPIED PASSENGER SEAT WILL BE SERVED AT THIS DRIVE-THRU **

It's not perfect, but it's better than nothing.

Sometimes there's an old lady who walks her dog to this Tim Hortons, and instead of tying her dog outside and walking inside, she walks up to the drive-thru window and places her order there, which usually involves butting in line.

PCmover download link -- found it!

I finally found the download link for PCmover. Their site is so slow that the main page never finished loading. Try here for the download.

Free software = good. Making it difficult to find = bad

Laplink is giving away its PCmover software for free today only. If you can make it to their site (which is painfully slow) and find where to download it for free, that is.

PCmover is the only migration utility that moves programs, files, and settings from your old PC to your new PC. Simply install PCmover on both your old and new computers and go! PCmover will determine which programs, files, and settings need to be moved, and when the transfer is complete, your new computer will have the personality and functionality of your old PC plus all of its own pre-installed software. Works with almost any Windows operating system, from Windows 95 to Vista.

You can read all about it here.

Vent Cleaning

As a side note to our vent squirrel adventure, I must say that our bathroom vent looks amazingly clean now, assuming that the critter didn't take a crap in the vent. I think everyone should run a squirrel down their vent to clean it out. Try and find a fat one.

Vent Critter - The Final Chapter

Image via WikipediaMy wife woke me up early this morning to tell me that she didn't hear anything all night, and didn't hear anything come from the bathroom this morning.

I went downstairs to listen at the bathroom door.

Our visitor was rummaging around in the bathroom. I could hear him.. or her. It sounded like it was on the counter.

We set up our plywood barricade, left the front door open, and I carefully opened the bathroom door and waited. We opened it more. And waited. We opened it all the way. And waited. I turned on the bathroom light. More waiting.

More noise. A plastic wrap rustling sound. Flipping magazine pages sound. We thought that perhaps it got into the cupboard underneath the sink. Reading magazines? Although we had it blocked off with a case of coke, there was still a space between the doors and the cabinet where it could have squeezed in.

I stepped over our barricade and carefully pulled the case of coke away from the cupboard door. Back over the barricade and used a grabber thing to reach in and open one of the doors.

No squirrel. More sound. I tried for a few minutes to open the other door but it was stuck.

All of a sudden, it scurried out from the corner on the right. It must have been sitting in the corner the whole time, watching me move the case of coke.

It ran behind the toilet.

We waited, yet again.

Enough. Sandra handed me a long strip of wood and I poked behind the toilet to spook it out. Nothing.

After few more minutes of waiting, he or she came out from behind the garbage can, out into the open.

It was a red squirrel. I forgot they had grey bellies. Cute little thing.

It stood there wondering what to do. We stood watching it, wondering what to do. We called our son over to come see it. After a few "awwwwwws", it stood on its hind legs looking up at the counter.

Could it contemplating a return to its ceiling vent hideaway?

It jumped up onto the counter and again looked up at the ceiling, where the open vent was.

Hell no... you little bastard, it's time to go!

I still had the grabber in my hand. I stuck it in the bathroom door and whacked it (the grabber, not the squirrel) on the door frame a few times to scare it off the counter.

It scurried around on the counter for a brief moment trying to get a grip and fell off onto the floor. After a brief pause, it ran out into the hall in front of us... paused... then scooted out the door.

It barely made it out before Sandra slammed the door on its furry little ass.

Mission accomplished.

I would have had pictures, but getting the squirrel out was a priority, so taking photos was the last thing on my mind.

Sandra still wants the exterminator to come and screen off the access on the roof. I suggested calling the management office to let them know the squirrel was gone, to give them the option of doing it themselves.

Regardless, something has to be done today so we don't end up with a repeat of our adventure.

Vent Critter - Part III

My family and I were sitting in the living room watching TV early this evening. Our little visitor decided to start making some noise in the vent. Quite a bit of noise, actually.

I went to check on it. I opened the bathroom door and looked up at the vent. There he/she was. Sitting on the ceiling vent cover -- still in the ceiling -- looking down at me.

It's a small grey squirrel. Judging by its size, I'd say it's a young one.

I moved closer to get a better look and it moved back up into the vent pipe.

Now I figured we had a bigger problem. Seeing as how it can get past the fan, there's no way the exterminator will be able to haul it up the pipe and out through the roof where it got in. It now has a place to take cover.

I decided that now would be a good time to try and get it out.

My brother inlaw, Serge, came over and I explained my plan. Block off access to the rest of the house, open the front door, remove the vent cover and leave the bathroom door open.

Sandra didn't like that idea and went over to her sister's place.

We went back to Serge's house to borrow some plywood to block off access to the kitchen and the living room.

Then we played the waiting game. And waited. And waited. Once in a while we checked the vent and could see the squirrel peeking out from the vent pipe.

More waiting.

Serge suggested we bait it with peanut butter on a cracker, left on top of the cabinet beneath the vent. We did that.

More waiting.

Serge went home.

And more waiting.

Not a peep from the squirrel.

I guess it was just too tired and decided that sleep might be the best idea.

Sandra came home and we tried to figure out what to do. Do we put the vent cover back on or leave it off and close the bathroom door, with the hope that it'll come down? Or seal it up there again and be back at square one in the morning?

We chose option #1. There's nowhere for it to go once it comes down.

I closed the door and we blocked off the bottom with some plywood, and leaned a flat of water and coke cans against it.

With a little luck, the squirrel will remain quiet during the night. Regardless, I'm sure Sandra won't have a very good night's sleep. It'll no doubt be up early to continue its adventures. Hopefully it'll come down. If we can hear it moving around the floor in the bathroom, we'll block off access to the kitchen and living room again, open the front door and then open the bathroom door... and hope that it can see the way to freedom and take advantage of it.

God help us if it decides to hop over the plywood barriers. ;)

Sandra said if we can't get it out in the morning, she may stay home for when the exterminator arrives.

Vent Critter - Part II

We came home from work, hoping that our little vent visitor had managed to leave. Unfortunately, it's still there.

I opened the bathroom door to find at least twice the amount of vent dust sitting on the toilet seat.

As I stood staring up at the vent, I heard some movement. Not as much as this morning, but it's definitely still in the vent. I figure there's a bend in the vent pipe that runs horizontal to the corner of the wall and then goes straight up inside the wall to the roof. It's probably sitting in the horizontal section wondering "WTF?"

The exterminator comes tomorrow. Apparently, he doesn't need access to the inside of the house. He said to turn on the vent fan before we leave, and he's going to get at it from the vent exit on the roof. That's a long way up. Or down, depending on your point of view. How the hell is he going to get whatever it is out? Some kind of long grabber thingy?

I hope our little visitor stays quiet tonight. Sandra isn't happy at all, and I'm sure she's not going to sleep very well, even if it does remain quiet. Our cat, Sam, is going to go berzerk if she hears anything at night. She already walks around the house at night meowing at nothing in particular.

What's up... vent?

This is kind of how I was woken up this morning by my wife. (Hey... get your mind out of the gutter)

Sandra (loud whisper): Scott, wake up. I hear something in the wall. It's freaking Sam out. (our cat)
Me: Huh?
Sandra: There's a scratching sound coming from the wall in the corner of our bedroom. Sounds like... scratching Styrofoam.
Me: Huh?

I sat up in bed to listen. Nothing. Sandra is staring at the corner of our room. Sam is sitting in the hall at the top of the stairs, outside our bedroom, staring at me.

Me: I don't hear it.
Sandra: It's not doing it anymore. But it was loud. Like something is in the wall scratching. Sam was in here poking around the corner looking for it.
Me: Did you look behind the picture? (we have a large picture leaning against the wall in that corner.. it's been there for months, waiting for a spot on the wall to be hung up)
Sandra: No, not yet. Why are you chicken to look?
Me: No. (I was just asking so I didn't waste my time looking. Really.)

Sandra walked over to the picture and carefully pulled it away from the wall. Nothing was there. Not that we really expected anything to be there since the noise was supposedly inside the wall.

Sandra left the room and went downstairs to the main floor. I laid back in bed, listening for the mysterious noise. Seconds later...

Sandra: Scott! Come here.
Me: What?
Sandra: Come here. Quick.
Me: What is it?
Sandra: Just come here.

I dragged myself out of bed, threw on some track pants and slippers and walked down stairs. Sandra was standing outside the main floor bathroom

Sandra: Look in the bathroom.

I looked in. The toilet seat cover had dust clumps that had fallen from the vent above the toilet. (Hmm... yes... gotta get around to cleaning that vent -- again)

Ok... so we have something up in the vent. That would explain the noise from our wall, since the vent pipe appears to run up the corner of the stairs, inside the wall, in the same corner of our room where the sound supposedly came from earlier.

But what could it be? Bird? Squirrel?

Sandra closed the bathroom door, wrote a note -- DO NOT OPEN -- and taped it to the door.

We contemplated what to do. Do we call the condo corp? Do they deal with this? It's inside the house... stuff inside is supposed to be our responsibility. Stuff outside is their's. But clearly this came from the outside. The vent on the roof. That's outside stuff.

We decided to look in the bathroom again. I don't know why.

As soon as we opened the door, there was a loud scurrying, scraping, kind of sound coming from the vent. Dusty clumps fell again, joining their dust buddies on the toilet seat cover.

We looked up at the vent.

The sound stopped.

We turned on the bathroom light.

More scurrying sounds from the vent. More dust on the toilet seat. Sounds stopped.

Whatever it is, it sounded like it was just above the vent fan. Perhaps trying to (unsuccessfully) climb back up the vent pipe. I thought about turning on the vent fan. I decided that maybe that wouldn't be such a good idea.

Light off. Close door. Step outside for a smoke. Discuss options again.

Definitely call condo corp. Even if it's not their responsibility, surely this can't be the first time a critter has gotten into someone's bathroom vent.

We came back inside. I opened the bathroom door again. No sound. Turned on the light. No sound.

I turned on the vent fan. More dust fell, but there were no critter sounds. Where'd it go? Could it possibly climb back up the smooth inside of a sheet metal vent pipe and out the roof where it likely got in?

I turned off the vent, the light, and closed the door.

I checked the bathroom a few more times before we left for work. Not a sound. I even showed the kids what they were missing behind the DO NOT OPEN sign.

The critter has either:

1. Had a heart attack and died.
2. Fallen asleep.
3. Left the way it got in.
4. Or maybe it's trying to fool us into thinking it's gone.
   

Sandra called me at work later this morning. She said she called the condo corp and they're going to send an exterminator to deal with the critter. She was told that it's not easy for them to get squirrels out of vents, but they'll do their best as well as screen off the vent on the roof if it's determined that's where it got in.

But, it may not be today. O_o The lady said that they don't often go the same day that the work order is submitted.

So, now we wait. The exterminator will be calling Sandra at work to arrange the appointment.

Sandra said she won't sleep tonight, if they don't come today. I don't think we have anything to worry about. It doesn't look like there's any way that the critter can get out of the vent and into the bathroom. It would have to squeeze past the vent fan and chew through the vent cover.

I supposed we could leave the vent fan on all night. :)

Are we having fun yet?

Speaking of packed places...

Pushers

No, not druggies. These people are paid to pack as many people into the trains as possible.



The next time you have to ride on a packed bus, or train, remember these poor souls. :)

The Sparkle Lounge

Image via WikipediaDef Leppard's mini site for their upcoming release, Songs from the Sparkle Lounge, is now up and running.

On it, they have previews of all the songs from the release along with the video for their new single, Nine Lives. At first listen, I like about half of them. But that's no unusual for me. More often than not, I tend to like songs the more I listen to them.

They also have a Guitar Hero III contest you can enter to win some prizes, I assume to commemorate the release of three of their songs on Guitar Hero III: Nine Lives, along with two live (older "classic" tracks) Photograph and Rock of Ages.

The general consensus on the Guitar Hero III forums is that the quality is crap. I downloaded the songs and I have to agree. The instruments on the two lives tracks are a little difficult to hear and the volume on Nine Lives seems to increased and decrease at various times during the song. I don't know what Activision did to the songs, but I know they don't sound that bad.

Related articles

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Cool web site

I stole... err... borrowed this cool link from someone else's blog:

http://www.31337.com/

It's very informative.

All 120 Crayon Names, Color Codes and Fun Facts

You really need to know all this stuff about Crayons. Really, you did. :)
Image via Wikipedia

For the last 100 years or so kids have been exploring and creating worlds of color with Crayons. For a lot of us, our life long love affairs with color began with these wax sticks and a blank sheet of paper. Here we go down crayon color memory lane with all 120 color names and hex codes, fun facts and photos.

read more | digg story

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• New Crayon Names [via Zemanta]

Biggest RC Airplane Competition in the World (VIDEO+PICS)

This story is givin' me the R/C itch! Can't wait for calmer weather to take the Super Cub up.

Top Gun 2008, the 20th anniversary edition of the biggest RC model competition in the world, starts tomorrow. Five days of pure nerdgasm watching the most stunning, biggest and best remote control aircraft in the planet. The ultimate toys this side of a real fighter jet.

read more | digg story

Corel Donates Painter X to Oakland Student Art Charity

Here's a story about some interesting stuff we're doing to get Painter into the hands of students. Check out the art show if you're in Oakland on May 2 - sounds like it'll be pretty nice!

read more | digg story

Mystery Puddle

We have a small puddle that keeps appearing on our basement floor in the laundry room. It seems to appear for no particular reason.

It's at least 3 feet away from our freezer and at least 4 or 5 feet away from our washing machine. There's no visible trail from any water source to where the puddle usually appears.

The first time it appeared a couple of years ago, I thought it might be condensation from the furnace ducts above, where they join. I wrapped a small towel around it and checked on it periodically. It was never wet. And the puddle stopped appearing.

I thought that perhaps there was a leak in the kitchen floor. Our kitchen is above the laundry room. However, the laundry room ceiling is unfinished and the wood is dry as a bone.

The copper pipes in the ceiling are all dry. No leaks.

I'm puzzled.

The fat lady has sung

A topsy turvy season, and another exit from the playoffs for the Ottawa Senators. I'm still convinced that the puck touched a stick after Vermette's "kicking motion" goal was disallowed, but that's a moot point now.

I expect some big changes. Despite the talent on the team, it's not running on all cylinders at all times. As much as I like to see most of the team remain the same... a shakeup is needed and I think some fresh rookie faces need a chance, even if it means taking a season or two to get there.

I think Gerber has earned himself another chance. With a rookie as a backup, I think Gerber will play very well next season. I've always said he doesn't play well with competition breathing down his neck (i.e. Emery), and since he was made the #1, that's been pretty evident. I've always liked Emery as well, but it's time for him to move on.

In some ways, I'm glad it's over. Playoffs for me are stressful as hell. Now I can relax and enjoy the games that I do manage to watch without popping a blood vessel when things don't go the way I'd like them to.

We've got a few Habs fans at work, so I'll be following the Habs from here on. Not as close as I did with the Sens, of course, but if there's any team other than the Sens that I'd like to see bring the cup back to Canada, it would be the Habs. Hell, I spent about 16 years of my life there, and the first hockey game I went to was the Habs vs the Blackhawks (Habs lost).

Sooo.... GO HABS GO... until next season. :)

(p.s. I certainly hope the officiating improves next year, for ALL teams. This season has been the most inconsistent I've ever seen)

Eeuauaughhhuauaahh

A friend sent this link to me. It's stupid funny. The longer you watch and listen to it, the funnier it seems.

Inside the head of a fairweather fan

I think I finally figured out what makes a fairweather fan tick.

They are what they are because:

1. They can't stand being wrong.
2. They can't stand people taking jabs at them for supporting their team, despite their losses.
   

So, what do they do?

They abandon the team before it's over so they can take comfort in saying "Yeh, I knew that was gonna happen."

That's their gratification.

Good god people... grow a spine!

Who the cares if you were wrong? Who cares if you supported your team and they lost?

Take some pride in sticking with the team every year, despite the outcomes, because when our time finally comes -- and it will -- it's going to be fuckin' amazing. A hell of a lot better than what you get from cowering every year to a little ribbing from rival fans and naysayers.

On a different note... Lindy Ruff tried to motivate his Buffalo Sabres last year:

"Approximately every 33 years something great happens in this league, and we're at about that 33-year range where something great is bound to happen. So we've told (Buffalo players) we're on the verge of greatness."

He's referring to the Leafs in 1942 and the Islanders in 1975. Unfortunately for Lindy and the Sabres, last year was year 32. This is year 33.

The last time a team came back from 3-0 to win a series was in 1975 when the Pittsburgh Penguins were up 3-0 over the Islanders. Only to lose the series 4-3.

Is it a long shot for the Sens? Sure is. I'll bet the Islanders were thinking the same thing back in 1975.

All it takes is a little hope and a little faith.

(Yeh... this is a double post... I mixed up the "bandwagon" and "fairweather" terms -- too much beering. So I killed the old, and posted the new.)

Haute Cuisine

Dinner in the Sky is hosted at a table suspended at a height of 50 metres, by a team of professionals.

You have to check it out. Gives new meaning to "Haute Cuisine".

Medical mumbo jumbo

I got the results from the MRI I had done on my shoulder a few weeks ago.

Here's a summary of my MRI, quoted from a copy my doctor he gave me. I cut out all the stuff that ISN'T wrong.

There is a small bursal sided partial thickness tear involving the midsubstance of the conjoint tendon. The tear measures about 12mm in short axis and 10mm in long axis. Rest of the supraspinatus tendon shows evidence of mild tendinosis.

The biceps tendon shows circumferential fluid around in its extra-articular aspect and appearances suggest tenosynovitis. No tendon tear is identified.

IMPRESSION:

1. A small bursal-sided partial thickness supraspinatus tear with associated supraspinatus tendinosis.
2. Tenosynovitis of the biceps tendon.

I had to Google some of the terms.

"Bursal-sided" refers to the bursa: "A small serous sac between a tendon and a bone".

I also found some info from the Mayo Clinic web site (really good web site, by the way). After further searching, I found more detailed information on Wikipedia about the Supraspinatus Muscle.

The bottom line is that I am now waiting to get an appointment to see a orthopaedic surgeon so he can decide if I need surgery. :-\

The lights are on, and nobody is home

For the Earth Hour complainers, this clearly was the case.

The whole point of Earth Hour seems to have gone way over some people's heads. I think there would have been less whining and complaining if they had been asked to cut off their left arm.

It's awareness, for crying out loud. Nobody is saying that the world is going to change overnight simply because you turned off your lights and non-essential appliances for one hour.

If you don't want to do it, THEN DON'T. But don't say "it's stupid" or say that you're going to turn on all your damned lights in protest of the idea.

Yes, that's what one poster in a forum I regularly read said he was going to do. I guess we won't know if he actually did it. I suspect he didn't.

What's the big fuckin' deal? ONE HOUR of your precious time to sit in darkness is all that was asked of you, so that maybe the next time you reach to turn on a light you'll stop and think, "Do I really need this light on?" Chances are, you don't. And over the long term, you save yourself a few bucks and help the environment.

Is that so wrong?

Good grief.

CNEWS - World: Parents picks prayer over treatment; girl dies

CANOE -- CNEWS - World: Parents picks prayer over treatment; girl dies: "WESTON, Wis. (AP) — Police are investigating an 11-year-old girl’s death from an undiagnosed, treatable form of diabetes after her parents chose to pray for her rather than take her to a doctor."

God can't cure diabetes

This is sad, and it pisses me right off. You have to be crazy to let your daughter die of a something that can be treated by medicine.

They're a pair of nuckin' futz and should be locked up.

Rockin' out!

I'm a Rock Band addict. So is my wife. My kids play as well, but not nearly as much as my wife and I.

My wife gave me an XBox 360 for Christmas. The following week, I bought Guitar Hero II. This was the seed that got my wife addicted. A week or two later, we got Guitar Hero III, with a second guitar. A month or so later, we picked up Rock Band. Just the game, since we already had the two guitars.

Being the typical guy who doesn't read manuals unless he has to, I wasn't aware that the Xbox headset could function as a microphone for Rock Band. After someone told me, THEN I read the manual. My daughter loved it. I ordered a Logitech USB microphone from Dell's web site and it was at my door within 2 days.

We knew that at some point we'd get the drums. That point arrived about a month ago after we had to send one of the guitars back to Red Octane for warranty servicing.

It didn't take long to realize that the drums are loud. The hard rubber/plastic surface makes a very distracting "thwack" when you play, unless you tap really lightly. Light tapping works great, but it definitely lacks that "rock out" feeling.

Something had to be done.

I came across these, as I was searching for a source of the stand-alone drumkit. (turns out that it simply wasn't available at the time)

Gum Rubber Pads

I watched all the videos and read a few reviews, and all seemed positive. I had come across other "solutions", but this one seemed to stick with me. So, I ordered a set for $35 Cdn (S&H included).

Unfortunately, do to the apparent high demand, all orders would be delayed by 2 weeks. No big deal.

I actually ended up waiting 3 weeks. Two week wait... 1 week travel time? Regardless, it was well worth the wait.

The first thing I noticed was that they were thicker than I expected. I'm bad with measurements though. They are 1/8" thick, as the web site states they should be. I think my brain thinks of 1/8" as being thinner.

Anyway, the second thing I noticed was... the smell. Rubber stinks, and these were no exception. Or maybe it's he adhesive...

The third thing I noticed is that these were high quality. They felt durable. They felt like they could really take a beating, and survive.

The adhesive backing covers the ENTIRE back of the pad too. Apparently these can be removed easily if there's a need to ship the kit back to Harmonix? I wouldn't like to try that.

Installation was simple:

1. Make sure the drum heads are clean.
2. Carefully peel the paper off adhesive backing of the pad.
3. Center on the drum head and...
4. Press down firmly.
   

When I say carefully peel the paper, I mean carefully. It's quite easy to accidentally peel the paper AND the adhesive off the rubber pad, if you can't get a finger nail between the paper and the adhesive. Take your time finding that edge to grab.

We happen to have a small wooden roller in our kitchen that I used to roll a few times across the rubber pad to make sure it was glued down properly.

Now repeat the four steps 3 more times. The instructions included also say to let them sit for 15 minutes to dry. I couldn't wait after the first one was glued on and test it out for one song. I didn't want to go through putting all four on, only to discover that I didn't like it.

I'm pleased to report that they work great! The drums are a little less sensitive, but that's more than made up for with the freedom to "rock out" harder.

Swimming at the edge of Victoria Falls

Someone at work sent around some photos of people swimming near the edge... yes, the TOP, of Victoria Falls at Zimbabwe.

My first instinct was to visit Snopes.com to find out if this was real. Snopes had nothing on it.

A little Googling later, and I came across this web site -- a blog -- with the same pictures, AND a video.

I don't care how safe it is... I think you'd have to have bowling balls to do that.

Check out the video...

There's another one on their web site as well that's worth watching.

Why you shouldn't talk on the cell phone in the bathroom...

I don't know where this originated. A friend sent it to me and it's funny as... well... shit. :)

All in all, it hadn't been a good day. Bad traffic, a malfunctioning computer, incompetent coworkers and a sore back all made me a seething cauldron of rage.

But more importantly for this story, it had been over forty-eight hours since I'd last taken a dump. I'd tried to jump start the process, beginning my day with a bowl of bowel-cleansing fiber cereal, following it with six cups of coffee at work, and adding a bean-laden lunch at Taco Bell. As I was returning home from work, my insides let me know with subtle rumbles and the emission of the occasional tiny fart that Big Things would be happening soon. Alas, I had to stop at the mall to pick up an order. I completed this task, and as I was walking past the stores on my way back to the car, I noticed a large sale sign proclaiming, "Everything Must Go!"

This was prophetic, for my colon informed me with a sudden violent cramp and a wet, squeaky fart that everything was indeed about to go. I hurried to the mall bathrooms. I surveyed the five stalls, which I have numbered 1 through 5 for your convenience:

1. Occupied.
2. Clean, but Bathroom Protocol forbids its use, as it's next to the occupied one.
3. Poo on seat.
4. Poo and toilet paper in bowl, unidentifiable liquid splattered on seat.
5. No toilet paper, no stall door, unidentifiable sticky object near base of toilet.
   

Clearly, it had to be Stall... 2. I trudged back, entered, dropped trou and sat down. I'm normally a fairly Shameful shitter. I wasn't happy about being next to the occupied stall, but Big Things were afoot.

I was just getting ready to bear down when all of a sudden the sweet sounds of Beethoven came from next door, followed by a fumbling, and then the sound of a voice answering the ringing phone. As usual for a cell phone conversation, the voice was exactly 8 dB louder than it needed to be. Out of Shameful habit, my sphincter slammed shut. The inane conversation went on and on. Mr. Shitter was blathering to Mrs. Shitter about the shitty day he had.

I sat there, cramping and miserable, waiting for him to finish. As the loud conversation dragged on, I became angrier and angrier, thinking that I, too, had a crappy day, but I was too polite to yak about in public. My bowels let me know in no uncertain terms that if I didn't get crapping soon, my day would be getting even crappier.

Finally my anger reached a point that overcame Shamefulness. I no longer cared. I gripped the toilet paper holder with one hand, braced my other hand against the side of the stall, and pushed with all my might. I was rewarded with a fart of colossal magnitude -- a cross between the sound of someone ripping a very wet bed sheet in half and of plywood being torn off a wall. The sound gradually transitioned into a heavily modulated low-RPM tone, not unlike someone firing up a Harley. I managed to hit the resonance frequency of the stall, and it shook gently.

Once my ass cheeks stopped flapping in the breeze, three things became
apparent:

1. The next-door conversation had ceased;
2. my colon's continued seizing indicated that there was more to come; and
3. the bathroom was now beset by a horrible, eldritch stench.
   

It was as if a gateway to Hell had been opened. The foul miasma quickly made its way under the stall and began choking my poop-mate. This initial "herald" fart had ended his conversation in mid-sentence.

"Oh my God," I heard him utter, following it with suppressed sounds of choking, and then, "No, baby, that wasn't me (cough, gag), you could hear that (gag)??"

Now there was no stopping me. I pushed for all I was worth. I could swear that in the resulting cacophony of rips, squirts, splashes, poots, and blasts, I was actually lifted slightly off the pot. The amount of stuff in me was incredible. It sprayed against the bowl with tremendous force. Later, in surveying the damage, I'd see that liquid poop had actually managed to ricochet out of the bowl and run down the side on to the floor. But for now, all I could do was hang on for the ride.

Next door I could hear him fumbling with the paper dispenser as he desperately tried to finish his task. Little snatches of conversation made themselves heard over my anal symphony: "Gotta go... horrible... throw up... in my mouth... not... make it... tell the kids... love them... oh God..." followed by more sounds of suppressed gagging and retching.

Alas, it is evidently difficult to hold one's phone and wipe one's ass at the same time. Just as my high-pressure abuse of the toilet was winding down, I heard a plop and splash from next door, followed by string of swear words and gags. My poop-mate had dropped his phone into the toilet.

There was a lull in my production, and the restroom became deathly quiet. I could envision him standing there, wondering what to do. A final anal announcement came trumpeting from my behind, small chunks plopping noisily into the water. That must have been the last straw. I heard a flush, a fumbling with the lock, and then the stall door was thrown open. I heard him running out of the bathroom, slamming the door behind him.

After a considerable amount of paperwork, I got up and surveyed the damage. I felt bad for the janitor who'd be forced to deal with this, but I knew that flushing was not an option. No toilet in the world could handle that unholy mess. Flushing would only lead to a floor flooded with filth.

As I left, I glanced into the next-door stall. Nothing remained in the bowl. Had he flushed his phone, or had he plucked it out and left the bathroom with nasty unwashed hands? The world will never know.

I exited the bathroom, momentarily proud and Shameless, looking around for a face glaring at me. But I saw no one. I suspect that somehow my supernatural elimination has managed to transfer my Shamefulness to my anonymous poop-mate.

I think it'll be a long time before he can bring himself to poop in public -- and I doubt he'll ever again answer his cell phone in the bathroom.

And this, my friends, is why you should never talk on your phone in the bathroom.

My Blog

I'm still amazed at how many visits this blog has received, despite the fact that I hadn't updated it in almost a year.

I had a quick look at what people come here for and the two most popular entries are Perfect Kraft Dinner, followed by Ice Skating Memories.

I can thank Kraft for the hits on the first one since they no longer print the microwave instructions on the box and refer you to their web site where it's damn near impossible to find what you're looking for. But the second one puzzles me.

I'm glad that people are finding use for this blog, despite my slacktitude.

Frozen Shoulder (Adhesive Capsultis)

A friend, and fellow geocacher, who also happens to have a problem his shoulder with the exact same symptoms as I do, sent me this link today after visiting with a physiotherapist.

Frozen Shoulder (Adhesive Capsultis)

Many patients suffer from "frozen shoulder" which physicians refer to as adhesive capsulitis, or on occasion, bursitis or tendonitis. This is a rather unusual problem that occurs in the shoulder and results in stiffness, loss of motion and often substantial pain.

After reading it, I'm convinced that this is what I also have. I have every symptom listed, and the time frames are pretty much bang on to when my shoulder problem began. I'm guessing that I'm in the "frozen stage" right now.

Once my doctor receives the results of my MRI, I'll make another appointment and bring a print out with me to see what he thinks.

The part that sucks is that there doesn't seem to be much that can be done, other than let it take its course and physiotherapy. The thought that it could last as long as 3 years makes me shudder. I hope I'm not in that exception. Even 1 year is 1 year too much, imho.

8th-grader suspended for buying Skittles in school

SKITTLES?! God no, not Skittles! What the hell is happening to the education system, for crying out loud. Kids are dealing Skittles in school!

8th-grader suspended for buying Skittles in school

It's not like there aren't more important things to deal with, like... umm... cigarettes... or drugs...

Pain

I decided to write about my shoulder problem for the comedians who enjoy linking my Guitar Hero and Rock Band addiction to my shoulder. Hopefully this will clear up a couple of assumptions and/or misconceptions once and for all. :)

First... imagine not being able to raise your arm more than, say, a 60-70 degree angle in front of you. Imagine not being able to raise your arm out to your side more than shoulder height. Imagine not being able to reach behind you -- ever tried tucking your t-shirt in without reaching behind you? And if you DO try to go beyond these "limits" you are treated to a burning, cramp-like pain in your shoulder, that travels down your arm, increasing with intensity by the second, lasting for about 30-60 seconds (if you're lucky)

I can't describe how much this can hurt. There's nothing that I've experienced to compare it to. If I were to make an assumption, I suppose the closest would probably be like hitting your thumb with a hammer. Not a gentle tap. A full swing, capable of driving a railway spike into solid concrete. And you'll feel that pain a few times every day, if you're not careful.

Although my doctor is not sure what is wrong with my shoulder, and I do not recall exactly when it all started, what I AM sure of is that it was NOT caused by my addiction to Guitar Hero or Rock Band. In fact, my shoulder problem began two or three months before I even had the Xbox 360 that I play these games on. My shoulder feels fine, most of the time, within the "limitations" I mentioned above. This means that I have absolutely no problem playing Guitar Hero or Rock Band, as long as I'm not trying to imitate Pete Townshend or Neil Peart.

To date, I have had an X-ray and a cortisone shot. The X-ray showed no signs of any bone damage or calcium build up. The cortisone shot helped a little, but not as much as we had hoped. I am currently taking anti-inflammatory drugs and awaiting the results of an MRI that I had last Saturday morning.

My doctor suspects that it could be bursitis, or some kind of shoulder cuff injury. We'll hopefully know more after the MRI is done.

There are two incidents that I suspect either caused, or contributed to, the pain and the limited mobility of my left arm.

At the end of the summer, we participated in a small volley ball tournament held in our community. I recall that my shoulder was a little sore after that day, but not to the degree that it is now.

The other possibility was when I spent a couple of hours helping to move appliances about 3 or 4 months ago. Although it didn't hurt as much the following day, it did seem to progress from that point to where it's at now.

Could it be "old age"? If being over 40 is "old", then sure. I'm 42. My doctor said that shoulder problems can usually start at around 40. If you're nearing 40 and not having shoulder problems, your day will likely come... and if you think this is funny now, we'll see how funny it is then. :)

So much for being alive...

Too funny.

I post back in June that I was going to start writing here again, and then.... nothing.

Way to go me.

Ok, now I'm going to make an effort.

Really.

I promise.

I think.

I just need something to write about.

While you're waiting, drop on by Popcultini and have a read.