Month: March 2025

lottery

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It’s a silly thing, isn’t it?

Miniscule chances for the possibility of something for literally, almost nothing?

Like, what? Twenty bucks and the time it took to go to the store?

Or, we could just work, and focus on doing what we love for way less money, but a way happier life. Are lottery winners that happy? Or are they harangued, losing money left and right because everyone’s at them and they aren’t business people, they’re journeymen, stay-at-home moms, office pools.

Folks whose lack of discipline has them working jobs they hate (or not working at all for various reasons, some of them completely legit) aren’t buying lotto tickets because they’re happy with their situation.

They either just don’t know how to move into a more fulfilling life, don’t know what that life looks like, or past decisions/social setup has them trapped into something less desirable, and this long shot is the only way out.

I don’t generally buy lottery tickets, but hell, if I don’t fantasize sometimes.

Of course, as I get older, I’m far more interested in stability doing something I love, and spending my time and money on experiences than things. Things are nice, but you only buy what you need.

And you don’t need most things.

But experiences? Priceless.

Target: 1100 words
Written: 1805 words, novel: Bad Neighbours

Read: Kitchen Confidential, Anthony Bourdain
Comics: Cyber Force v2 17-18, Velocity 2, Ripclaw v2 1
Music: Instrumental, Linkin Park (not sure where this came from, but it's instrumental remakes of Linkin Park songs.  Weird, right?)

heart tests

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I feel like I’m going through one right now.

And I literally went through one this morning.

I am trying not to give up, but damn. It’s so hard.

I can’t even bring myself to submit anywhere. Even though every single thing I’ve ever written has been accepted and published somewhere, since I first decided to start sending them out (minus comics – I don’t have an artist to work with and the one with whom I’ve considered working in the – whose style is ideal for Romance #1, is entirely unreliable), I can’t bring myself to do it.

I worry.

Get Back Again was banned for, you know, being told from the bad guy’s point of view, and since that view was super misogynist, it was considered ban-worthy. Like, have these people ever read fiction?

Good fiction doesn’t insist all their villains act like good people.

It’s kind of the whole point.

Anyway, fuck it.

Who wants some?

Target: 1100 words
Written: 1050 words, novel: Bad Neighbours

Read: Kitchen Confidential, Anthony Bourdain
Comics: Cyber Force v2 16, Cyber Force Origins 3, Ballistic 3, Velocity 1
Music: Instrument Soundtrack, Fugazi

apple brie chicken

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That’s been my day so far. A series of time consuming, but small tasks, interspersed with a desire to do something creative… and not really having the time for it.

Stuffed mushroom caps, red pepper soup shooters, apple and brie stuffed chicken… beer tastings.

All for no reason.

Sometimes, like if cute.

Target: 1100 words
Written: 121 words, novel: Bad Neighbours

Read: Kitchen Confidential, Anthony Bourdain
Comics: Cyblade & Shi 2, Ballistic 2, Cyber Force & Codename Strykeforce - Opposing Forces 2, Ripclaw Special 1
Music: Insomniac, Green Day

cuttin’

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Dog nails trimmed.

That’s the best I can do today.

Fuck it. 

Target: 1100 words
Written: 2222 words, novel: Bad Neighbours

Read: Kitchen Confidential, Anthony Bourdain
Comics: Cyber Force v2 15, Codename Strykeforce 14, Ballistic 1, Cyber Force & Codename Strykeforce - Opposing Forces 1 (forces of forces of forces of forces of wait, what?  Vampires?  What the F, Ballistic?)
Music: The Information, Beck

and we’re back

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So, apparently, there was a line noise issue.

Well, rather, there wasn’t a line noise issue, and then they did their maintenance, which drastically changed noise levels on the line, and meant I needed a whole new run into my house.

I guess that was planned out well then, wasn’t it?

Assholes.

Target: 1100 words
Written: 625 words, novel: Bad Neighbours

Read: Kitchen Confidential, Anthony Bourdain
Comics: Cyber Force v2 13-14, Codename Strykeforce 0, Ripclaw 3
Music: Infiltrate Destroy Rebuild, CKY

cogeco

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Motherfuckin’ Cogeco.

Tuesday, there’s two Cogeco vans at the end of the street that pull up while I’m walking the dogs. There’s no way that’s good, and sure enough, we’re out of internet for an hour.

Not terrible, listed as maintenance on the Cogeco website.

But then…

A Cogeco tech returns around 3:30 yesterday, roots around in the box in the neighbour’s yard and boom, we’re down.

Not a big deal, right? Site reads maintenance again, probably only be for a bit. Got me out of the last half hour of work.

Except, when I look again at four, dude’s gone. Box is still open; no sign of him.

And we’re completely out.

He never returns.

So, we pulled some strings with the internet company my wife works for and whose tech department I used to run, and get ourselves a hub, but man, let me tell you. I thought I was being nice going through front line staff first, assuming they’d prod Cogeco and find out there’s a local outage.

Nope. Turns out Cogeco already booked a tech – for two days from now. So now, we’re scrambling, trying to find places to work, figure out what to do with dogs, possible sick days, etc., and knowing how this game is played, I can already see the screwjob coming.

Because Cogeco booked the tech, with no prompting from us, that means that it either is an area issue that for some inexplicable reason they’re willing to leave that way for days or they know they fucked something up specific to our line and put in early. Unfortunately, I also know our provider didn’t ask for anything, which means when things go sideways, there’ll be no recourse to escalate, because we never opened anything, even if Cogeco scheduled their own tech (who could no show on the grounds that we’re a third party and not a Cogeco client, and that any and all dispatches have to go through our provider).

To think, I know these people. I didn’t train any of them, because they were all customer service people forced into tech roles after I left, but damn, kids.

Do better.

Target: 1100 words
Written: 1030 words, novel: Bad Neighbours

Read: Trust Me, I'm Lying, Ryan Holiday (a very important book that will leave you completely bereft)
Comics: Codename Strykeforce 12-13, Ripclaw 1-2
Music: Infected, The The

weaksauce

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What a pathetic display last night by the Democrats in the U.S.

That piece of garbage spews lie after lie, bullshit after bullshit, and only Al Green shows any guts.

Even AOC, who one would think could actually put up a fight, didn’t even bother to show up, or post anything particularly useful, or whatever.

No wonder the States is falling ass backwards into fascism.

Their primary defenders can’t be bothered to show up.

Pathetic.

Target: 1100 words
Written: 1628 words, novel: Bad Neighbours

Read: Trust Me, I'm Lying, Ryan Holiday (such a goddamned gruel to get through - don't get me wrong, it's an important and enlightening book, but life has been so insane, it feels like I can barely get through ten pages before I'm done for the day.  Normally, it would never take me anywhere near this long to read a 250-page book)
Comics: Cyber Force v2 11-12, Codename Strykeforce 11, Cyber Force Annual 1
Music: Inedits, Foo Fighters

tariffs

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We’ll see if he actually goes through with it, or if this is still one of those fifth grade bluffs.

I think the most confusing thing about Donald Trump is how he managed to get this far in life. He’s not a smart man. It seems pretty clear that he was not a billionaire (although his looting from the top might have made him one now). He has the mentality of a spoiled narcissist, and seems to understand the world at a level where even frat boy bullies would go, damn, son. You need to step up your atrocious game.

Seriously. It’s elementary school bully bullshit.

And there are people in government and business that are way, way smarter than that, who understand negotiation and how to deal with people like that and turn them right around.

Yet, they don’t do it.

What do you do with a bully? You punch back. Hurt him. Make him realize you aren’t an easy target, which is what a grade school bully wants.

Bust him up.

Use his narcissism against him; it’s what Putin did. Turned his greed and ego in on him to make him feel like he’s got to live up to him, like an overbearing father figure who never gives any attention or validation, thereby making someone so sadly broken do anything to please.

Because that’s what happened here: Putin made himself into Daddy Fred, and Donald desperately seeks Daddy’s approval. Add a layer of extreme greed, drastic insecurity overcompensated by insane bluster and ego, and boom.

Easily. Fucking. Manipulated.

So let’s do it, Canada, Mexico, Ukraine, EU, Britain… whoever.

Punch that bully. Make him seek your validation.

You’ll have the entire U.S. under your thumb.

Just. Like. Putin.

Target: 1100 words
Written: 848 words, novel: Bad Neighbours

Read: Trust Me, I'm Lying, Ryan Holiday
Comics: Cyber Force Origins 1-2, Cyblade & Shi 1, Cyber Force v2 10
Music: Indie Cindy, Pixies

that was a week (and a weekend)

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And now, I’m behind on literally everything.

I hate when I don’t get any time to read.

It’s crazy making.

I need it, like I need breath or food.

Fuck.

Target: 1100 words
Written: 107 words, novel: Bad Neighbours

Read: Trust Me, I'm Lying, Ryan Holiday
Comics: Cyber Force 9, Codename Strykeforce 9-10, Ripclaw 0.5
Music: Indestructible Object, They Might Be Giants

the return

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Fun weekend. Maple farm, sugar shack, Mexican food.

Diarrhea.

Shit.

Target: 1100 words
Written: 165 words, novel: Bad Neighbours

Read: Trust Me, I'm Lying, Ryan Holiday
Comics: Cyber Force v2 7-8, Codename Strykeforce 7-8
Music: Indestructible, Rancid (fact: there has never been a bad Tim Armstrong song)