I got to admit that lately I've been missing my proper "family" ie: parents quite a bit more....Not sure if it's me getting older..or them...or just the fact that it's been a few years since I have moved out of the province. It actually kinda makes me want to keep updating this blog though so they can at least see what I'm up to.

I got a list of things I want to do soon to become a "better person" ie: more of a "practical man". I recently signed up at the Boreal Institute in Edmonton and am going to be taking an outdoor survival course in December...whee! a whole weekend in North Canada without a tent trying my best to not freeze....looking forward to it.

Also made my first preserves/canning thing! yay for making good friends with the neighbor upstairs who was willing to help me...some of you lucky people just *might* be getting some fun preserves or pickled carrots even!

Spent last weekend going through the mountains with the girl..was pretty fun but really too quick...ended up walking up mount tunnel in banff which was really quite nice...gonna try to make it up to the top of a mountain every month or so...

My better half and I have already talked quite a bit and once we pay off the inlaws car we are going to go shopping for a camping van for next summer...I can't even tell you how excited I am for this...it's been a daydream of mine for literally years to convert an older van into something I could find livable...yay

That's all for now folks, sorry for the brief update.

Netflix and Walking Dead

Walking Dead

One of my favorite graphics novels/comics has finally come to the wonderful world of TV. I downloaded the premier and got to say I was pleasantly surprised..some small adjustments but all in all I think it worked better for this format. I've lent out all of the comics to a friend but if anyone is interested they are in my "library" of sorts.

I want to setup a "tv party" to watch this show next week maybe.

In similar news...xbox360 **FINALLY** got netflix which I am totally happy about...despite the HOUR AND A HALF I SPENT ON HOLD with Microsoft trying to get it to work...enough time to actually go out and buy a playstation 3...eventually I figured out I was on third level tech support with Microsoft to change my gaming avatar to a "canadian" vs "american"  so I could use my gold membership..when I simply asked the question "can't I just create a brand new avatar?" and about 30 seconds later I was online...

I guess most people care alot about their "gaming avatar/profile" or something online..I could care less...besides Fallout I barely play any games.

Going to watch the first movie tonight! yay! $9 a month for hundreds of movies and tv shows I want to watch...easy decision...even though I got to pay extra compared to a playstation 3.

I am never sure if the best method to updating a blog is to put up daily somewhat frivilous updates...or to put up meaningful well thought out introspective thoughts....

Today's entry will be a bit of both..or not.

Don't you hate when people at work send you e-mails saying there will be a meeting? this usually happens for more "unofficial" meetings like cake events or going away things....I just don't get why you send an e-mail to 20 people saying "we will be meeting at noon for cake" instead of...say...setting up a meeting?

ah well.

Went for a nice walk around the park today..also stuck a paperclip into my sdcard reader on my computer for no reason so I fried it and can't upload photo's anymore...ha

Signed up for a wilderness survival course that takes me into the deep woods in Alberta for a weekend in December...really looking forward to that....yay! I am also learning how to pickle some stuff from my upstairs neighbor this weekend so that should be fun...who here wants pickled carrots or uhhh pickled...pickles....?

Girl and I got plans to head down to cowtown sometime in later November too...exciting!

First off a reminder to myself:

BRING MY CAMERA EVERYWHERE WITH ME

damn...so many great photo op's last in the last few weeks...awesome apartment I visited...crazy cowboy hat wearing dude driving a bicycle decorated as a pumpkin..and just some beautiful scenery all around.

I went for a pretty good run down through the river valley...it was great fun..I got to try to climb all through some paths and play in the mud like I was 10..ah...so freaking dirty by the time I got back.

Though my knee is still bothering me...for those of you that don't know I ripped my ACL and all the cartlidge in my left knee  pretty bad going down a black diamond downhill ski run about two years ago...and after a few months of physio I  just don't know if it's ever going to really heal...it still kinda "clicks" and I can tell that I am favouring one side over the other...

I crave to be a more healthy individual but much like paying off my debt I never quite seem to get to a satisfactory level....though I will say that Janelle and I have decided to do a "fair weather" vegetarian life style which we have somewhat patterned after her sister. We don't eat meat in our  house anymore....and no red meat anymore at all for moi...seafood is still a go on occasion...and we do plan to eat meat if we are out or someone offers it to us...but all in all I am very impressed with us.

Did some more painting on the weekend...egg yolk yellow....looks...bright...ha...we aren't sure whether we are going to keep it.

Stuff sucks

Or if not...I am pretty darn close to one....

My recent trip to Europe really helped me gain a bit of perspective on my life and the "stuff" in it....not once did I really *want* while in Europe living out of a small yet roomy backpack for months...having everything I owned within an arms reach was reassuring to me.

It made me think back on my life, the places I lived and the things I had done...but let's back it up even a bit further....

By the way: I am not going to be "preachy here" nor do I expect to come across as a "perfect" saint or whatever...

I HATED getting Christmas presents or birthday presents...absolutely hated it....I remember one year my parents got me a TV for Christmas...and while I wasn't unthankful for the gesture I really didn't want one...I would have preferred my parents spend that money on themselves or even just got me a card...I'd honestly be just fine with it.

When I moved into my first place in Winnipeg I owned just about nothing..and never even got around to really buying anything...I had a mattress on the floor...and an ugly hand me down couch....I think two plates and some forks...after about a year I eventually got evicted from the place for an incident I won't go into here....and simply walked away...

Eventually I moved to another place down on Broadway...again..as memory recollects there was a tiny kitchen table 2ft by 2ft..a computer desk..and a huge vacant loft style place....no actual living room furniture....

When I moved to Brandon I brought a single mattress and a pile of clothes to live off of....what I really remember is having two lawn chairs in the living room of my place..and a mattress in the bedroom down the hall...I did have my gifted TV at this location though.

When I moved back to Winnipeg I moved into Place Promenade...and to paraphrase my beautiful fiancee the first time she saw my place..."I thought a homeless guy lived there"...all I remember owning was a mattress on the floor...and a stuffed chair I found beside a dumpster...I once threw a party and had to buy some card tables and chairs for my guests.....

Though we've never noticed it the fiancee was also the one who purchased everything we own...our tables...the bed....the couch...the chairs....the dresser....her desk....

I do own a computer desk that is solidly mine...and (as mentioned previously) am seriously contemplating reducing the entire thing to a small portable laptop...

Not sure on the point in this thread...but I know that stuff makes me feel bad and I think that "stuff" is one of the major contributors to stress in our modern lifes and would suggest that everyone try to limit it as much as possible.

ps: Along the same notes....damn I want an e-reader of some kind...hmmmmm maybe Christmas?

It's interesting....

Finding a happy medium on a public blog on what you want to post here...I have to admit that I have created one or two entries then decided to scrap them for the more "family friendly generic updates" vibe I am going for on here.

So...no complaining about stuff...no mentioning work (which is going relatively fine) and other stuff I suppose. I think I am going to update on here more...so I at least get used to it..even if I have little to say.

Last weekend we went over to our friends' place to celebrate his "happy turning another year older" day...was a fun time even if we had to bail early to make the long drive back to Edmonton...I love carving up pumpkins!!!

*The stylish dude in the tie is mine...

but I think this one won the prize....


And the fiancee got to flex her artistic talent with some fun watercolouring....On a semi-related note I am almost certainly going to look into getting a small laptop and getting rid of my "office" in the bedroom...I either want a totally "peaceful/serene" setting or a place for her to practice art...glass blowing or painting or whatever strikes the fancy.



In yet another "manly pseudo renovation/tear apart" I ripped down some moldy drywall from our balcony area....some gross work but considering we were getting quotes of $10,000 to do it through a contractor....and it took me and a buddy maybe 4 hours total..well worth saving the money.

Though I am quite happy that we ended up doing this work now in October instead of July....considering what we found things could have turned out quite differently....(ps: this pic is only one of many...)

Also just got back form the inlaws....a very nice visit but a fairly long drive...though I really do enjoy going for drives with the girl...for some reason I think we bond best when sitting side by side in the car chitty chatting...no distractions...beautiful scenery....I actually think the travel time is my favorite part of the trip in many ways.

Feeling good and accomplishing stuff

Been getting up uber early every morning and doing a quick morning jog before I make the fiancee breakfast. The very first day I did it the weather was conspiring against me as it was pouring rain but I was still a trooper and made it out.

I also extended my "Tuesday and Thursday" vegetarian days and pretty much did an entire week last week before going to Motoranaut..my fav hamburger place here in Edmonton that is closing down tomorrow. For those of you who don't know it...it's an old double decker modified bus thats a hamburger joint up in an industrial area near Whitemud and 66th. If you got a hankering for an hour long wait...a fat cat...slow staff...a roof with leaks in it..and a decent hamburger....I strongly suggest you try it out tonight or tomorrow before it closes up.

Also been accomplishing some stuff around the house...managed to wallmounnt my TV the other day and hide all the cables through the walls into a kitchen cabinet where my xbox/peripherals are now stored. sexy ain't it!!

Today is one of my last days off by myself before I start up that nasty work thing on Monday (ha! just kidding..looking forward to it..mostly)...the house is totally spic n span and beautiful so I might just go rent an xbox game....or I might fix up the patio....or maybe do another geocache! This weekend though I am going out somewhere nice to watch the leafs change.

More adventures.

I woke up quite early this morning to a beautiful sunrise....must remember to take photo's of things like that...or better yet to motivate myself to get out there for a nice jog.

Weekend was great...finally tried my hand at geocaching which I've been meaning to do forever..I think I've had this GPS thing for close to a year now...I'm hoping it's something that the fiancee and I will end up doing together and really getting interested in. Could see it just becoming a "me" thing to..I don't mind wandering around looking silly and lost as much as she does.

I do have to go and track me down some booty though so I can start leaving trinkets at the cache spots...I hope to maybe even make my own one sometime this month. EEEK! fun.

The first cache we tried to find we couldn't locate...we walked all over the area...got it down to a foot or two of the location...nothing though...but we then ended up walking a mile or so from our house to the next one and....


*SUCCESS*

I tried to find another one with no success today as well...still got to get used to these clever little hiding spots...

Also in other news...man it's been a beautiful few days...I feel guilty just being inside...trying to figure out what I should be doing with my last few days of freedom before a year of servitude.

Job and Phone....

Job Search

Went for only my second interview since I got back from Europe a little over a monthish ago. Got offered the job at the interview which was nice...It also has a pretty good bonus of being only 5 minutes away from my fiancee's work on the southside...so carpooling is a no brainer..and Monday-Friday 9-5 is always groovy.

I realize that I've been offered nearly every single job I have ever attempted to get once I get an interview...the only one I can think of where they didn't was that job driving a submarine for the Canadian Navy...but I think they clued in I had no idea what I was doing when my answer to every question was "ballast tanks".

This job could be viewed as a step back in some ways but I'm genuinely excited to try my hand out at more of a "sales" position than my previous  jobs..the fact it's only a one year contract also appeals to me...then I'm *outta there!*

Phone

I need a new good phone..I've busted two in the last week...or busted one and the other one just sucks ass....what I can't understand is why everyone wants a smartphone so badly...I don't get the appeal...I do like Blackberrys for their awesome alarm and BlackBerry Chat....but beyond that I also don't see the appeal.

I made a few offers tonight on www.kijiji.ca for the "Nokia 6301" which I think is going to be my new phone...sexy...affordable....headphone jack...camera...everything I want...

As for that...as I don't get much vacation for the next year I got to figure out what I want to do with my final week off....camping maybe? I dunno but it's gotta be good.

oh yeah...and....

Looks like my primary domain *removed* ended up getting hax0red the otherday...first time in like a decade for me...crazy...the problem is fixed but it may take google up to *A FEW WEEKS* before it realizes I fixed it so you can ignore any errors it gives you..or macaffee...still trying to figure out how it  happened...but yeah...weird.

Here are some helpful links for a good virus scanner and malware utility;

AVG Virus Scanner (free)

Spybot malware scanner (free)

Everyone should download the above utilities (or similar ones) and use them frequently, I like setting them up on a weekly schedule.

edit: I actually decided to remove the link...both to preserve some anonymity and so no one catches anything in case its not fixed (but it is..)

My stupid neck....

You know what I hate about dress shirts...let me tell you.....they are pretty much measured in neck size...I have a huge freaking neck though...mainly to support my huge freaking head and brains... I had to go and pickup a dress shirt for an interview and it looked like I borrowed my big brothers cause I was just drowning in it...but the neck was still tight...someday I'll get some nice tailored shirts.

My neck is also my #1 trouble spot for fat which I hate...if I gain 8 pounds 2 pounds of it is on freaking neck...it's also the lost spot I lose weight.

Last year I made a declaration of sorts to be in the best shape of my life on my 30th birthday..and you know what..I hit it. I weighed 150 pounds, I ran in a 10k run..(got just over an hour time) and was feeling great...at my heaviest I was 185 so felt pretty decent about this. Unfortunately I'm now back to feeling somewhat unhealthy and back to about 165 or so...

A little while ago I was going through the Rockie Mountains and I saw this 60 year old guy CYCLING uphill a FREAKING MOUNTAIN...something I couldn't even fathom trying at half his age...if I want to be doing that I need to put myself on a lifelong plan to lead a healthy life. It's not like I am suddenly going to hit 40 and *then* decide to be healthy.

P90X and diet plans are all great too but the problem with them is that they end...it's not a lifelong solution... I've already made the pseudo-decision that I don't want to do this office work anymore...40 hours sitting on your ass a week is just far too much.

I find that I work better with my goals if I put them down in a list and put it out there...kinda keeps me honest so I'm gonna toss a few of them out there.....

Eat vegetarian on Tuesday and Thursday's

I've actually been mostly doing vegetarian on Tuesdays already but want to expand this to another day of the week...I don't think I could ever go entirely veggie eater...

Eat a proper breakfast every day

I've actually been doing great at this for the last 6 months or so..even in europe we ate a pretty proper breakfast each day..and now I get up everyday at 7am to make my fiancee and I breakfast before she goes off to work.

Do something physical each and everyday

I'd like to say "go to the gym" each day but I know that is setting myself up for failure...but if I can't make it to the gym I will just go on a short jog or a long walk..today I went on a gorgeous 90 minute walk tonight that was just great...found a little quaint restaurant I didn't know existed a few blocks from my place..found a really trendy neighborhood full of stone lions even. Might consider getting myself some weight equipment...but I'm not sure if the fiancee would forgive me if I smashed a drumbell into the hardwood floor......again......

Stop eating shit

Not literally of course...but you know what I am talking about....chips...those stupid little dinosaur gummies...oh god those things are so good....

they always say that the key to a leaner body is the kitchen...not the gym...gotta make some sacrifices. I'm actually quite happy with weaning myself almost off soda and it's diet brothers while in europe...perrier all the way now...cause I'm classy.

So...there we go...time to get fit and active and fun..no time like the present and I am motivated to do it!

ps: Me after my 10k run last year...what a hilarious face.

Well....

welcome one and all to my little corner of the Internet. Most of you I suspect know me as "Justin" the super cool guy....for those of you that don't me...I am a pretty damn interesting guy.

After some deliberation I have decided to both abandon Livejournal and Facebook While both had their strengths its become obvious that http://livejournal.com is on it's way out...the activity on there is just absolutely minimal.

Facebook has just become too much of a time waster....and it's just a horrible substitute for true correspondence and communication. Great...I know what you had for breakfast...and that you ran out of milk...but I got no idea about what your goals or major inspirations in life are.

As I think best illustrated by the picture below:



I've quite often kept a journal of sorts and while sometimes I've "fallen off that wagon" I have generally found them fascinating to review...and always appreciated the feedback and debate this venue can open.

But it does take a few things to make a blog interesting and something people want to provide feedback to. I think it require the following which I am going to pledge to you;

• Consistent updates

-this might be my hardest but is perhaps the most critical. I'm going to aim for at least two updates a week. Sometimes they might just be "what I've done" updates but othertimes I hope they can be something a bit more deep and meaningful.

• Pictures

-people are visual. It's just a fact...not to mention they also provide an whole different means of communicating and recordings what's going on.

• Amazingly fun stories

-should be easy..I am an amazing fun guy surrounded by amazing fun people, events and things...and if not...I am an excellent liar and storyteller.

Anyways, I know this first update is somewhat sparse...but I really do hope that you will join up and find something interesting in here. Coming up will be future  updates on....general fitness...secret recipes for cinnamon buns.....religious ramblings....home renovations...career aspirations....zombie survival tips....traveling & camping....geocaching....book reviews...etc....etc.......etc




I got a list of some people's e-mails and hope to see some of you following this...if you don't...no hard feelings....

ps: I got to get myself a somewhat decent logo..almost a requirement.