SUNDAY, SUNDAY, SUNDAY!

By virtue of a late-night gaming session that ended around 4am, I awoke around 12pm today. As I got up, my neck and back were sore. I was kinda bleary-eyed as well. I was thinking this day might not go so well.

I was already late for my first item for the day, baseball at a neighbourhood park. Chris (not Conklin) from SJC has been organizing these Sunday afternoon baseball games. Apparently they are a lot of fun and there’s always a good turnout. I promised Chris I’d show up this weekend.

Game time was 1pm but by the time I had finished brushing my teeth, it was already 12:15pm and I still wanted to shower, eat, and check my e-mail. I had to decline a ride with J-Rod and his Chrysler LeBaron. After getting the pre-game festivities out of the way, I left my apartment around 1:20pm and headed to the bus loop.

The field that Chris found is a gem of a park that somehow eluded my knowledge despite being a hop, skip, and a jump from W. 1oth Ave. West Point Grey park is located near Trimble and 8th, and features two diamonds, a play area for kids, and a lawn bowling/croquet pitch. Both diamonds feature as a backdrop the blue waters of English Bay. I tell ya, the view makes it hard to pick up the ball coming off the bat.

Though I had arrived about an hour and a half after start time, I found out we were only at the bottom of the first inning. I quickly was placed on a team. Pretty soon, I was up at bat facing my very first hardball pitch. Even with a batting helmet on, I was thinking how much it might hurt if I got beaned in the head. The pitcher took it easy on me I believe, but the ball moves quite a bit faster than those lobs in softball. In the end, I got called on strikes which was a sucky way to start off.

The next inning, some people left which meant I had to switch teams. I play shortstop for my new team. I touched the ball once in the field, awkwardly stopping a grounder to my feet. By the time I got the ball, there was no play to make.

I had two more at bats. The second one, I managed to reach at a pitch which resulted in a single through the infielders, narrowly missing the pitcher’s outstreached glove. While on base, I took a huge lead, which nearly lead to a successful pickoff attempt. I stayed a bit closer to the bag after that. I got stranded on first unfortunately.

My second at bat was one for the ages. I was attempting to stare down the impressive pitching of Joel himself. I detected a bit of a control problem from him earlier, so I decided I was going to let him earn his strikes. Using my eagle eyes that have been honed by looking at a computer monitor for years, I let the count go to 3-0. The next pitch was a strike which I probably should have swung at, but oh well. The pitch after that was high but like a moron I swung at it which left the count full. I should have been a little more nervous but I watched the next pitch go outside. I walked. I again was left stranded.

I couldn’t stay for the whole game since I had to meet with my parents in the afternoon. They brought me some dim sum and my mail.

There was an awesome dinner at SJC tonight: Teriyaki glazed salmon fillet and rice, miso soup, edamame beans, and spinach salad with balsamic vinaigrette sprinkled with sunflower seeds. For dessert, it was fruit plate with blueberries, kiwi fruit, and pineapple. I’m not sure why I told everyone that.

There’s unopened bag of potato chips in my kitchen that needs opening.

THE NO TIP

So today, Dave and I decide to go to Connie’s for lunch. Dave sits next to me and for a guy that’s in the video game industry, it’s strange in that he rarely plays any games himself. Anyways, it’s just the two of us since after some unfortunate incidents, Connie’s reputation for providing a decent lunch has taken some hits. Undeterred, Dave and I make the hike up 4th Ave. for our meal.

Our lunch is actually quite good. I decide to go for the cashew chicken with rice. Along with won ton soup, it’s a great deal for $5.95. Along with the quick service, it’s more than an acceptable outing. When it’s time to pay, Dave decides to pickup the tab using his debit card. I overhear Connie herself ask Dave how much she should put on the total. Dave mentions something about taking care of the tip himself, so she puts only the cost of the meal on his debit card. Somehow, Dave thinks he’ll have a chance to add a tip on the keypad. Somehow, it doesn’t give him that option.

He returns to the table and asks me if I have any change. I have none and Dave proceeds to tell me what happened. “You idiot!” I say. Dave then says there’s nothing we can do and we’ll have to depart without leaving a tip. Since I’m really tired, I don’t argue with him but I’m still annoyed we’ve stiffed Connie a tip because of his misunderstanding.

On the street, I’m dismayed to think I’ve been labelled a poor customer. Dave says we’ll have to tip extra big the next time we’re there. I reply that we’ll have to mention that right away next time or else they’ll spit in our food. Dave said he felt really bad, but I bet I felt worse.

I’m going to get a glass of water now.

DVD NEWS


Two of my favourite movies are coming out with new editions on DVD in November. First up is Office Space – Special Edition with Flair!. This flick hold a special place in my heart since it came out when I had the worst job in the world with Cypress Solutions. Ooops, I hope that doesn’t get Googled. The movie defined the struggle I had with that awful job.

Next is Airplane! Don’t Call Me Shirley Edition. This is a classic comedy with bits that somehow withstand the test of time. I already own a no-frills version of the movie on DVD, so I’m not sure if I’ll pick it up? A Christmas gift perhaps? Hmmm…

DINNER FIVE

So around 8:30pm I’m sitting in the lead programmer’s cubicle. I ask him if I’m needed for anything else before I go home. We’ve all put in a long day to get everything ready for Monday. Monday is the day we’re scheduled to hand over some deliverables to our client. Is it ok for me to say our client is Nokia? Hmm… I’m not sure about that. Anyways, the deliverables consist of a checklist of new features we have to get implemented for our game.

Around 5pm, I’m thinking we’re looking pretty good and I may actually go home on time. Well, that was before we realize the latest build of the game is now completely unstable. Even though I’m finished everything I’m responsible for on Monday, I feel like I have to stick around to see why the game is now crashing all over the place. The problem is narrowed down to a few modules none of which I’m written. I continue to stay because I know some of my code needs to be hooked up with my lead’s stuff. Because of the instability though, I’m left waiting to for this happen.

Dinner is ordered from some sushi place. I get a bento box and some gyoza. It’s not bad but it’s the fifth straight dinner I’ve eaten courtesy of the company. Over dinner my leads tells me there’s really no need for me to stay since other people are on the instability problem.

So, back to the cubicle:

ME: “I’m not sure what’s more sad, the fact I’m here on a Friday night or that I’m going home to read my Star Wars book“

LEAD: “Geez“

CO-WORKER1: “If you think that’s sad, you don’t want to hear what I’m going to do when I get home“

ME: “Masturbate?“

CO-WORKER1: “Oh, I don’t have to go home to do that“

LEAD: “Tee-hee“

ME: “Tee-hee“

CO-WORKER1: “Tee-hee“

I am really tired now but at least I don’t have to come in on the weekend.

OVERHEARD ON THE BUS

So a few weeks ago, I was on the bus returning home some afternoon when we picked up a whole gaggle of kids on some day camp outing. They looked to be about seven or eight years old. Not too old to be obnoxious punks but not too young to be freaked out about being on a bus without their parents. I overheard the following conversation between two boys who sat across the aisle from me:

“I’m bored… tell me a story.”

“Ok. Once a upon a time, you were so ugly that everyone died. The end.”

I thought that was the best story I’d heard in a long time. It was quite the zinger too. The other boy was too stunned to respond.

I worked my second straight day of OT tonight. Other than my second week of work, I haven’t really worked any OT since I started. This latest patch of OT shouldn’t last beyond this Friday. Yeah, OT isn’t the most fun thing to do but at least they paid for dinner. I had a double leg dinner from Swiss Chalet. You’ll be proud of me, I had sauteed mushrooms for my side dish and not fries. And I know this doesn’t make up for unpaid OT completely, but take a gander at this e-mail we all got in the office today:

From: Gretchen
Sent: Monday, August 15, 2005 10:42 AM
Subject: Ice Cream Sundae Birthday Party

Hi Everyone,

We will be celebrating the August birthdays this coming Wednesday at 5pm in the lounge. Ice cream sundae stations will be set up with all the fixings (nuts, whipped cream, cherries, and chocolate sauce).

Be there or be square!

– Gretchen

It’s sad how a little bit of ice cream can raise my spirits. Ah well, we’re having sundaes on tomorrow!

NAKED NAKERSON

The weather here in Vancouver has been quite hot in the last several weeks. Unfortunately, for me, I live in an apartment building that must hold the world record for the ability to retain heat through out the day and night.

For a split-level apartment, I strangely only have two windows that open. The one on the ground floor is large and but opens so wide, anyone can just step through the window and into my living room. Consequently, I have to keep this one closed whenever I’m out. This is too bad since it’s this window that seems to let most of the heat escape.

The window in my bedroom upstairs is smaller but I can keep it open all the time, which I do. The down side is that no cool air seems to want to flow through this window. Nevertheless, I keep it open. The curtains for this window are so thick it effectively keeps in all the air when they are over the windows. It takes less than a minute for me to feel the bedroom heating up when they are closed.

Because of this oven I call a bedroom, I try not to do anything that might add to the heat. This means I forgo closing the curtains for even a minute. This can get real interesting when I’m changing clothes or when I step out of the bathroom naked after a shower. Of course, none of this would matter if my window faced nothing, but it faces a whole slew of other apartments. The building I’m in has this open courtyard concept and many apartments face inward towards the courtyard. From my bedroom window, I have a view of no less than I’d say 15 apartments.

I’m so damn lazy and hot, I just change my clothes, get naked, and walk into my bedroom naked, all with my curtains open now. I just don’t care anymore. I figure the odds of someone seeing me for during that brief time is still pretty low. Also, it’s not like I lounge around naked. The part when I’m naked is only a transitionary stage. Since we’re all supposed to be adults, who’s going to get offended by a quick flash of wang?

Anyways, I’m tired so I’ll end it here. I bet you’re all wondering what OVERHEARD ON THE BUS would have been.