Out of Office AutoReply

Typed at my cubicle around 5:30 on Friday:

H'lo.
Next week, I'm marrying the lady that made me a fine, upstanding citizen (by day).
Because of that, I have three Caribbean aunts in town who need to be shown what Winnipeg is all about (trips to Dollarama). So yeah, I ain't gonna be here.
I'll be back on October 7th, wondering where the week went. Until then, Tim or Christine should be able to help with any pressing issues.

You oughta get that looked at,
Al

Making Good on #5.

My first post-wedding project is to finally take care of resolution #5. Gonna make me some new business cards and get down with Squarespace for the portfolio site.
I first heard of Squarespace via a post at gigposters.com (where else?), and after consulting tech-savvy folks via Facebook and seeing a steadfast endorsement at the Uppercase site, I figured "why not?"
I'm really looking forward to messing with this.
View the video so you can see what I'm all excited about.

Random Thoughts: September 1st, 2008

Point Douglas in the house.

• Intro. How the hell are ya? You look good...been workin' out? Me? I'm procrastinating, so business as usual.
  
  
• Books. Just finished off Osamu Tezuka's Ode to Kirihito, and I'm closing in on the end of Chris Jericho's A Lion's Tale: Around the World in Spandex.
  
  Ode to Kirihito is everything people have said about it: original, intense, bizarre, etc. Highly recommended reading, especially if you already dig Mr. Tezuka's work. The more I read his stuff, the more I gain respect for his skill, which was already pretty high. Any noticeable liberties he took with human anatomy (especially with naked women) he usually made up for it with a stunning illustration a couple of pages later. There's a particularly lovely one on page 260 of one of the key characters that drives home his anguish.
  
  I got Jericho's book for Christmas last year, and just dove into it late last week. Actually, that's a lie. I restarted my reading of the book, because the early chapters put me off a tad. They seemed geared towards educating the novice fan, and I didn't them all that riveting. Sarah told me she knew someone else that read it, noticed the same thing, but kept at it and loved it in the end. I'm definitely finding my path similar. As a wrestling fan and Japanophile, A Lion's Tale's section on Japan was quite entertaining. And being that both of us are Winnipeggers, I was delighted that we both had the same introduction to the work of Owen Hart; a video package of Owen's Japan tour highlights set to Bryan Adams' "Hearts on Fire". I was instantly hooked on high-flying junior heavyweight shit, and Japan. Inspired by Owen's agility (and that of the Great Muta), I'd use a large snowbank outside of Thomson's Funeral Chapel to practice moonsaults. For a split second, I entertained ideas of being a grappler. I knew my Moms would kick my ass if I truly entertained such a notion. Chris truly had the desire to do it, and I'm glad he did.
  I'd kill to find that clip, and YouTube hasn't given up the goods. Stupid-ass YouTube.
  
  
• The Whiteshell. I was out there with Sarah and her family to attend a wedding, relax, and celebrate her Mom's 50th birthday. Such a gorgeous area. Anyone thinking Manitoba is flat as hell oughta take a trip and be amazed by the breathtaking trees and winding roads. I hope I get used to rural driving, though. The lack of lights, hella rough roads, and speed had me white-knuckling the tail end of the journey to the cabin, and I wasn't even driving.
  
  
• Karl Kwasny. Be amazed. I know I was when I came across this piece in Computer Arts Projects. And he's only 23. That's both a kick in the ass...and the balls.
  
  
• Kitsune Noir. I totally love this blog. All things cool and designery/illustratory. I've been visiting it pretty much daily. An extra incentive to visit is the Desktop Wallpaper Project, where Bobby (the blog's owner) posts a desktop every Wednesday until he runs out of 'em. Each one is available in a variety of sizes, and they're made by amazing folks like Tim Biskup, Rey Ortega, and Travis Millard. The sister of DWP is DESKTOP BATTLE!, where you take a crack at topic of Bobby's choosing. The payoff? Cool-ass prizes and your work gracing computers internationally.
  
  
• Outro. Procrastination done. Peace.