I Am Zang

Wow.


In other news:

Am I the only person thinking this decade is going to see a huge scientific renaissance?

The late 50's and 60's saw a resurgence of interest in the scientific (a backlash to the post-war neo-puritanism), and I see it coming now. Over the last few years, we've seen the fundamentalist anti-science movement push harder and harder. Well, when you push a pendulum one way, eventually it swings back just as far. I can't be the only person irked with the pseudo-scientific and anti-scientific bullshit everywhere.

As the mainstream media (usually the last outlet to notice trends) is saturated with non-scientific garbage like Ghost Hunters and 2012, in the non-mainstream we see the immense popularity of things like "A Glorious Dawn" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSgiXGELjbc&fmt=18). (Sagan and Hawking FTW!). Even They Might Be Giants recently released an album around science.

Even less developed nations are starting to come into their technological/scientific revolutions. Western world beware, India and China are soon to be kicking our asses . Manual labour jobs are declining there, due to mechanization. This is exactly what happened here, leading to the massive explosion of information, technology and science-related jobs. A good amount of new technology jobs are no longer opening up here, but over there.

Anyone have their own thoughts?

The geek shall inherit the earth, my friends.

I hate when people call themselves chefs and aren't.

I am not a chef. Even when I have my diploma, I won't be a chef.

I am a cook. I do not call myself a chef.

There's a saying, "you're not a chef until someone else calls you chef"; meaning that unless you're someone's boss, you don't deserve that title.

People really like to call anyone who can cook a chef. Hell, there are people out there who call themselves chef after going to culinary school. It's a disrespect to the people who've actually earned the title. I'd like to take anyone who wishes to call themselves a chef to spend an a day in a busy restaurant kitchen and see if they still feel they deserve to be called chef.

The things people do who actually obtain the title would kill a lot of people. It's a gruelling job working yourself up to that height. Even moreso if you hold a title like a CCC (Certified Chef de Cuisines) or the astoundingly-difficult-to-obtain MOF (Meilleur Ouvrier de France); two distinctions of honour. You start peeling vegetables and being the low man on the totem pole(almost always regardless of training), spending years in a job with high stress, long hours and low pay. Once you start moving up the chain, you'll probably work a dozen other stations to get a sous-chef position. There you'll probably begin to learn the ropes about running the business. Then, if you're lucky, someone will offer you a chef position. And that comes with even more work, and more time away from cooking. Then, you've got to maintain a profit in an industry with an average profit margin of 6%(remember that next time you think your dinner was expensive).

My point is; a lot of time and work is taken in earning the title chef. It's not a term to be thrown around lightly, any more than general or doctor. Building a really good model rocket doesn't make one an astronaut, does it?

Next time someone makes something delicious, don't call them chef, just tell them they're a really good cook. They probably won't care, and it keeps an already over-abused term of honour from becoming even more diluted.

And it's name is Helios.

The naming theme of my past few computers.

"Razor" was my PowerMac 7500.

...and here's where the themes come in.

"Fire" was the original name of my current PowerMac G5, but got switched to Elements so that I could name it's drives "Fire", "Water", "Earth" and "Air"

My 30GB 5th-gen iPod which connected to "Fire" was named "Ignatius" (get it?)

I haven't decided on the name of the iMac when it comes (I'm leaning towards "Hyperion"), but "Helios", 32GB iPod Touch was delivered today. :)

I've had half a day to digest the final episode of BSG...

( What the frak?Collapse )

I posted some of the official photographs from the wedding on Facebook. They've been added to the album found here.

Special thank you to Nicole (touch_my_skin), our wonderful and fabulous wedding photographer. :)

During the wedding, I wanted to sing a song for Melissa. I couldn't do it though. Not because I didn't want to. I just know it would have made me too emotional. When I get emotional, my throat tightens and my voice becomes this croaky, weird thing that's not pleasant for anyone.

I wanted to sing this song though. It's a sweet, simple song that says all the things I'd want to sing to her. But hell, I get emotional just listening to it. Let alone singing it to the girl I was about to marry.

Some might look at it and think it's a sad song about losing one's religion or death, but perhaps it's my optimistic side that sees it as a beautiful song about how love transcends everything. Ben Gibbard has an incredible knack for writing clever, honest lyrics. It's not a surprise that I consider both Death Cab for Cutie and the Postal Service as two of my favourite bands.


I Will Follow You Into The Dark - Death Cab for Cutie


Love of mine, some day you will die
But I'll be close behind
I'll follow you into the dark

No blinding light or tunnels to gates of white
Just our hands clasped so tight
Waiting for the hint of a spark

If Heaven and Hell decide
That they both are satisfied
Illuminate the no's on their vacancy signs

If there's no one beside you
When your soul embarks
Then I'll follow you into the dark

In Catholic school as vicious as Roman rule
I got my knuckles bruised by a lady in black
And I held my tongue as she told me
"Son fear is the heart of love"
So I never went back

If Heaven and Hell decide
That they both are satisfied
Illuminate the no's on their vacancy signs

If there's no one beside you
When your soul embarks
Then I'll follow you into the dark

You and me have seen everything to see
From Bangkok to Calgary
And the soles of your shoes
Are all worn down

The time for sleep is now
It's nothing to cry about
'Cause we'll hold each other soon
In the blackest of rooms

If Heaven and Hell decide
That they both are satisfied
Illuminate the no's on their vacancy signs

If there's no one beside you
When your soul embarks
Then I'll follow you into the dark
Then I'll follow you into the dark

I posted pics from our honeymoon in Paris here and here.

February 14th was not just Valentine's Day for me. It marked the third anniversary of the day Melissa and I met face to face (we'd been talking online for about a month beforehand).

It's now also the day I got married.

The wedding was fabulous. I couldn't have asked for a better event. I will keep it all short and sweet.

1) Us, surrounded by 24 of our closest friends and family.
2) The most beautiful of venues.
3) Clear skies and not a flake of snow to be found
4) Absolutely fabulous food that filled our bellies with sinful delight.
5) A fabulous photographer (touch_my_skin) who made us feel completely at ease (I hope you're feeling better).
6) Love, in spades.

A few of the non-official (non-touch_my_skin) photos:

1 + 1 = 2

I'm getting married tomorrow.

Photos and whatnot will eventually be available on:

melissaandjamie.ca