I got a phone message from Nathan! (The ‘consultant’ Ex Libris has assigned to my book.) It was the same voice mail that he’s left the past three or four times he’s called. He’s very persistent. Unfortunately for Nathan, I don’t answer telephone calls for which I do not recognize
Continue readingTag: Rants
centre of the universe: Dear Nathan – Editors
Dear Nathan, I was thinking about who you should get to edit my manifesto. I mean manuscript. My eleventh grade English teacher came to mind, but after she was accused of gross vandalism, criminal harassment, stalking, and destruction of property … Continue reading →
Continue readingcentre of the universe: Dear Nathan
A few years ago, I decided to engage in some corporate espionage. I work in the field of book publishing, and I had been hearing rather a lot about vanity presses like Ex Libris. Normally, I don’t like naming the … Continue reading →
Continue readingcentre of the universe: Pour some sugar on me
Here’s the thing. I have eliminated nearly all sugar from my diet for the past three months. This is not easy to do. It’s not like just giving up soda and not putting sugar in your coffee. There is sugar in nearly everything that’s commercially available, including sauces, meats, breads,
Continue readingcentre of the universe: In the Name of
This is something that’s been bothering me for a while. It goes hand-in-hand with the fact that we don’t value art and culture. I mean, as a society. And this isn’t about throwing public money at the arts, so I’m just going to head that whole ridiculous argument off at
Continue readingcentre of the universe: [My Favourite L7 Song Here]
There is a photograph making the rounds on social media. I’m not going to post it because a) it’s an artist’s property, and reproducing it without permission is copyright violation; b) I don’t want to; c) I don’t want to name the artist because I think the artist’s work is
Continue readingcentre of the universe: Everybody’s Workin’ for the Weekend
The Genesis for this post: Listening to a CBC piece about Prozac, in which that drug was considered a cultural game changer. Part of the discussion included a rather drawn-out discussion of women’s roles. And how the popularity of Prozac in the 80s and 90s was because women were being
Continue readingcentre of the universe: Medical Records Rant: Update
So, as I know you are sitting on the edge of your seat wondering “what has cenobyte done? What’s going on with her medical records?”, I thought I’d update you. Not too long ago, my doctor changed clinics. Apparently, when he left the clinic in which his practice was located,
Continue readingcentre of the universe: Beware: Rant
Will someone please explain to me a couple of things? Make sure you use easy-to-understand Venn diagrams and small little words because it’s sure feeling like I’m getting the “you’re too stupid to understand so I’m just going to say the same thing over and over, only louder” treatment. 1)
Continue readingcentre of the universe: Jump down
I get myself into the most interesting conversations. Usually that’s because I’ve figured out that one of the greatest secrets to an interesting and happy life is to surround yourself with interesting and incredibly clever people. I’ve said before that we don’t all need to agree. And sometimes, it’s better
Continue readingcentre of the universe: They’re coming to take me away
Okay. Let’s see if I can do this. Two days before the American gun control bill was introduced for voting, an attack was made by [then] unknown individuals on civilians at the Boston Marathon, arguably one of the biggest, most well-known marathons in North America. For days, in fear, people
Continue readingcentre of the universe: Head Like a Hole
First, I’d like you to go to Netflix and watch a documentary called “Head Games”. It’s about brain damage due to contact sport. It talks about concussions in football, hockey, and boxing. And entertainment wrestling (not greco-roman wrestling). It’s an incredibly interesting and well-done documentary. One of the really good
Continue readingcentre of the universe: Creative Industry versus Arts
Recently, the Saskatchewan government released information surrounding the creation of a new agency to support the third and final leg of the arts continuum. “What the hell are you talking about?” You may be asking. “What in the blue hell is an arts continuum?” I know you’re asking this, because
Continue readingcentre of the universe: Walk a Mile
A few days ago, I had one of those “eff you, I’m turning off the radio and all y’all are just a bunch of paint-sniffing reticulated jerk muffins” moments. It was about Idle No More. If you’re Canadian and you haven’t heard about this grassroots protest against legislation that may
Continue readingcalgaryliberal.com: #AblegCares
So, myself, Joey Oberhoffner, Derrick Jacobson (@AlbertaAltruist), Marc Doll (@DollHouseYYC), and Stephen Anderson (@StephenDAnderso) got together to eat tacos. For charity. For every taco eaten we’d get our pledges to donate. Pretty simple. Also, pretty awesome. With an anonymous donor matching up to $5,000, we just had to eat as
Continue readingcentre of the universe: I’m a collector, not a hoarder
You always hear that, don’t you. When you watch those programmes with people who have seventy eight cats all living in the house with them, turding on the floor in piles taller than the coffee table. Houses where rats have … Continue readin…
Continue readingcentre of the universe: Frat House Legislation
Saskatchewan passed new sexist legislation yesterday which makes all sorts of changes to the Liquor and Gaming Act. There are gems in there like how you’re now allowed to serve liquor without having to serve food, in a licensed establishment, …
Continue readingcentre of the universe: Freedom Has Consequences
This article is about a London, Ontario man who posted a cruel comment on the memorial site for Amanda Todd (the 15-year-old Port Coquitlam, BC girl who committed suicide last week) and who was subsequently fired from his job after a … Continue reading →
Continue readingcentre of the universe: Thinly Thought
I wasn’t going to do this. I really wasn’t. But then something happened to a friend of mine and it got my knickers in a knot and I know I’m going to be skimming over vast chunks of the actual … Continue reading →
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