We have all become cyborgs

It's now my fifth day without my laptop, and I am slowly starting to feel disconnected from the world. I had not realized how much of an extension of me my laptop was until I started missing the evening chats with friends, the opportunity to flip open my computer into another world, or the ability to pour my words onto my screen faster than I can write.

What Haraway wrote, dismissed by many as the crazed rantings of a supra academic, is now true: we have all become cyborgs, and computers have become an extension of our minds, and our selves.

Without our computers, where would we be?

CB

PS: you'll notice the photos of Sebastien are no longer online: special request from bro and sis in law, who don't want photos of their son on the internet. I do as I am asked.

If you want something done, do it yourself

Maybe it's the monday morning blues. Maybe it's the pre-coffee haze. But right now, I've just about had it with men who say they'll do something, but prefer to play video games, watch tv, drink beer or scratch themselves instead. My dad still grumbles about all the things my ex-ex said he'd help him with and didn't (it seems he's having a harder time letting go that I am, but that's the subject of another entry).

Maybe it's cause men can't multi-task, as Carol says. They need to focus on chewing gum, then walking. But doing both together? FOGEDABOUDIT.

As far as I'm concerned, singledom has been good for me for many reasons, but one of them is: I now know how to do pretty much everything for myself. No more waiting around for the bf to fix that towel rail that's been broken for three years, which means the towels hang, musty and soggy, over the door. I know how to caulk a bath (not yet, but I will), swing a hammer or patch a hole in the wall. And if I can't do it, I know where to go to find someone who can, and will.

Next time, if I need something done, I'm doing it myself (with a little help from dad, of course).

CB

Nobody likes the cooties

Argh.

I discovered this really great P2P software the other week that allows you to share music with friends...Being a sharing person, I decided to try it out. I listened to music I hadn't heard for years, and things were great. My iPod mini and I were happy.

Then...My computer started freezing on reboot. My email wasn't working. Now I've completely lost all of my email folders, including research, contracts, assignment letters, not to mention addresses.

Gone. All gone. And I have an article due on Sep 9th and no idea what it's about (and my editor's out of the country -- great timing)!

Who are these folks who sit around trying to find ways to break into other people's computers and destroy their personal property? I'd really like to have a heart to heart with one of these folks and find out what it is that makes them tick. What are they thinking? I know there's the challenge thing, but how is breaking into my computer and vandalizing it any different than vandalizing physical property? And would they like to have it done to them?

It had to happen to me eventually. Lesson learned: sharing music means sharing other people's viruses. And nobody likes the cooties.

CB

Success means taking a leap of faith and giving it your all

Good news all (and by all, I probably just mean me since I bet no one's reading this!):

I've got another writing contract! It's for rewriting a chapter on parks & rec trails in Toronto, for the Toronto Colourguide (apparently it's sold in Indigo, Amazon and around the world and one of the other authors is the NOW mag entertainment editor, so I'm in good company!). The pay is lousy, but right now it's all about doing a good job and getting my name out.

So that's it folks: for years I've been afraid of failure and afraid to take the leap into writing. Although it's still early days, I'm finding that if you're willing to do the work, and you do a good job, people will start to know you. The magazine world is such a small world!

Anyways, that's all for now.

And as Angie Stone says, "my sunshine has come -- there's no more rain in this cloud". For now

More later

CB

He's Just Not That Into You - Fact or fiction?

Ok, so as many of you know I'm a big Sex in the City fan (the show, and well, there's nothing wrong with a little sex in the city either!). Once I turned single, I suddenly appreciated the trials and tribulations of those four gals a whole lot more! Some might even say that my life eerily resembles that of Carrie on some days...

Anyways, there's this episode that spurned this book, He's Just Not that Into You. I bought it (on sale -- can't go wrong for $14) and for a long time hid it away in my bookshelf. But now we've started this informal book club -- the HJNTIY book club, and the book is making its rounds through the office.

I'm hoping that we'll be able to get together for Bellinis, Mojitos or cheap wine some time and commiserate (Allison, I know you don't like that word). For me, the book doesn't offer that much solace. Who cares if he's just not that into you? The real question is, WHY isn't he? For Tina, the book's a bit too negative and broad-brushed. Looking forward to seeing what others think of it!

CB

Addendum: Just because he calls you doesn't mean he's necessarily into you. He might just be looking for directions.

Ceebie's first entry - a busy summer!

Well guys, it's been a busy summer, what with baby Sebastien being born, hiking the ChicChocs, paddling the Spanish River and Lenya leaving (jk Len...we still love ya here in the T-dot). Oh and let's not forget Julia and Kieran's wedding -- lots of happenings!

Here's one thing I learned on my canoe trip on the Spanish River, though: when a boulder gets in your way, back paddle, and ferry across the current. That's the best way to avoid tipping your canoe and getting wet!

I'm supposed to be working on an article now so I'll keep this first entry brief. I hope you enjoy my photos -- some of the highlights of this wild and crazy summer.

More to follow,

Ceebie