The Nomad keeps finding songs that I just didn’t know I had. The latest example: “Vertigo” by Monster Magnet. I bought Dopes To Infinity years ago, listened to it maybe once and haven’t taken it out since. But this morning, lo and behold, this cool-ass song jolts me out of my walking-to-work stupor and girds me for…3 hours of vendor meetings.

I’m not from Alabama and I’m not RETARDED.

10th of May. 8th smog alert of the year. I wonder if all the people driving alone to Toronto from Barrie or Stoney Creek or Ajax each morning feel guilty at all?

from CTV

1. When I first moved to Toronto, I had some of essentials — a pot, some dishes & utensils, some towels, a small TV — sent to me by courier so that I’d have it right away while the rest of my stuff made the trip across the country. Purolator lost one of the boxes and broke the TV.
2. They’re owned by McCain’s which makes the most consistently horrid commercials on TV (e.g., the Robbie Alomar atrocities of some years ago, the couple playing the ditty on their violin & glasses of lemonade or whatever, the neauseating pizza pocket sputum, etc.)
3. After a single attempt to deliver my copy of With Teeth (without even leaving a message or calling anyone else on my floor), they’re telling me I have to go down to the Lakeshore to pick it up. Fie, I say. Fie.

Over at Gaping Void, Hugh MacLeod gives us his vision of consumerism’s future, and I’m buying what he’s selling.

There’s a good chunk of the middle class that, although certainly nice people, hard working, reliable and whatnot, are not particularly bright, creative, or too fond of original thought, nor taking risks. This class I see being bled white over the next few decades, as their niches dry up like summer puddles.

Guardian: Wee dram can cut cancer risk, says whisky consultant

Given this news, I feel it’s in the interest of my health if I have a glass with every meal.

P.S.: Boo, Lesley Walker! What would Johnnie say?!?

What with the debilitating cold, we couldn’t do much more on Saturday night than watch another movie. For the second night in a row, as it happened, it starred Jude Law. This time: Sky Captain And The World Of Tomorrow (imdb | rotten tomatoes).

I liked it, Nellie didn’t. Visually impressive, obviously, and it slipped in lots of fun references to other films, but I can’t stand Gwyneth Paltrow, Angelina Jolie was barely in it, and I think I’m just plum burned out on Jude Law. No more for a while.

After letting my Zip movies languish on the speaker for weeks, this cold at least afforded me the downtime to watch a few. Now we just have Blue In The Face, but I don’t want to watch that until Smoke arrives.

Today was mother’s day, so I hope everyone who was supposed to call called. I heard from mine that her exciting plan today was to relax, have a cup of tea and maybe watch a DVD or two. Which, for a woman who doesn’t often sit still for long, is probably a nice mother’s day indeed.

It also happened to be brother #2’s birthday. Happy birthday, Picky.

I just got trapped by the Million Marijuana March. The parade of people walking down Bloor got turned onto Yonge just as I was about to cross it. I doubled back to the Manulife Center, crossed underground, and walked to the corner of Yonge & Bloor…and got there just as the last few people rounded the corner. Argh.

If I’d been smart I’d have just gotten into the parade and then jumped out when it got to my street. Oh well, I’m sick, I’m not at the top of my game. Besides, the way I was dressed (not to mention the way I look), I might’ve stood out a bit.