Sdtrk: ‘Le plus fort’ by Pussy Cat

On Mon eve, I attended my first official class regarding my court reporting studies, Machine shorthand. Originally I was hoping it would be a course to teach me how to better speak to and understand machines, but alas. It’s a class of about 15 to 18 students, and I’m one of two blokes there, not counting the teacher. It’ll be interesting, no doubt, but sweet baby James, I had no idea that it would be as expensive as it would be.

This is a Stentura, a typical stenographer’s typewriter by Stenograph. (No, the keys aren’t marked. I’m sure we’ll learn more about that at a later date.) The average price for a used one runs between $400 – $800. New, depending on the model, they’re either $1100 or $1400. Then there are the books, which I’ve not even looked at yet, the paper which loads in the back (not pictured), and the transcription software, which normally costs about $1000, but I can get a really good deal on.
Sure, once I’ve graduated, something like $800 will be a drop in the bucket, but for fuck’s sake.. I had to go and choose an expensive career path, didn’t I? Had I known it would be this pricey, I would’ve held my old telemarketing boss up at gunpoint. Which, arguably, is something I’d still like to do, but mainly because he’s a shitty human being, but that’s neither here nor there right now.

Further notes on the first session: Mr Floury, our teacher — who somewhat resembles the bloke that played Otter from ‘Animal house’, only shorter — was explaining that he’s a freelance deposition person (‘depositionist’? ‘depositionaire’?), and he works mostly from home, doing as much or as little work as he wants, according to whatever hours he wishes to work. He said in no uncertain terms that he’s teaching this class cos he wants to give back to the community — he’d graduated from OCC about seven years ago, if I’m not mistaken — and he’s not doing it for the money, cos with the depositions, he makes about five times as much with that as he does teaching. Apart from having to supply your own medical insurance and bollock like that (which should hopefully be less of a problem when I move Northward), it’s a career that’s completely flexible and lucrative. Hearing Mr Floury speak in extant about what he does and what court reporters/broadcast transcriptionists do in general was quite encouraging, and actually made me feel good about my decision to pursue this.

So what was I saying? O, right! Feck, those supplies are expensive

Sdtrk: ‘Woodpecker No.1’ by Merzbow

I dreamt that I had written a post, so when I awoke and didn’t see anything new, you can imagine my disappointment. Hrm.
Basically, I’ve not been up to much, hence the extended silence. Oddly enough, it feels like I’ve not written for weeks on end, despite the fact that my last post was only four days ago. What have I arguably been doing?

SKULE: My Document processing and production class started last Tuesday, and my Machine shorthand one begins today. You know, there are two kinds of people in this world: those who purchase their required textbooks before the class kicks off, and those who don’t. I fall under the second category. I actually have to check up with the tossers at the bookstore, as my textbook for the Document etc etc course wasn’t in on Wed or Thurs, and I would’ve checked Friday, but I got caught up in a maelstrom of events beyond my control, which I’ll describe shortly.
My father asked me if I liked the Document etc etc class, to which I replied, ‘No, I don’t really like any class.’ I’m back in school cos I have to be, not necessarily cos I want to be, so this entire process is a means to an end. I’ll be fucking glad when it’s over, to say the least…

WORK, IN QUOTES: I worked my second ‘consecutive’ day at ESI last Friday. That’s right! I’ve only worked two days since I’ve begun. When Dave mentioned that the usual amount of hours is between 20 – 30, I think they forgot to append ‘if you’ve been here a while’. Kelly dinna call me in until 5.30 Thursday aft, and I seriously beginning to think that I’d been let go without them informing me. I was somewhat relieved when Dave told me that he’d only worked on Tuesday, and he thought I was stealing his hours. (Although he ended up working one more day than I did…) As you suspect, I’m kinda looking for another job, cos there’s no way this shit is going to pay for my next semester…
So Friday, I drove some eXtreeeeme sports guy to the airport, drove a Jeep Renegade to Lapeer for a drop-off, drove the Stratus again playing chase vehicle, and drove a Grand Cherokee up to Lapeer. Round 3.30, I, along with four other drivers, was supposed to drive a Sprinter each back to base, and when they started doling out keys, there were only three to start out with, and we were told that the other two would be ready shortly. Dave and Sam got theirs, and I filled out the paperwork for the third, which turned out to be the wrong vehicle. The other blokes drove back to base, and Al and I were left to wait, and wait, AND WAIT. Our two Sprinters weren’t ready to go until 5pm. It kinda sucked for me, but at least I was getting additional hours; however, Al had someplace he had to be. So, battling with rush hour traffic driving from Auburn hills meant that I didn’t get off work until 6pm. Wheee, nine-hour day!
By the way, driving a Sprinter is a lot like driving a bus. Very tall van, with a tiny, near-horizontal non-adjustable steering wheel. Recommended for masochists only.

ミクロ STYLE: This past week-end, I just changed over my screen resolution, for the first time since I got a computer back in the mid Nineties, from 800×600, to 1024×768. Apart from the fact that practically none of my wallpapers fit properly anymore, everything’s so tiny. I predict I’ll go blind in under six months.

WEIGHT FOR IT: I’m ‘taking exercise’. Actually, I should remove those quotes, as this is the most exercise I’ve ever taken since my Fencing class back in 1991. It’s nowt spectacular; I just do push-ups and curls with a dumbbell before I roll into bed every eve. The only reason I’m doing this is so when I lift Shi-chan, I want to be able to do so for more than, like, two minutes. Dropping her that one time during the documentary filming was beyond embarrasing, not so much because it was caught on camera (you’ll edit that bit out, right Allison??), but I’ve had Sweetie for five years, and I should be able to lift and carry her with ease. Plus, since one of my goals is to get two more RealDolls and a couple of other Synthetiks once we move Northward, I’m gonna need the muscle tone to move them wherever and however. I intend on getting some sit-ups in as well… y’know, anything that’ll strengthen my arms and back. It must be working, as parts of me are achy.

O, and ‘Black books‘? Hell of a show, highly recommended. 🙂

So there you have it. Wow, I don’t mind telling you, it felt good to be writing again! Perhaps I will do it again in a couple of weeks!
And so I end now, with a joke that I’d read off one of the boards on 4chan:

A guy stops to visit his friend who is paralysed from the waist down. His friend says, ‘My feet are cold. Would you get me my sneakers for me?’
The guy goes upstairs, and there are his friend’s two gorgeous daughters.
He says, ‘Hi, girls. Your dad sent me up here to fuck you.’
The first daughter says, ‘That’s not true.’
He says, ‘I’ll prove it.’ So he yells down the stairs, ‘Both of them?’
His friend yells back, ‘Of course, both of them.’

Sdtrk: ‘My 36 favourite punk rock songs’ by Jason Forrest

A full-colour insert for this fluttered out of this week’s MetroTimes and onto my lap:

BRIDGET RILEY: PAINTINGS AND WORKS ON PAPER, 1963-2005
SEPTEMBER 3 THROUGH OCTOBER 30, 2005

This exhibition encompasses forty years of uncompromising and remarkable innovation, exploring Bridget Riley’s characteristic and distinctive optically vibrant work. Her last exhibition in North America was at the Dia Center, New York, in 2000.

Riley’s work is celebrated for its ability to engage the viewer’s sensations and perceptions, producing visual experiences that are complex and challenging, subtle and arresting. Her paintings employ a simple vocabulary of colors and abstract shapes to generate sensations of movement, light and space. This exhibition traces the development of Riley’s work from the early 1960s to the present day.

It’s taking place over at Cranbrook Art Museum, which is a place I’ve not been to since I was in gradeschool. I’ve definitely gotta check that out..
Bridget Riley herself will also be there on 23 and 24 September. Huh! I didn’t even know she was still alive!

Sdtrk: ‘Prelude and dawn’ by Basil Kirchin

*shivers with excitement*

November 22nd is the exact street date for Aeon Flux – The Complete Animated Collection. This is a 3-disc affair which fans will enjoy a lot more than the hard-to find original 4-episode DVD released in the disc format’s first year, 1997.

Not only will this release consist of the complete series, but it will have some great extras on it as well. Planned bonus material (subject to change) includes:

• Commentary tracks
• Interviews with Peter Chung, production crew, and the cast
• “History of Aeon Flux” featurette
• …and much more!

(from TVShowsOnDVD.com)

My favourite rangy pseudo-anime, PVC-wearing, assassin-slash-foot-fetish-model is back on DVD, and All Is Right With The World. I can finally get rid of my dodgy VHS copy! Hurrah!
Just as a point of interest, 14 November is my birthday, hint hint

I’d say Friday’s instalment of Cat and Girl is a close approximation of how I’m feeling about the New Orleans situation.

Give this a look as well, won’t you?

Sdtrk: ‘We build a golem for London’ by Mount Vernon astral temple

Okay, with this instalment, we’re back to the sort of architecture that genuinely makes me a wee bit sad to look at, cos I know I’ll probably never get a chance to live there, but at the same time, it makes me entirely giddy to know that a place such as this is still standing. This time, our focus turns to Habitat 67, designed by Moshe Safdie for the 1967 Expo in Montréal.

At the ground level, a service road system connects all service areas and parking facilities. One level above the service roads is a pedestrian plaza, and above that plastic-sheltered streets which connect all parts of the project through walk-ways and bridges. At no time is it necessary for a pedestrian to cross the service roads. To reach the homes on the upper levels there are three vertical cores, where the elevators serve the horizontal pedestrian streets.

Unlike most Expo exhibits, Habitat 67 remained after the exposition’s close, and remains fully occupied today. Mr Safdie was one of those architects that sought to change the way people lived in a social context, so he built a series of apartments that had the open space that most urban apartments were lacking. This place offered 158 units varying from one- to four-bedroom units, with open walkways that were sheltered from the weather by plexiglass walls. There’s a link at the bottom of the page I’d provided above, that recounts the experiences of a couple that moved to Habitat 67, that’s pretty interesting to read.

What initially hit me about Habitat 67 is that the whole place looks like it’s in motion (‘Nude Descending a Staircase’, anyone?), what with its cube-units going in and out at all sorts of angles and distances. The other appealing thing is due to its structural layout, everyone has their own back patio/mini-garden, which would be perfect for someone like myself, who doesn’t mind the outdoors and nature, just not in great amounts. Some amount of greenery, yet no yard to maintain? You’re speaking my language!

Habitat 67 is a Machine for Living, but with a personal touch. Once again proving that Expo sites feature some of the best buildings and structures

Sdtrk: ‘Velada’ by Fursaxa

Look at what I found!

yes, that’s my Sidore-chan. 🙂

Remember, Elena Dorfman’s ‘Still lovers’ comes out next month, and it’ll be available on Amazon.com, as well as Barnes & Noble and a couple of other vendors.
And if you can read Français, why not also buy a copy of ‘Des poupées et des hommes: Enquête sur l’amour artificiel (Dolls and men: Investigaton into artificial love)’, written by Elisabeth Alexandre, with photos by Elena Dorfman? Why not? Hmm?

They’ll be the best literary purchases you’ll make all year. (Despite the fact that one is mostly photographs, and you might not even be able to read the other one.) I guarantee it