chope

I'm Moving...

2008-11-11T01:39:12Z

out of a creepy apartment of old racist ladies who put up pro-life petitions in the hall.

Two bedroom place with free cable and internet only five minutes from work.

chope @ 2008-03-01T10:03:00

2008-03-01T15:11:44Z

Last night someone set my car on fire and completely totaled it. The reason may have been a rainbow coloured bumper sticker similar to the Jello logo, that says "HELLO". Another car belong to a lesbian couple was also set on fire.

Or it may have been because I dumbly left my wallet in the car.

Chatham = Where Hate Crimes Happen!?!

What the FUCK!

chope @ 2007-10-28T14:49:00

2007-10-28T18:55:10Z

I'm feeling really good these .

wow

chope @ 2007-10-01T10:49:00

2007-10-01T14:52:51Z

I'm back in Waterloo (at my parents house) for an undetermined amount of time.

Yikes!

Why? Why Not.

2007-03-02T19:03:31Z

One reason not to live on Vancouver Island

2007-02-28T18:29:46Z

Please add if you like

2007-02-19T21:04:44Z

Taken from a Facebook group i'm on.

Things that may be better in theory than in practice:

1) coke and whores parties
2) staying friends
3) stoagies
4) getting married
5) real estate
6) bong-offs
7) all-you-can-eat buffets
8) miming
9) buying pants that are too small as inspiration to lose weight
10) laughter clubs
11) quality, not quantity
12) freeze-dried camping food
13) renovating
14) taking one for the team
15) eating the whole thing
16) being more than friends
17) thong underwear
18) ‘let’s just stay up cause we’re just going to have to get up in a couple of hours anyway’
19) 1-800-DOCTOR-B
20) keg stands
21) living out of a backpack
22) interpretive dance
23) colon cleansing
24) street meat
25) serenading
26) ant farms
27) getting involved
28) WWE
29) dedicating a song to your secret crush on the radio
30) giving to charity
31) helping friends move
32) trying to be just friends
33) not eating the last cookie
34) making the effort
35) scotch
36) not caring what people think
37) alarm clocks
38) new years resolution
39) co-ed sex toy parties
40) saving money on rent by moving back in with your parents
41) riding downhill in a shopping cart
42) letting your mother-in-law ‘help’ plan your wedding
43) speaking up for what you believe in at work
44) taking time off to find yourself
45) rescuing stray dogs
46) funnelling beer
47) adventure tourism
48) discount lunch meat
49) putting yourself out there
50) picking up hitchhikers
51) hitchhiking
52) selflessness
53) Pamela Anderson
54) listening to your heart
55) Worm composting
56) volunteering
57) collaborating

I will find you!

2007-02-13T16:06:12Z

HowManyOfMe.com

There is:
1
person with my name
in the U.S.A.

How many have your name?

Good Morning

2007-01-26T17:10:21Z

The morning is my favoriate part of my day.

I wish I could make something up this funny

2006-12-15T19:19:51Z

Vincent Gallo's Sperm

$1 Million

Price includes all costs related to one attempt at an in-vitro fertilization. (A $50,000 value) If the first attempt at in vitro fertilization is unsuccessful, purchaser of sperm must pay all medical costs related to additional attempts. Mr. Gallo will supply sperm for as many attempts as it takes to complete a successful fertilization and successful delivery. Sperm is 100% guaranteed to be donated by Mr. Gallo who is drug, alcohol and disease free. If the purchaser of the sperm chooses the option of natural insemination, there is an additional charge of $500,000. However, if after being presented detailed photographs of the purchaser, Mr. Gallo may be willing to waive the natural insemination fee and charge only for the sperm itself. Those of you who have found this merchandise page are very well aware of Mr. Gallo's multiple talents, but to add further insight into the value of Mr. Gallo's sperm, aside from being multi talented in all creative fields, he was also multi talented as an athlete, winning several awards for performing in the games of baseball, football and hockey and making it to the professional level of grand prix motorcycle racing. Mr. Gallo is 5'11" and has blue eyes. There are no known genetic deformities in his ancestry (no cripples) and no history of congenital diseases. If you have seen The Brown Bunny, you know the potential size of the genitals if it's a boy. (8 inches if he's like his father.) I don't know exactly how a well hung father can enhance the physical makeup of a female baby, but it can't hurt. Mr. Gallo also presently maintains a distinctively full head of hair and at the age of 43 has surprisingly few gray hairs. Though his features are sharp and extreme, they would probably blend well with a softer, more subtly featured female. Mr. Gallo maintains the right to refuse sale of his sperm to those of extremely dark complexions. Though a fan of Franco Harris, Derek Jeter, Lenny Kravitz and Lena Horne, Mr. Gallo does not want to be part of that type of integration. In fact, for the next 30 days, he is offering a $50,000 discount to any potential female purchaser who can prove she has naturally blonde hair and blue eyes. Anyone who can prove a direct family link to any of the German soldiers of the mid-century will also receive this discount. Under the laws of the Jewish faith, a Jewish mother would qualify a baby to be deemed a member of the Jewish religion. This would be added incentive for Mr. Gallo to sell his sperm to a Jew mother, his reasoning being with the slim chance that his child moved into the profession of motion picture acting or became a musical performer, this connection to the Jewish faith would guarantee his offspring a better chance at good reviews and maybe even a prize at the Sundance Film Festival or an Oscar. To be clear, the purchase of Mr. Gallo's sperm does not include the use of the name Gallo. The purchaser must find another surname for the child

http://www.vgmerchandise.com/misc.html

chope @ 2006-12-01T22:11:00

2006-12-02T05:11:40Z

I Hurt!

Fuck you ear infection!

My right ear canal is swollen comp shut!

Maybe I should smoke a joint!

Pain!

"Three Legged Coyote Still A Large"

2006-11-29T00:10:36Z

A Yellowknifer article from March I still find amusing.

Broken Record.....Broken Record

2006-10-21T17:41:45Z

Had a good week at work, starting to feel as if i'm getting the hang of it. There are benefits to being a lame duck. Once my contract is up here i'm gone and most likely will never come back to this area again. So if so and so is pissed off at me for enforcing park land dedication on their little subdivision, or denying site permits because they are too close to the ocean there is no need to sweat it or take it personally. I’m an officer...a development officer! (one of the many hats I wear) my gun is a tape measure and my badge is a shitty looking business card.

Being in my ‘mid’ twenties sometimes feels like a strange form of torture. Does anyone else wake up in the middle of the night thinking “What the Fuck am I going to do or am doing with my life”. Night terrors are much more unnerving than day terrors. I probably seem crazy or weird but when the bluedevils attack I try to fight them with ‘Heart’. If you have ‘heart’ everything will be fine.

Now the super crazy part, I made myself a little reminder

An effect of living by myself in a tiny logging town with no attractive single women is the general reduction in my libido. I’m sure it will come back, but for now it isn’t exactly a problem....just one less thing I have to think about.

Vancouver next weekend! Yeah! It looks as if I am going to see the Rolling Stones on Friday with my aunt and her boyfriend. I’m not that excited to see them (mainly because the price) but I’m sure I’ll enjoy it. I just found out that Van Morrison is the opening act. Van’s the Man!

Other Observations:
-Scarlett Johansson is the new Winona Ryder
-The Arcade Fire are the new Bruce Springsteen and E Street Band
-When I first saw this poster in a store I thought it was a joke.

I hope I don't sound like a broken record.

Another Saturday Night

2006-10-08T05:43:05Z

It really doesn't feel like thanksgiving for me though I did splurge and buy super expensive back bacon. Yum Yum

I just downloaded Adobe Premiere and started playing around with it. Don't know all the inns and outs yet, but i'm sure that will come. Anyway now I can start posting videos! I quickly put together a bunch of stuff from Yellowknife, it may come off as being a little over nostalgic but whatever (I listened to a lot of Guided By Voices up there). I miss that place.

Sorry about the quality....

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v621/Chope/?action=view¤t=Yellowknife.flv

chope @ 2006-09-30T22:44:00

2006-10-01T05:47:45Z

Oh there is just so much I want to talk about. Why? Because I don’t have anyone to talk too, well not face to face. I always feel self conscience about my posts looking too long and get the feeling this one might fall under that category. So here’s a list of things I’m going to talk about followed by an LJ-Cut.

Crazy Neighbour
A Different World
Guns Guns Meat
Work
Andrew W.K. Review
Other....

The person who lives right next too me has started getting a little to friendly and has made me want blinds to cover my giant window even more. It’s not that I don’t like him, it’s just that we have nothing in common and I find talking to him so awkward that I’d rather be by myself. Last night at around 10 he started knocking on that giant window while I was laying on the futon. For some reason he gave me a glass filled with about 9oz of whiskey which is now sitting in my freezer. I guess I just feel a little to exposed. It’s dark out and as we speak he could be staring at me through the window.

Is anyone else watching reruns of A Different World on MuchMoreMusic and developing the hugest crush on Marisa Tomei??? Why doesn’t Hillman College exist?

I went clay pigeon shooting a few weeks ago, it was my first time firing a gun. Paddy the oldtimer in the office invited me to his gun club. You should have seen the Rednecks I was shooting with, so many confederate flags, so many GUNS & GUN TALK. I took a total of about 40 shots and hit 20 pigeons (including the first one pulled) which was better than some of the others there.

Work is good. There have been some intense moments last week. I really got into it on the phone with this women who owns this tourist area called Telegraph Cove. She was being so deceiving and sleazy over the phone, trying to wear me down and get me to say things that would allow her to totally step around important planning requirements. Without getting into the details of it I think she had a ‘special’ relationship with the planning ‘guru’ named Bill Sheppard who worked out of the office for about 20 years. He approved this horrible zoning bylaw for telegraph cove that really puts the Regional District in a tough spot. In return the major road in Telegraph Cove is now named Sheppards Way.

I drove there today and took some pictures

I recently downloaded the new Andrew W.K. album and was going to write a review on LJ. It is just crazy (not really in a good way). I don’t know if he has lost faith in the party, or has analyzed the ‘party’ to such a degree that it’s not fun anymore. Maybe he has started taking drugs, or stopped taking drugs, or has started taking different drugs. He’s one of those guys who records all the instruments himself so in no way has to compromise (like Prince). It’s hard to explain, people should listen to it. It’s Epic!

On W.K.’s last tour he broke is leg stage diving but still managed to finish the tour. This photo = Heart

Photo in Alert Bay taken a few weeks ago. Nice

One of many self portrait photo’s I’ve taken as result of boredom.

Photo of my house taken from the Ferry to Sointula. My living room window is the giant one that doesn’t have blinds!

Video from camping outside of Yellowknife. I miss those people, this video was taken after midnight

Thieves in the Temple

2006-09-25T18:52:23Z

Well I’ve been pretty useless at work this Monday morning, starting your day with a very angry e-mail will do that, especially when the entire situation should have been avoided. My bad (insert telephone call that resolved the issue and I’m feeling better). This afternoon me and the CAO Greg are driving down to Woss to look at sewer lagoons, I don’t have to do anything and will most likely be paid overtime, so no complaints there. Also during the long drive I’ll be able to ask Greg a bunch of little questions (and some big ones), he’s a busy guy.

In other work related news I had my first report to the Regional Board. I had to talk for about 15 minutes and everything went okay I guess. The power went out when I started talking and it helped settle my nerves as I had been mentally working myself up into a frenzy for the previous hour. I’m organizing a public hearing for October the 17th to discuss a proposed zoning bylaw amendment and have no idea if what I’m doing is right (enter Greg time here). The amendment is booze related so I’m guessing there will be a good turnout (whatever that is)

The weeks are just flying by. I am lonely. So lonely. Sounds lame but I need a hug. Drinking by yourself; yay or nay? Internet is coming back once again, hopefully that will allow me not to feel totally isolated on weekends. I wish someone would just force me to buy a specific car. There are too many used cars out there, too many lemons.

My schizophrenic neighbour (the one with the dog) allowed me to use is laundry last week. His place only consisted of a giant TV, giant speakers and futon. I guess he just sits/sleeps on the futon all day while chain smoking hand rolled cigarettes and playing videogames. The dog Penny was also in heat and the floor was covered in menstrual blood. We split of 6 pack of Pilsner and talked of video surveillance technology while waiting for the laundry to finish.

In terms of my free time I found a new videostore at the edge of town with a much better selection than the convience store. I have been reading a lot of Douglas Copeland books which are okay, it was exciting when he mentioned the University of Waterloo and the Bomber in Microserfs. Still waiting on the painting supplies which I ordered, starting to worry about getting ripped off. Bought 25 pound free weights, feeling the burn.

Mexican Independence Day party next weekend, sexy results?. I am going to steal the Van from work.

I hope I’m not completely insane by Christmas.

So Bored

2006-09-10T18:24:58Z

Another boring Sunday, but one good thing about living on the West Coast is that NFL games start right around 9. Looking forward to the Bears/Packers and Colts/Giants games.

I now have my laptop which is a bit boxier than I would like, but the insides are all good and the screen is larger than I thought. Also I am able to tap into a wireless network (i'm thinking from a B&B next door), so maybe that is one thing I don't have to pay for.

What are some good sites to download music from? I've always been a a fan of Soulseek but you can only download so much at a time. I want to get into those Torrent sites I hear so much about. I also want to download some videogames.

A car would really make my weekends more exciting. My goal is to have a good one by the end of this month.

Last night I was thinking about all of the different jobs i've had. So in my boredom a list was drawn up.

1. Waterloo Chronicle - Delivery Boy
2. Shoppers Drug Mart - Delivery Boy on a Bicycle (i.e. drug dealer)
3. Canadian Feed the Children - Door to Door Donations
4. Rock Ave Bistro - Short Order Cook
5. Hostas Frito-Lay - General Labourer/Packer/Warehouse Technician
6. Elections Canada - Pollster
7. Habitat for Humanity ReStore - Sales Clerk
8. The Working Centre - Demolition/Bicycle Tuneups/Soup Kitchen Cook/Community Gardner
9. Williams Coffee Pub - Coffee Giver
10. City of Orillia - Summer Planning Assistant
11. Williams Coffee Pub - Coffee Giver
12. Second Cup - Coffee Barista
13. Sunlife Financial - Issue Associate
14. Extra Foods - Nightshift Stocker
15. Dillon Consulting - Interim Community Planner
16. The Yellowknife Bookcellar - Sales Clerk
17. Regional District of Mount Waddington - Planner

September 2006

2006-08-31T19:12:05Z

I was thinking last night about how it is already September 2006, then I started thinking about September 2005.

Usually years feel like they are flying by fast, but last September feels like it was 5 years ago. I'm in a totally different situation and mindset from then.

Not better or worse, just different.

In other news:

It's so fucking cold in this office!!!
I'm being 'set-up' with a Mexican girl from Coal Harbour this weekend. She's studying to be a Vet.

Time Passes

2006-08-27T20:16:09Z

So I’m living out here on the West Coast and it seems very weird to me. For some reason I never thought that I’d live in British Columbia, but here I am. One thing for certain the next place I live is going to have lots of people! People of similar age and interests of myself. Port McNeill is made up of little kids and old people.

Bullet points seem like an easier way to mention shit. Sooooo here you go:

-Car shopping has official begun. There is an old VW Bug that for sale that is supposedly and excellent condition and cheap. A fellow fixed it up for his daughter, but she refused based on the fact that she didn't want to learn how to drive a stick. That would be a 'fun' first car.

-The closest Royal Bank is 2 hours away so I had to open a CIBC account (the only bank in town) and because the Regional District has some sort of objection to direct deposit it is now going to be a pain in the ass to pay down my frequently used VISA.

-The job is good and I have some real power which is new. People treat me with respect immediately because I am the giver of Building Permits and Licenses of Occupancy.

-The planning here is fucked. Due to its small population we don't actually have building inspectors. It is up to the owner to make sure that their new house/addition is up to code. All enforcement of all by-laws is through a complaint driven process. So I hear allot of people complaining. Also the Ministry of Transportation has authority over all subdivisions of land within the Regional District. We're not in Ontario anymore.

-It is driving me crazy that I’m unable to watch any of the FIBA World Championships. Keta Cable sucks!

-Watched the movie Black Christmas last night and it was excellent. Canadian horror movies from the 70's are very underrated. Margot Kidder was very attractive.

-Where is my new Laptop??

-Collecting enough furniture to fill my apartment is a slow process. Is it cool to put bad art (i.e. 2x2 framed photo of a Tiger) up on your walls? The North Coast has plenty of it.

-I seriously want lots of people to visit me this coming year. Open bar and all the food you can eat while your here. I'm desperate for company.

-Finally some pictures in and around the North

Penny is the friendly dog who belongs to the person who lives next to me. Because I have no blinds yet (landlord insists there on their way) Penny is constantly watching me through the window with a toy in her mouth and tail a wagin.

The view out of my living room. Lots of spacing out while watching the floatplanes and ferries go by.

Some Dead 'Wood' behind my house.

View of Sointula from behind my house. The whole island is apparently made up of Fins who left to avoid that country's heavily regulated socialist system. Lots of planning problems there.

My living room *sigh

Went fishing very very early last Saturday. I 'caught' a 17 pound spring Salmon and now have enough fish in my freezer to last a year.

Other fishing boats on a very picturesque day.

Shit Candles

2006-08-11T21:30:49Z

I can't believe i'm moving again Sunday morning. Most likely it won't seem 'real' for atleast a week out there.

But hey, how about some JB pics of friends. I wish I could have partied all night.

Shoosh

2006-08-06T22:14:58Z

I never know how to start posts......

In seven days I will be starting a new job in a small mountain town where I don't know a single soul. Thinking/daydreaming about this seems to have overshadowed most of the last week and most likely will do the same this week. Movin Movin Movin, so much fucking moving. I don't know what I need and where to find it.

I keep on thinking that i'm forgetting to do something major while i'm back in Waterloo, some person I have to see, Some product that I have to buy, something that I like to eat.

Everyone keeps on congratulating me on the new job. Is it a big deal? Right now the job is looking very boring and methodical. Hopefully i'll be able to make friends over there. It took me about 3 months to really get out and meet people in Yellowknife and that was with my brother's help. I envision my life being so lonely for the first few months.

I certainly know one thing that I'd trade this 'great' work experience. Patience.

When is it time to stop wanting to be cool?

For posts like these I wish that Emo wasn't such a dirty word hahaha.

Getting that out of the way I had an amazing time at my parents cottage this weekend with some good friends!

Journeyman

2006-07-24T22:43:23Z

I will only be in KW for two weeks as I just accepted a position with the Regional District of Mount Waddington. Their office is located in Port McNeill which is on the northern portion of Vancouver Island. I wanted to start later but it is a materinty leave position and the women is due anytime now.

I am excited/nervous/numb to the whole situation. Talking to the office manager today has put my mind to ease somewhat as the region will pay for however long it takes me to find a place (I'll be staying at a B&B until then), help me find a place and also let me have access to one of their automobiles for shopping trips etc. I get the feeling that the office (and region) is pretty laid back.

For the past few days i've been trying to visualize what life will be like there. I've never been to Vancouver Island and only have the vaguest memories of the west coast from a vacation many years ago. It will likely be an isolated (and lonely) experience for the first few months at least. I'm considering not drinking while i'm there and taking on a truly healthy lifestyle (cutting down on meat and caffinee etc). I think i'd rather be clear headed and lonely rather than fucked up and confused. I'm looking forward to making some good money. First on my shopping list is a labtop to take out there, followed by a used car that will be able to take me back to Ontario. I wonder if i'll qualify for POGI once my contract ends, that would kick ass.

It will be sad to leave Yellowknife. I wrapped things up at Dillon and the bookstore today, too many awkward goodbyes. Justine is throwing a going away party for me and Sam (he's coming back to KW for a undetermined amount of time) tomorrow. There will be alot more goodbyes there.

I just realized that I've been employed by four different companies in just over 6 months. That's fucked.

The second half of my twenties are looking to be totally different from the first half.

People better be ready to party!

Random

2006-07-17T00:56:19Z

Here are few random things:

- I am not happy with 50% of the things entering my body (food, booze, smut etc)
- I am not happy with 50% of the things leaving my body (talking shit)
- I am going to try to get both of these things down to 25% apiece
- My parents sold 12 Avondale to my and their relief. Apparently the house is being sold to a Erin and Justin who apparently know me through Ellie. Anyone know who they are?
- I am randomly stressing out about things.
- I have one phone interview for Mount Waddington B.C. next week.
- I might be flown to Billings, Montana for a planning job I applied too. Only problem is that they want me the same day I'm flying to Toronto (July 27th)
- On Friday night I drank far too much without eating, dropped much money, saw a Cuban band play and danced with everyone in Yellowknife.
- Folk on the Rocks was this weekend. It was sooo! good and made me really sad for leaving.
- The Toronto Raptors are totally remaking their team and I am anticipating the fall a little too much.
- I currently have 3 crushes but nothing will likely come of it because I'm leaving.
- I only made four sales at the bookstore today over a 8 hour shift.
- My digital camera broke after only 2 months.
- I can't wait to see family and friends again!

Holla!

Have I accomplished anything today?

2006-07-06T20:44:13Z

1. The Stroke - Billy Squire
2. Crazy Train - Ozzy Osbourne
3. Pour Some Sugar On Me - Def Leppard
4. Fortunate Son - Creedence Clearwater Revival
5. Born In The U.S.A - Bruce Springsteen
6. Showdown - Electric Light Orchestra
7. Come Sail Away - Styx
8. Straight On For You - Heart
9. Urgent - Foreigner
10. Hot for Teacher - Van Halen
11. Below the Funk (Pass the J) - Rick James
12. Jet - Wings
13. Chilliwack - Fly At Night
14. Don't Do Me Like That - Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers
15. 10538 Overture - Electric Light Orchestra
16. Do You Feel Like I Do? - Peter Frampton

chope @ 2006-07-04T12:05:00

2006-07-04T18:55:24Z

Wonder what argument led to this?

One of many abandoned mines along the Ingram Trail

Photo credit going out to Tarik Dessouki

Rock Party

Please notice the can of Original Lucky 'Extra' in my hands

The midnight sun makes for beautiful 5 hour long sunset/rises and the stumbling to your tent much easier.

"The Rock"