First quarter, 2012

Just a rundown, to post at least something to this blog & keep it alive. Perhaps I'll update more often - I do use Facebook a lot, but not everyone does (I can respect, even applaud that...). Though please sign up for my twitter account, too - I'm using that more to post random thoughts & politco news items and opinions. Anyway - January, back to work up in Vancouver after a week home in Emeryville. Got in full production on Argo, a based-on-true-events film about the Iranian revolution, directed by Ben Affleck; and Cloud Atlas, based on an award-winning novel by David Mitchell, co-directed by the Wachowskis and Tom Tykwer. Winter was mighty rough, as bad as I remember going through in Michigan - maybe a bit less freezing cold, and a bit less snowy. In general, the weather's been dismal and I'm tired of bundling up. Work's gone well though - good company, I enjoy the multi-facted aspect of crowds (assets, animation, performance, FX, rendering) & being a lead (doing more details with the software, and business sides of things than I have anywhere else). Bonnie came up at the end of January (went to Capilano, and local stuff around town), and mid-March (St. Patricks Day in Victoria on Vancouver Island). I went back in April for Tom G & Laura's wedding and Easter Brunch, and I'm going back home in mid-May (just to catch up with some home business), and end of June (for the Aidan/Anna wedding), and in August (for Jeska & Brad's wedding). My contract is up in August, coming up soon on a decision time. Won't go into details, but it will be a question of staying for a bit longer, or heading home permanently & taking my chances... same options I've faced 4 times in the last 2 years... An overview of some of the things I've done here : Taboo Convention; Waitangi Day celebration; shopping trip to Bellingham (TJ's!); Vancouver Art Gallery after hours; live improv Dungeons & Dragons @ Rio Theatre; Shroud of Turin exhibit; Oscars @ Vancity (w/ Daryl M); Emo Phillips comedy; Titanic talk @ SFU; Van Fan Expo; Egyptology talk @ Surrey Lib. Some music events : Early Music Vancouver; Secret Cheifs 3 with Dengue Fever @ Rickshaw; The Evaporators in-store @ Neptoon (Nardwuar!); Puscifier; Record Store Day. Some movies : Coriolanus; Academy Shorts; Chronicle; Zakir & Friends doco; Fishbone doco; Titanic 3D; Nightwatching (Peter Greenaway). May seem like a lot, but I'm kind of underwhelmed with the range of events here - especially given the prices and getting around town (oh, and did I mention the weather?). Spring is here, which apparently means less severe cold, and fewer consecutive days with no sun. I am looking forward to 10pm sunsets, though, and just maybe going outside with less than 4 layers...