The new domain name is now active. I officially welcome you all to www.spudles.com! Enjoy!

I've been accepted.

SPU, touched.

Which is worse: A lie that brings a smile, or a truth that brings a tear?

SPU, been watching too many Christmas movies.

I spent a pleasant evening with my Waterloo roommates last night. I am anxious to get back to school in January, back to a house with my friends, and out of this three-walled house of mayhem.

I have recently rediscovered the glories of "Doom". I used to play that game all the time back in high school, before Quake came along. We used a map that had only four connecting rooms, with one weapon in each room. Play was quick, brutal, and incredibly fun. Oh, the memories...

pOrk and I are working on our own map, loosely based on Rome's Colloseum. Seems a fitting locale for deathmatch Doom, yes/no?

Posts have been a little sparse lately because I'm working on a new admin/pubtool. I used it to add this post, so it's coming along quite nicely. I'm having a problem with compilation, so there's still a bit of work to do. In the end, though, it will be cool, and I will laugh at people using Blogger. :)

Rumours are a-flying...

The rumours are true.

'Twas another sad day in the land of ExtendMedia, as the fall of dotcoms and the idle market for interactive television has forced the company to shed half of its workforce. At the very least, those unfortunately let go will still be employed by ExtendMedia for another two months as they search for a new job. It isn't fair, as layoffs never are, but this is probably the most gentle I've seen.

This, of course, means that this will be my last work term at Extend, since I can't risk losing a job late into the winter or into the spring when I have two terms of tuition to pay. It's a great place to work -- wonderful people, wonderful atmosphere, open concept, foosball table, hot chicks, the works. I'm going to miss it.

SCoN is going to be up and down at random points over the next few days as I switch web server software. Be forewarned, and don't go too ballistic if you can't get your helping of noodles.

If you can read this, then the new pubtool is working properly.

A Christmas memory:

Several years back, I remember, I made a futile attempt at creating an ice rink in my back yard. Everyday for about two weeks or so I stood out in the cold with the garden hose and tried to flood the yard. Unfortunately, the ice just wouldn't form, and it soon warmed up and all of the snow melted away. But, before then, it was bloody frigid, and I diligently stood outside, freezing my hands, face, and buns off.

On one particular night, it was exceptionally cold. I was outside again, working stubbornly at my task, while freezing-cold water dripped from the hose and soaked my gloves. I was getting very frustrated with my lack of success, and was in a particularly foul mood. I was about to give up when I heard something just outside the yard. Two young men walked down the street singing "Silent Night". I shut off the hose, and stood there and listened as they passed by; they were quite good. The night seemed exceptionally quiet, and their beautiful song filled the air all around, echoing exquisite harmony through the winter night. I stood silently as they walked down the street, their music following.

Suddenly, I didn't feel quite so cold anymore.

Nostalgia is fun.

Last night, (well, early this morning) some friends and I watched some old video projects we made from our high school days. It's amazing how much you remember from that time, and how similar and different your mannerisms have become. So many old catch phrases and styles, previously forgotten, came soaring back to memory.

We had a lot of fun in high school. We certainly put a lot of work into all of those videos, but it was definitely worth it. If only we had time for those sorts of things nowadays.

Quote of the day: "I'm sorry, I was still thinking about Clare's boobs; what are we talking about?" You probably had to be there, but the timing was perfect.

Four days of work left. Then it's Christmas (yay!!), New Year's, then school starts. Not much of a break. I have the exam for my distance education course on Jan 6 (after classes for the winter term have begun).

Last night, I visited the web pages for the courses that I will be taking next term. Oh...dear....Lord....help me. I am going to be so overworked I think I will cry. Ever since my early stint with Nortel, I haven't been able to consistently and constantly put in long quality hours. I think they broke me. Never fear, though, I will continue to add to this site; it just may contain more grumblings and complaints about lack of sleep than it previously has.

The new pubtool is operational and does everything the old tool did, and more. I now use it to add each new Cup of Soup. I am now working on an auto-archiving feature. Perhaps I will make the tool package available for download, should anyone want to create a XML-based website and would like a pubtool to assist in administration. I fear, though, that it will not be complete before classes begin, at which point my availability to work on it will be scarce.

How dangerous is it to run with scissors, really?

Today is my last day of work. So long Extend, so long dart wars, so long foosball... It was fun.

"I could have been someone

Well so could anyone
You took my dreams from me
When I first found you

I kept them with me, babe
I put them with my own
Can't make it all alone
I built my dreams around you

The boys of the NYPD choir
Were singing Galway Bay
And the bells are ringing out
For Christmas Day"

Have a holly jolly Christmas
It's the best time of the year
I don't know if there'll be snow
But have a cup of cheer

Have a holly jolly Christmas
And when you walk down the street
Say "hello" to friends you know
And everyone you meet

O' ho, the mistletoe
Hung where you can see
Somebody waits for you
Kiss her once for me

Have a holly jolly Christmas
And in case you didn't hear
O' by golly
Have a holly jolly Christmas this year!

It's Christmas Eve, and it's snowing outside.

Merry Christmas everyone, and God bless.

Silent night, holy night
All is calm, all is bright
Round yon virgin mother and child
Holy infant so tender and mild
Sleep in heavenly peace
Sleep in heavenly peace

Christmas was good. Much merriment, much fun, too many kids. Now comes New Year's, and the New Millenium!

I saw so many people from my old high school in the past week it was weird.

Finished the archiving feature of the pubtool, so now it all works nice and dandy-like. There are still a few things I should add if I ever want to make it publicly available, but all in good time.

Heartfelt, exasperant, and joyous birthday wishes go out to our glorious, intelligent, beautiful, generous, diabolical, tyrranical, and most honourable commandant, General Claire!

Waste not your day with petty matters such as work and politics. Rejoice and be glad, for today is a day of celebration!

Seriously. We're watching you.

The third Christian Millenium is fast approaching. Let's all hope that this one is better overall than the last; that the human race can exist and thrive for many more.

I'm making the move back up to Waterloo tomorrow, so the site will be down from tomorrow morning until sometime on January 2, 2001 (hopefully).

So, this is my last post of the millenium... Ooo, maybe I should say something important. Uhh... "A Wish For The New Millenium: I wish that ladies would stop being attracted to jerks; it's a bad little habit. They always end up getting hurt, as well as the nice guys with good intentions that get ignored and passed over." A pipe dream, no doubt, but you've got to try...

Happy New Year, everyone! Cheers!