Mantis Style!

One of the great things about living on this planet is that there exists a McDonalds right beside you, no matter where you happen to be. It's a known fact that the bushmen of the Khalahari have not been able to lose the weight they've gained since the McRibwich was introduced. My personal vice in this area would have to be the Big Mac. All of the mediocre ingredients that go into this sandwich somehow add up to equal the greatest food creation ever. The reason that I bring this up is that it is now Mcdonalds decree that there exist 24 hour drive through windows, so that they can scam money from drunks wandering out of the bars after last call. It's good news for drunks, and it's good news for me. Now I can follow the call of the Mac Attack regardless of the hour. It brings a tear to my eye.

While on the topic of Big Macs, why on earth do they still insist on refering to it as "secret sauce"? We all know that it's just thousand island salad dressing, making it no big secret at all. For those of you new to the Big Mac, I'm sorry that I ruined the suprise.

posted by Tay @ 4:27 PM

Well, it would seem that I am coming to the final stretch of my Japanese course. I've learnt so much, so fast, yet I still don't even think that I've scratched the surface. We got pamphlets detailing this "teach english in Japan" program, and it sounds pretty sweet. It is definitly something that I could do for a year or so. The pay sounds decent, and I would get to go to Japan. The only catch is that I need a degree. Any degree. So the communications degree that I am striving for would suffice, although it seems like a long ways off. I just got some mail from SAIT, saying that I did not get into the program, but to keep my fingers crossed (yeah right). Back at the University, my GPA falls short of majoring in communications studies, thus stifling my chances of getting my degree in any short time. It would seem that my only hope would be to take some guarenteed GPA boosting courses, such as Rocks for Jocks 201, or Scopes for Dopes 205. Yeah, my parents will not likely be to happy when they hear about all of this. They pay for my education, so finding out that I pretty much suck at learning will tick them off somewhat. Oh well, it's hardly the biggest secret that I keep from them.

So, in the cheme of my general quest to leave this godforsaken town, I am set back by my own incompetencies. For example, I'm not even sure if 'incompetencies' is a word. But whatever. It's only a matter of time.

posted by Tay @ 6:00 PM

How are you gentlemen. With the help of the united league of superheroes, I am now in a metric assload of homework. Sure, it doesn't make sense, but neither does all this Japanese stuff. I mean, it's like they speak some kind of weird moon-man language! But enough about those problems, you've heard more than enough about them. I should probably outline my purpose for my existence on this internet.

My ultimate goal would have to be publishing my own web-comic, as so many other blogs have seen fit to do. As I see it, there are only two things stopping me from this: determination and talent. I have problems thinking about one subject for more than 5 minutes at a time, a charecteristic of mine which I shall delve into later. I don't know if I could train myself to update on a regular basis, which is a mainstay of any popular web-comic. As for talent, I can draw a pretty mean stick-man, but that's about as far as it goes. When it comes to things like facial structure, shading, and cloth dynamics, I'm a big old loser. I practice when I have time, and I am getting better, but it's slow going to say the least. My new job allows for a lot of free time however, so I think that I can get a decent amount of practice in.

I have a certain obsession with web comics, as it stands. My favorites folder is packed with them, and it's not uncommon for me to spend an hour or more going through the archives of some of the most benign comics to be found. Really though, some of these things are probably the best things to come out of the internet, right next to The Homestar Runner. I guess that is the reason I want to do a comic of my own.

posted by Tay @ 10:13 PM

Well, I just got back from school, and man am I pooped! I am taking a Japanese language course, which is quite intensive. Basically, we have to learn the basics of the language, such as sentence structure and the rules of the language, which isn't so much really, except that the entire course has been compacted to insane levels. To give you an idea, the course regularly takes 4 months, or a whole semester. This spring course takes 9 days. That's it. So needless to say, things here go at a pretty brisk pace. You either keep up or you die trying. I am not dead yet, but it's getting close.


Man oh man, but am I getting restless here. Anybody who knows me knows that I hate this city and do not want to live here any longer than necessary. I got an offer from my good friend Shuu to stay with him for a week or so during the Pride festivities in Toronto this June. Normally, I would jump all over the chance to get away for a week or so, but there is the whole money situation.

As a ninja in training, I have obligations to my Sensei. The financial aspect of these obligations is very important, as if I do not resect them, I will have pissed off a very skilled ninja, which is never a good idea. Also, I have rent to pay to my parents, and an outstanding credit card debt that is on the verge of getting out of control. Plus, I owe my brother and some friends a total of $100 or so, which they are keen in getting back. Did i mention phone bills? These circumstances, coupled with the fact that I am just starting a new job that will not pay me right away, adds up to a hell of a time getting the scratch together for a flight.

But I'm trying. Oh god, but am I trying. I don't think I've spent more than $1 a day for personal expenses these past 2 weeks, not including gas for my car. If I don't get a break from this town soon, I will probably explode.

On the plus side, I've managed to convince the bank to see things MY way. Snotty bastards.

posted by Tay @ 3:25 PM

Well then, I guess that now would be as good time to rant as any. This IS what blogs are for, right? My current beef has to do with my bank, which I shall hereby refer to as my God-damn bank. These guys are probably the most profitable of companies in this country, yet they still see fit to squeeze me for every red cent I earn.

Over the years my God-damn bank finds it necesarry to charge me for whatever asanine services they can think of. They want to charge me for use of my interac card, for use of online banking, monthly 'cuz we said so' fees, whatever. I've had it, and now I am no longer having it. Also, whenever I actually have business that requires me to decend to my nearest branch, located in the 10th circle of hell, they take great joy in pissing me off in the name of good customer service.

For instance, last week I signed something for their records, they scrutinized it and told me that I must simply be an imposter of the real Tay. I couldn't possibly be me. It doesn't matter now, because I am through with there crap. The last straw came today when I had to go to the bank to deposit my final cheque from my previous job. I was an employee of a pizza joint, and have since moved on to become a security guard. I need the money from this cheque pretty badly, I may explain the circumstances in a further post. The point is, I can't have my money.

The bank has invented a new flavour of evil, known as "holding periods" for cheques, which means that the bank that I have suffered with for all my known life will know treat me like a criminal, and do a complete background check on me, and the issuer of the check. Maybe not, but what the hell else could you possibly do with my cheque that would take 5 whole business days! Needless to say, I don't get my money.

After returning home, the thought struck me: screw the bank! I give them MY money, which THEY use to make more money. I never see any of this surplus money, so really, these guys are fleecing me from all angles. So, tomorrow after school, I will go to the bank, hold my head high and say: "gimme my money". Not just some of it, but all of it. And don't expect to get any more. Ever. I will make arrangments to bank elsewhere, with people who will not hang me from my ankles and shake me down for all that I earn. If such banks do not exist, I will be perfectly happy to keep my cash stuffed in my matress. I'm sure it will be just as safe there as it will in any bank.

Now I understand why all these blogs are such a huge thing. All of this venting can be fun! See ya tomorrow!

posted by Tay @ 3:54 PM

Well, it would appear to me as if I am now the proud owner of my very own blog! Really, this is pretty cool for me. I'm not exactly computer-savvy, but I would like to eventually be able to do cool things using HTML. I intend to teach myself this forbidden art after my spring course at the University is over. Right now though, I will have to keep things short as it is late, and I have class early tomorrow morning. I will be sure to tell you all about this later.

posted by Tay @ 12:36 AM