Yes, I am currently at BigMediaCo. Not working per se but I had to pick some stuff up from the office and I thought to take a few minutes to jolt down my entry.

Well, winter time has finally arrived in La Cité as the town is covered with a small blanket of snow. I for one could not be any happier as this is my favourite time of the year.

Friday's office Christmas party was great fun. We were in the same building as the Liberal convention, so I had the opportunity to see people like Jean Chretien, Ken Dryden and some very enthusiastic delegates.

The week ahead is gonna be one roller-coaster ride. It's a good thing I have taken Wednesday off (in retrospect, I should have taken either Thursday (for SpecialK duty) or Friday off instead but such is the life or someone who picks his vacation days at random).

For my MtG draw of the day (feels like an eternity since I have last done this), I've picked JADE STATUE.  A nice symbol of harmony toward which I will thrive in the coming days

Enjoyed my day off yesterday, not even the cold was enough of a deterrent.

It had been a while since I went to visit RPG shops for data mining but I'm pleased with what I've found as I came across lots of new stuff. Even then, I decided to catch up on the Warhammer RPG that had been released a couple of months back. While I always felt the game was merely a poor spinoff of the tabletop game, I always liked the career paths as a means to develop a character.

Now that it's been taken by another company, I guess it has a chance to develop on its own. And it's gonna give me some ideas on how to differentiate my creatures from the regular path of D20.

Got an invite at BigMediaCo to participate in the next phase of tests for IP telephony. Seeing that I have to get a digital terminal (and eventually a cable modem to get in the 20th Century-level of Internet speed), it might be an interesting prospect to do so.

Speaking of gadgets of potential dangerosity, I've drawn DIMIR SIGNET for my daily MtG card. Definitely a good omen to decide on my tests...

I have to admit that my first few days here have been a bit chaotic to say the least. I'm pretty that, were I not, a paranoid pessimist full of anxiety, I would have broken down and cried.

On my second day over here, I had planned to go to Victoria and visit with Summer.To that effect, I had taken down the schedules for the buses in Vancouver in order to be able to take the first and last ferries so I can have my whole day. Unfortunately, my plan was flawed from the start (or so it would seem) as the information on the BC Transit link seems to be incorrect as I miss my connection due to faulty data.

Trying to get some information from the drivers prove to be fruitless as I was given contradictory information. Finally, I decided to take a cab from Richmond to Tsawwassen ($$) trying to arrive in time. Which I wasn't able to due due to morning traffic. So, I was stuck for an hour at the terminal waiting for the next ferry and addidng the delay for the buses on Vancouver Island, I arrived over 90 minutes late to my meet.

Being someone who always pride myself on being punctual, I felt crushed my making the first impression being a tardy never-do-well. Still, the day managed to be enjoyable and I had one of the most "interesting" meeting I have ever had, seeing that I have been in contact with someone for so long without ever physically meet said person.

We didn't have anything planned so we kind of wandered around downtown stopping here and there, grabbing a bite at 2 of the restaurants I wanted to try out (The Reef, with a suprisingly good Caesar salad with jerk chicken and Sam's Deli, where we stopped for coffee.). And for dinner, we stopped in a pub, where I try something dubbed an Irish "poutine" which was basically matchstick fries with gravy, bleu cheese, and bacon. Was a bit disappointed, as I was expecting something closer to what I had seen in a Montréal pub, where the gravy was instead curry sauce.

All in all, it was a nice day which had begun on a weird note and unfortunately ended much the same as I narrowly missed what I found afterwards that it was the last bus to the ferry terminal on Swarz Bay. Weighing my options and probably looking more than a little panicky, Having no other option than to take a cab ($$$$) back to the terminal to catch the last boat, I left Summer as they were no really options for me to stay the night over there, as the night life ends at 9PM and there's not really places open all night. I could see that she was disappointed but I thought it was more about my situation than anything else.

Bottom line, I've used almost all my money I had put aside for the trip and I may have to "rough" it a bit up until my next paycheck, next Thursday.

At least, the hotel I've picked (The Kingston, instead of my coworker's suggestion of the Sylvia) is perfect. The location is in downtown, close to BC place and everything I am planning to visit in Vancouver) and the cost is almost 25$ less a night if I had gone to the other place.

Story-wise, I've begun taking notes about the area and decided to put an emphasis to the Vancouver and Burnaby area as a setting, therefore making it relatively small and rather fitting for a Fantasy-era type of port city. We'll see how I'll be able to squeeze that in.

The card I've drawn today is SOLDEVI DIGGER. I guess it's because I've dug myself into a hole...

Yesterday, I had a weird experience that makes me question the relative safety I have experienced in the last few years. Most of you guys don't know this but I am the third incarnation of the great Captain Random. Just like any other comic superhero, it takes a traumatic event to change my outer being but I have managed (so far) to keep the core relatively intact.

The reason I am writing this is that yesterday while I was at the library, I saw a ghost of my past, one of those who contributed to the first mind-numbing change in me reappeared in front of me. Sure he had grown older and Ì am not quite sure he recognized me but I knew, I KNEW who he was and just seeing him in front of me scared the shit out of me.

It's a good thing this place is not part of my ergular regimen of locations as I just used for its relatively ample supply of internet terminals when I am away from home. Still, for the next few days, I'll keep my eyes and ears open in the eventuality of any other sign of my past catching up to me.

In other news, I have received notice that the parcel sent to me by my Korean e-pen pal has arrived. Due to the bad weather and the power failure, i wasn't able to get it yesterday but I'll do that first thing after the job today.

In MtG Tarot, the card of the day is somewhat related to my predicament as I have drawn the SCRYING GLASS. Great way to scan for potential enemies. And NO, I am NOT paranoid. They really are to get me!!!

I have a bit of a quarandry on how to best merge the "real" and "fantasy" worlds. While bobbing for some Warcraft content for my stories, I stumbled upon a book on mutual funds which was out of place to say the least. While the concept of mutaul funds would be hard to implement in a medieval setting (even a fantasy-infused one), I am leery of just passing by such a situation.

The other option is equally unimaginative as it would see, making one of the "players" someone related with mutual funds. Meanwhle, all this data gathering has made a weird mental picture of the world as for the second time, I get a mention of west linked with something of Warcraft.

The question of course is how big a world I want to cover strictly for a short story like the one I'm starting... Given the fact that most of the material will be recycled for NaNoWriMo and I want to linked the two, I will have to apply some consistency in my thinking.

Much to ponder for my 3-day weekend starting tommorow. I also managed to take the Tuesday after Canada Day off. I'll come in on Monday just to make sure everything is okay at work and gather Montreal-based data before I get down to write, sipping espressos and Booster Juice smoothies.

Oh lookee here, the card I got for today is PIT TRAP. I wonder if it's a warning on what lies ahead for the long weekend.

Been a while since I voiced it at loud, but I'm living a Dilbert-esque life Spent all my day yesterday banging my head against the different stone walls brought up by other departments. It seems that I spent half my time breaking up what I was doing in the other half for a zero sum result. Makes me pine for my next vacation, only 29 more days!!!

In other news, I received yesterday the vacation guide from Hello BC in the mail. And this month's issue of the CAA mag had a spotlight on Vancouver Island. Serendipity is at work.

Yesterday was the first day I noticed summery-type weather (sunny and humid) when I went out for lunch. While it's about time we get a hot day, I don't like this type of weather because I always get the feeling I am catching my breath even if I'm just standing around...

Not much else to do, and the card I've drawn is MEMORY CRYSTAL. A sign that I should live in the past?

Well, it's been a long time I had been by myself for a whole week-end. Went to the library to pick up Muhammad Ali's "The Soul of a Butterfly" on a whim as I had seen a biography about him on TV earlier this morning.

I made the most of my time preparing food for the coming week like French toast (or Liberty toast for war-mongering phillistines who abhorr to mention that word) and my Planet Hollywood's inspired fried chicken with Cap'n Crunch cereal. It's just too bad I don't have a fryer and only use the oven to cook it but still.

Yesterday, I went to my old Jolt! buying stomping grounds in the hopes they might have some but no such luck. Instead, I found a delightful Birch beer. It's more tart than Root beer and less mainstream. Come next pay day' I'll stock up on it.

The MTG Tarot card I've drawn is the OBLIVION STONE.  Since my last draw (GOLDEN WISH) was something permitting me to pick any artefacts, I wonder if there is a link between the 2?

Well, my little vacation is now over and I'm back at work. blah!

Our competitor, EvilMediaCo has launched a pin for the 2010's Olympics in Vancouver. The only way to get one was with a coupon in Friday's Metro newspaper. So, I went out and took around 10 copies of the newspaper and used my weekend to go from store to store so that I would not attract undue attraction. So, I got enough copies to send around as the corp's reach is not as global as they would like it to be.

Not much planned for this week but a visit to the refurbished Grande Bibliothèque as every one who I know who visited during the past few days were ectastic. Can't wait to see for myself.

While browsing the gaming magazines, I stumbled upon articles about a new race of Ogre-related humanoids called Gnoblars. I think I'll explore more on the subject as this seems to be a nice change of pace from the usaul mixed bag of Evil Humanoids bad guys.

Today's card is the ROD OF RUIN. Oh, that's just great!!! Can't wait to see the amount of grief I'll suffer today.

Sometimes, I wonder whether I select the cards or if it's the cards who picked me. I already decided I was gonna talk about something work-related and when you'll see the card I've drawn, you'll be spooked as much as I was...

I have to explain my work as it shrouded in secrecy thicker than a Papal election (eh!). While walking the fine line between spilling the secrets of BigMediaCo. and having my butt transferred to the Vladlandian office (oops, I spoke too much)...

I work in the IT department, specifically in the group that serves as liason between the developers and people on the field. Most of your work is related on testing all the changes when a new product is released on all the different systems used in operations and also on the corporate website. Circumstances being what they were, I became the de facto expert on web-related projects and had to also keep an eye on other projects to foresee any impact.

As I was the only member of the team, in one way it was easier for me to take charge, I was frequently swamped and every time I was taking a vacation (or God forbid, a sick day!), it was always with the foreknowledge that I would be work double-shifts upon my return. Since the beginning of the year, we have 3 new colleagues, 2 of which were asssigned to serve as back-up for your humble servant.

While, nominally, I'm not charge of them (especially, since they are both senior to myself), I serve as a type of mentor. I had some difficulty in not being 100% implicated in the projects as I was used of being alone for 2 years. But, I'm now able to let go and not oversee the day-to-day of everything. Every week, I have a meeting with the 2 others to review what we worked on the previous week.

Thursday, I finally understood why this happened as my boss mentionned to me that, before the summer, I would be assigned full-time (more or less) on special assignments to help our site (both external and our intranet) become more user-0friendly and customer-oriented. While these types of assignments are reserved for analysts, I take this as a vote of confidence towards me and can't wait to start.

Now, back to the MTG, I've drawn the MINDSLAVER, which is , were I not cynical by nature, would be weary. All hail the Secret Masters!!!