Bend an ear and listen to my version of a really solid Tennisee excursion

POW! Tuesday-tastic post time. I'll probably be quick, I'm mainly here to note and celebrate sketch #300. Which, if I do say so myself, turned out pretty well. I'm surprised I only spent about 30-40mins on it:



Some bad news came down the pipes the other day. I bought a new computer based mostly on the ground that my family was buying old machine from me. Lo and behold, it looks like somehow the processor came out during shipping and about a quarter of the pins got significantly bent. My brother tried to fix it... But one of said pins came off completely. FRICK. I'm not sure how they'll proceed for now - it'll cost at least $60 to buy a similar socket CPU, but it'd only be single core. So at best I'd still get about $140, at worst... I just threw $200 and the reason for my upgrade away. And it especially sucks because those are good components, and I'd really hate for them to go to waste. Sigh.

On the plus side, I sold one of my 9600GT's. Basically with the motherboard and case layout, the second card was positioned so close to the bottom that there was very little air circulation, causing it to overheat quickly. BUT, a roomate bought it off of me for $100, so I've pretty much regained my loss. AND I can use two monitors at once!

Speaking of which, fun fact: A CRT monitor distorts the signal a Wacom Tablet uses. The closer said tablet is to said monitor, the more the cursor starts to jitter. I was afraid it was some bizarre hardware issue, but upon shifting my posture and moving the tablet closer to compensate I discovered the shaky cursor stopped. Good to know.

I had an epiphany this past week: The clarinet section in the Glenn Miller Orchestra's performance of Chattanooga Choo Choo is emulating a train whistle! HAH! Who'da guessed?! Listen to it you'll be amazed. Be amazed, primarilly, at the fact I've never figured it out sooner. Kinda pathetic, really.
-Cril

You leave the Pennsylvania Station 'bout a quarter to four
Read a magazine and then you're in Baltimore
Dinner in the diner
Nothing could be finer
Than to have your ham an' eggs in Carolina

Glenn Miller Orchestra - Chattanooga Choo Choo

Ramblings a-plenty

Woohoo, another conclusion to another crappy week right before the likely start of another crappy week. I'm not trying to sound incredibly pessimistic, but it's just how it;s going to be. Y'see, there's a big looming promotional project at work that is supposed to be done and sent out for customers to receive, well... About now. But of course, not only has it not been sent to print yet but it's still has about 1/4 of the work to be done. This project was kind of dragging its feet along the ground since mid-summer, and a few weeks ago my boss completely dumped it on my shoulders, telling me it was now my complete responsibility. At first it felt like a weight was lifted - I was in power to make the changes and get it all done and out of the way. But since then there've been small disasters here and there. Some that merely took me away from working on el projecto grande, and others that, well... Meant I'd need to revisit a significant portion of the content. This has a LOT to do with the plummeting Canadian dollar, and how it'll effect retail prices of everything under the sun. So, in short... As things speed up for Christmas, I just don't know if I can tackle what needs to be done a) on time and b) without getting reassigned to other pressing matters. What to do, what to do...

In other news, a ye fine media roundup:

Heroes is still kinda sucking. Too confusing and convoluted, and a few other niggling problems along the way. The problem is that no character has a strong foundation. I'm not griping that character development is preventing the show from being predictable, far from it. Take a look at Battlestar Galactica - my holy grail of plot and story development. Those characters are always in flux, but it's so smooth and well done how all the little things add up.

Heroes, on the other hand, tends to throw such bizarre plot predicaments at the characters that it doesn't add or modify to the existing personality, it totally rewrites it. Voila, Peter loses his memory. Voila, now he has Sylar's "power" and has been inexplicably turned into a psycho-killer. Hiro has a vision and as a result doubts his closest friend. Nathan has a near-death experience that completely changes his outlook on life, and BANG not four episodes later it's reversed.

These are all mega-huge changes that alter the very foundation of the character. The is no development, only completely overwriting what originally existed there in the first place. As a result, I'm not longer really attached to any of the characters, because well, they don't stay that way for more than two episodes.

And for the record Hayden Panettiere does a horrible job of acting a badass agent.

In other news, Top Gear is still amazing. I've blown through about a season-and-a-half in the past week or two. I can't wait for the show to return (November 2nd, to anyone who's wondering)

The Office is good stuff so far. Unlike a certain other show *COUGH*, the character development is really a pleasure to watch. They do a good job of portraying what they're going through. And all this from a comedy show with a bizarre premise. It's truly a unique hybrid, and some days I can't believe how they manage to pull it off. They must have a fantastic team of writers.

In the world of gaming, I've now been able to put my new system to the test with Far Cry 2. To my excitement, when I loaded the 'recommended' settings for the game, everything was at VERY HIGH. BAHAHAHAHA! Such a wonderful feeling. A few notes about the game itself: it has a very unique presentation, the atmosphere is solid and there are plenty of small touches that make it feel like a grittier kind of game. Repairing your car, pulling a bullet out of your leg before you bleed out, having buddies coming to pick you up when you do, exploding ammo dumps, wildfires... There's so many things that build up to a much more substantial and impressive whole. Having to constantly travel so much is a bit of a bummer though, as is finding some of the hidden brief cases. There are always such issues attributed to giving the player free roam of such and expansive area. More bus stop/warp zones and maybe some para-gliders would be nice.

But by far, the best aspect of this game is the environment. Never before in a game have I been able to stand at almost any given location on the map and be presented with a breathtaking vista. I can't believe how many 'whoa' moments I've had - sunrises, sunsets, valleys, hills, trees, an oasis... It's all so incredibly gorgeous. Even looking up at the night sky in exquisite. I seriously can't describe it - for a virtual environment I have never seen anything that remotely compares. Even the packs of roaming animals caused me to say say "WOW!" out loud. I thought I was being fired upon after hearing a "thomp thomp thomp" getting closer, as I crouched in the brush. But lo and behold and pack of four or five zebras just blew by. For a virtual and interactive environment, it blows me away.

Is it worth a buy? After I beat the erm, extended demo, version I'll decide. Don't get me wrong, it has many merits but a mediocre and hard-to-follow story. And the travel times are just so brutal.

I've played some Spore over the past, oh... Three weeks or so. It's a unique and visionary game, but I just can't connect to it. Maybe it's the complete lack of direction or narrative. But each stage seems somewhat shallow and redundant and obligatory. I've gotten to the beginning few missions of the space stage and really lack all desire to go on. Playing with the vehicle creator tools was fun, but as flexible as it is there are some basic issues that get on my nerves. Why is everything the same size? Why does 90% of the design choice have NO bearing on the usability or effectiveness?

But Frank says I really need to try Dead Space. Something about great sound design at atmosphere. I keep telling him that tense horror games aren't my thing, but he doesn't seem to listen. I think he wants to see me break down into uncontrollable tears as I try to unsuccessfully rock myself to sleep. We'll see - I may give it a go for the first level or two just so I can partake in some of the game's critically acclaimed features.

Some people read books, some people watch movies. I play video games. That's my thing. I like to look at the little-bitty parts that make up a game and bisect them. I'd like to think it isn't just mindless wasting away of the hours - I truly enjoy paying attention to the finer details and seeing how they all fit together. Seeing if I can exploit problems with the AI, finding out just how they cheat when I can't. I appreciate the slick character animations, observe clipping errors as a result of poor map design, and twitch at jarring sound design. And of course I get totally consumed by a strong narrative and thrill at using my supplies as effectively as the level layout permits. I know there's still a large sentiment out there that video games are the lesser-form of entertainment and media, but I couldn't disagree more. I guess some days, like today, I feel inexplicably compelled to defend myself.



A city is still an ugy thing, especially after I try to draw it. This is the first step of a piece I'm trying to refine, so maybe by next week I'll have the finished version. In the mean time I apparently need to listen to more of Spoon's catalogue, finish the Top Gear episode I started, and read a bit before bed. And then begin another crazy week. Ugh. Believe it or not, I have a sticky note I put in my iPod case with a list of a half-dozen things I wanted to mention here and I somehow managed to ramble on without touching on a single one of them. And it's getting embarrassingly late, I think I started this at least forty minutes ago. Sigh...
-Cril

I had a friend named Ramblin' Bob
Who used to steal gamble and rob
He thought he was the smartest guy in town
But I found out last Monday
That Bob got locked up Sunday
They've got him in the jailhouse way down town
He's in the jailhouse now he's in the jailhouse now
I told him once or twice quit playin' cards and shootin' dice
He's in the jailhouse now

Soggy Bottom Boy - In The Jailhouse Now

Four years is a long time.

I can't even begin to imagine all those crazy people like doctors or lawyers who go for six to eight years of education. That is not my cup of tea. This weekend I took a quick gander at the graphic design programs/schools within Calgary. As it turns out, from what I can tell anyways, there's only one institution that offers training in modern/digital graphic design, and they only really have two programs for it. Both of which take four years to complete. Ugh.

It's not that I'm necissarily against learning something new and doing the work to prove it. Ok, well maybe all the work isn't an inviting idea. BUT, my problem with school is that it's so expensive and takes up so much of your time. Why would I spent four years of my life spending most of my day at school, a few hours at work to make ends meet, and a few hours at home doing assignments? I mean, even then I'm still running int he red and will probably either deplete my savings in a rapid manner or have to lean on the student loans that'll take me five years to pay off. All the while I could just be working a normal job, earning my so-so wage and trying to build myself a financial foundation to stand on. Of course the reasoning behind school is that once to finish it, you'll earn more anyways and a better job. Hmph.

I dunno, post-secondary still rubs me the wrong way. I didn't really enjoy much of the year of general studies. Sure the topics were interesting and I leaned some good stuff, but my bank account drained out alarmingly fast and I hated the school culture and I didn't enjoy the work. I guess it must be one of the necessary evils of growing up and coming into your own. I want to improve my skills, I just want to be able to do it without... Anything else associated with post secondary education.

I was hoping for a two year program - get in, get out, get a mediocre job and move on with things. I don't need a lot of money to get by - I have simple tastes and am not that extravagant. A new computer every 2-3 years, a decent car... And that's about it, really. I have a really hard time feeling comfortable with spending so much of my life in a financial and mental hole that is school. It just... Doesn't entice me at all. Very few people grow up to be great, with influence and prestige and wealth. And chances are, I'm not immune to that generalization at all. Why would I be?

But everyone keeps saying that school is a must. I just don't get it. It's almost maybe even tempting to go and do a 9-month program in aircraft maintenance or pharmacy assistance or something. Just to get it out of the way so I can move on. I guess I'm in a bit of a limbo right now - not wanting to go to school, knowing I should, and not making enough as is to really make do on my own.
-Cril

We get high in backseats of cars
We put faith in our concerns
Fall in love to down the streak
We believe in the sum of ourselves

And that's the way we get by to
Way we get by
Aw that's the way we get by to
Way we get by
And that's the way we get by to
Way we get by to
Way
And that's the way we get by
That's the way we get by

Spoon - The Way We Get By

A city is an ugly thing.

Maybe it's an outrageous over-generalization, but I've been to a few. San Fransisco, Vancouver, Ottawa, Calgary... Okay, perhaps not so many as I thought. Either way, my point remains. Each city may have had it's own charm - whether it be a sea-side view, nice parks, unique monuments, etc - but the majority of it is dusty and unorganized. It smells like sweat; people sweat, car sweat, building sweat. But above all, it's just so crowded. There are so many people trying to make their own little spider web to catch their own little personal flies. And I suppose in some way this is a thing of beauty, I can appreciate how so many people can be packed so close together and run around from point to point in pursuit of an unobtainable unicorn of an objective.

But take a look, and watch this big mutant of brick and mortar breathe. There's no uniformity. Roads go every which way, no two buildings look the same, and every citizen has it's own idea what this gigantic lumbering hulk should do with the next breathe. A breathe of murky, smog-ridden sky.

And then there's the lights. It's so misleading how something so unpleasant is littered with these little slivers of brightness. They light the bizarre and unused roads and the unique worn down buildings and dirty alleys and trash dumpsters. But from a distance, on top a hill, it's like you're staring up instead of down. So many stars. So few celestial bodies.

Some days living, working, and sweating in a city drives me nuts. Probably because they're are so many of us people with no direction, trying to prove to the world that we're more special than all the mis-matched buildings we inherit. Except there are so many more buildings and even more directionless. Is this the pinnacle of society? Is the modern city as good as it gets, a cultural hub of technology and infrastructure and life?



-Cril

But all of these horses
That you chase around
In the end they are the ones
That always bring you down
This invisible city
Where no one sees nothing
We're touching faces in the dark
Feelin' pretty is so hard

The Wallflowers - Invisible City

Democratictastic

Hrm, two posts in a row eh? What kind of shenanigans is this?!

Today me, and many other Canadian folk went to the polls. And first and foremost I want to say that sometimes the democratic process amazes me. Not only am I in another province from where my official residency is, but there's a system in place to cater to the yokels just like me. With no Election Canada paperwork on hand, I arrived at the polls and was able to have all the appropriate forms filled out to let me vote. That, and I find in particularly incredible how we can all go to the polls and it'll be completely resolved by the time the day is out. Pick your flavour of coverage and watch as the numbers roll in. It's truly an incredible feat to have every willing citizen be able to partake in their democratic right and compile it into meaningful results withing a 24-hour period.

I have to say, though, that I almost didn't vote at all. I admit I don't pay as much attention to these things as I should - and in some cases I think that not voting is just as much a right. Besides, if I know that I'm unknowledgable in such things, wouldn't it make sense to leave it to those who find that this is their passion? Leave it to people who make it their business to be informed on how the government is run. But that's not what I did. Perhaps it was peer pressure to some degree, I went with my very strong conservative roommates/friends, one of whom's mother works for Election Canada. And they further believe that not-voting should be punishable by fines a la Australia. But frankly, that's a whole can of worms not really worth opening.

So I guess I threw my vote away, in a sense. I cast my ballot for an independent in an otherwise fairly strong Conservative riding. I can't even remember is name, perhaps McNeil somethingorother. I think he was referred to as 'Libertarian'. Mind you, I could have also voted Marxist-Leninist. But I particularly have respect for independants. I'll come right out and admit I have no freaking clue what this dude stood for, but I like the idea of leaders who are not bound by a party line. I like politicians who rely on what they think is best, and what is best for the citizens he/she watches over. It becomes a bit more intimate knowing that someone is running for office and working hard because they think it's something worth doing. I'm not so fond of large political parties who have candidates just for the sake of winning seats and gaining votes. That's not for me. Also, the Conservative in the running, Jim Prentice, is a complete idiot and tool who submitted a certain copyright reform bill which is total bogus. I'd be happy if I never heard his name again, but that probably won't be the case.

And along another line of thought, THIS is why the Canadian government kicks that of our fine neighbours to the South (no offense, Frank). We just called, campaigned, and went to vote on an election that will have a result by the end of the day. All of this within less than TWO MONTHS. Not YEARS. Got that America? While I kind of understand how a two-year voting process brings some people to be aware and involved, I find it becomes more of a popularity contest and less about issues. The candidates turn into celebrities, and the media covers not what's important, but the niggling little dirty secrets on each personality. Meanwhile, the rest of the large events surrounding the government plays out unnoticed. I can't believe Bush will serve out his full term, and make a graceful exit. Something isn't right.

Oh America, I'm afraid for you. I really am. I know that Canada will be right behind when you start circling the drain, and I really hope you can pull yourself out, but what little distance we have between us I am truly grateful for. I've been listening to the This American Life podcasts regarding your economy, and it scares me to my core. We have a bit more security here, and a LOT less crap and corruption in our markets. It won't inexplicably save us, but it'll delay the inevitable. Maybe it'll give me enough time to collect what I own and move to some incredibly uninvolved European country. Norway? Sweden? Findland perhaps? How far can one get on crappy Canadian english a the slightest hit of a remote understanding of French?

That pretty much sums it up - the world is screwed. But I did my part to select who'll be the ones doing the dirty work.



-Cril

We've taken all you've given
But it's gettin' hard to make a livin'
Mr. president have pity on the working man

We're not asking you to love us
You may place yourself high above us
Mr. president have pity on the working man

I know it may sound funny
But people ev'ry where are runnin' out of money
We just can't make it by ourself

It is cold and the wind is blowing
We need something to keep us gong
Mr. president have pity on the working man

Maybe you've cheated
Maybe you've lied
Maybe you have lost your mind
Maybe you're only thinking 'bout yourself

Too late to run. too late to cry now
The time has come for us to say good-bye now
Mr. president have pity on the working man
Mr. president have pity on the working man

Randy Newman - Mr. President

That song is so eerily relevant...

Blowing down trees

And now for the Dramatic Escapades of Chris and The Computer That Was!

And to think that they scoffed when I said that everytime one builds a brand new computer from scratch there's a slew of obligatory bugs that need to be sorted out. Well, this one is no different. But let me take a few steps back.

All the remaining parts arrived on Tuesday, and I promptly spent a few hours that evening mounting the power supply and routing the appropriate cables through the case. It was trickier than I expected. But that's okay, over the next few evenings I got the processor, heatsink, and RAM in. Then I basically procrastinated a night because I really didn't feel like cannibalizing my computer to shreds. So I played the back-everything-up-just-one-more-time game, and got all my ducks in a row and nerves collected. The next evening I spent coughing through the plethora of dust I unleashed from my old rig. It was a pretty... Unsettling experience to tear the old beast apart. Alas, by Thursday night she was all assembled and ready to fire up. Heck, I even got Windows installed that night.

But due to a few misunderstandings, I ended up formatting and reinstalling two more times. These could have been avoidable, but I admit that at that stage it's a relatively simple task to have a do-over. And, these formats helped me understand the nature of the problems. First, installing the motherboard SATA RAID drivers don't cause the computer to assume you want to make a boot disk every single startup - it's what it does when you boot from the motherboard CD.

Also, how the computer hangs more and more frequently? It has nothing to do with drivers - they were just a catalyst for the existing problem. Turns out that one of the video cards has insufficient airflow and was overheating once I was able to up the resolution to spec. The crappy part is that there really isn't a way around the problem unless I want to hack up my case. But that's okay, a single card should do me fine. At least this way I get dual displays all the time. Go figure. Alas, if anyone wants a Galaxy 9600GT for $100, let me know.

There was also a third 'bug', but it was resolved without a complete reinstall. For some reason the CPU was being detected as it should be - An Intel 3.33GHz Core Duo. What it was clocking at, however, was a single core 2.0GHz. Turns out the BIOS didn't auto detect _anything_ correctly. The front side bus, processor multiplier, and RAM timings all had to be manually adjusted. Go figure. Many thanks to Eric for helping me figure that one out.

On the plus side, everything is now running oh-so-smoothly. As far as I can tell, at least. So far I've mainly played TeamFortress 2 - whereas the old setup got me a low of 20-30FPS and a high around 70-80FPS, my numbers are now closer to a 60-70 low and a 120-140 high. Not bad, not bad. And that includes some graphical enhancements. I also tried GRID, and while I don't have any actual numbers, I significantly beefed up the details and I'm pretty sure it's running more smooth than it was before. Rock on.

So now I say, BRING ON THE BIG GUNS. Within the next month or two we should be seeing some solid releases for PC that I'm eagerly awaiting. Namely Left 4 Dead, Need for Speed Undercover, and Mirror's Edge. With, of course, a plethora of other titles mixed in here and there that I may need to download an 'extended trial' of before I buy.

The next few weeks of work may be very hairy - whereas I was working with my boss on the big project of the season, he decided that he was too busy and that it's now my responsibility to get it done. So that's what I'll do - I'm going to work my arse off to get it wrapped up and ready to go. I suspect that my other supervisor will want to keep very close tabs on how it progresses, so it may or may not meet the desired deadline. Either way, I will get it done.

It's always... Worrisome when you stumble across someone doing something that you consider your specialty, and they're kicking your ass at it. Specifically, my roommate/friend/coworker was drawing trees, something she wanted to get lazored up. And damn was she doing a fine job of it. It was primarily line work, but it was really well done. The trunk/bark had a great flow and direction, and the branches felt very organic. But there I am stealing a glance and the odd pages she left on the kitchen table, and feeling very threatened for some reason. Art is my specialty, no? I don't have the nerve to go about kicking her ass at first aid! Of course, it's not that there's anything wrong with it at all - there's no serious reason for me feel like she's done wrong. But it is a bit of an eye opener.

It took me some pondering last to figure it out. Truth is, I do suck at drawing, and there isn't a real reason why I should necessarily be better at all things artistic. Maybe I feel some entitlement to being 'the best' because I do this sketch-a-day schtick. But really, it isn't all that much in the grand scheme of things. Heck, I haven't even been into drawing period for any significant chunk of time - it's really just been these last nine months.

But it's still a terribly unnerving feeling when someone creeps into what you consider your territory and out-performs you. So of course this morning I had to test my metal and see just how bad I am. Below is my tree, if looks like one of those crappy paint-by-numbers kits. There's no denying it, I have come a very long way since I embarked on the sketch-a-day challenge. But I still have a lot longer to go before I get to claim any kind of right to any kind of territory.



-Cril

He was star of all the rodeos but now they rob him blind
It took eighteen years of Brahma bulls and life on the line
To get his spread and a decent herd
But now he spends his time pulling night guard

Stan Rogers - Night Guard

Tastes like gold...

Ugh, I'm having computer woes... With the computer I don't even have yet. Like I mentioned a week ago, I put in an order for a new rig - the problem is that it's arriving veeerrry slowly, and in reverse order of usefulness. So far I've gotten the CPU, PSU, and heatsink in one shipment, the free printer/scanner in the next one... And now I'm waiting on the mobo and RAM (which may ship together soon) and the case (which may be back ordered for a while). Sigh, I just really desperately hope that it arrives in time for the next weekend. Monday is Thanksgiving, so it'll give me extra time to set things up. /crosses fingers

I watched Momento the other night. It's (I think) the last non-Batman themed Christopher Nolan film, and it's pretty solid. It's about a guy who can't create any new memories and is seeking revenge on the man who killed his wife. I wasn't too thrilled with the outcome - I'm not entirely fond of 'open for interpretation' story endings, and I much prefer if it was a little bit more obvious what actually happened. It was still a solid movie though, the dialogue was really good and the acting was also spot on.

I also watched Aladdin (Which was just as good as I remembered) and What Dreams May Come. I guess there's a Robin Williams connection between the two. I liked the latter one, though, the visuals (both in themes and in presentation) were really strong. The story was really unique - I enjoyed the take on afterlife. It's one of those pieces that really gives you some interesting ideas to turn over in your mind.

A special throwout/up to Heroes. I just realised, after half-heartedly watching the second episode of the season, that what happened in this year's premiere totally rendered the entire first season null and void. That's all there is to it. Big hooplah about 'Save the Cheerleader, save the world', but oh yeah the cheerleader can't die and saving her doesn't matter because the bad guy gets to her regardless. Ugh.

On the plus side, however, Top Gear rocks. I dunno if I've mentioned it here before - but it's really worth checking out. It's a British show on the BBC about cars, basically. But it's hilarious, well put together, and interesting. I'm not a huge "motor-head" but I really quite enjoy the show. As does my little sister, who doesn't have her license yet and only criteria for her first car is that it's a "nice green". The average show consists of one or two new car reviews, a celebrity racing a reasonably priced car, and often the three hosts going out together to do various tasks. On occasion, there are whole episodes where each host chooses a car and they do a series of challenges. The North Pole and African specials are both quite incredible episodes in particular. Go and watch it. Even on YouTube. It's good stuff.

Interesting experience I had the other night. I was invited out the other night to dinner with the landlord(s), which turned out to be Indian food (!) when I arrived. And, likewise surprising, we ended up going with two other couples. Not that it was actually uncomfortable or anything, but for the first time I did feel a bit like a third, or erm, seventh wheel. Not that it's really a bad thing - it just seemed like one of those cases of "one of these things just doesn't belong". Just a little bit out of place. 'Three Couples and Me', it sounds like a bad sitcom. Or, as Eric pointed out, an equally bad adult film.

Well, last week was a horrible, horrible week. I really hope the next few days are a bit better, and I can tackle some higher-priority objectives at work. There is a wee light at the end of the tunnel though - there's a long weekend coming up. A small, temporary flashlight of a light at the end of the tunnel.
-Cril

We get some rules to follow
That and this
These and those
No one knows

We get these pills to swallow
How they stick
In your throat
Tastes like gold

Queens of the Stone Age - No One Knows (Lavelle Remix)

Autumn in Ganymede

I've been trying to keep a closer eye on colours as of late. It has something to do with the large(ish) amount of colouring I've been doing recently, partly to the sketch-a-day routine and partly to working on The Incredible Cocuyo. I think I do alright as is, but it's seldom good enough.Regardless, no different than past years, I'm particularly taken by the onset of fall.

Where I sit at work, I can look past the boss's desk, through a glass window, through two playhouse windows, and, if I it's warm enough to warrant fresh air, straight on out the front door. There's a huge tree across the street and down the hill that's in a gorgeous stage of changing leaves. And especially on those days where it's warm out and the sky is blue, it's creates such a startling palette. I can't believe how saturated and full the colours are - this incredibly vibrant yellow against a bright, deep blue. Wowza. It's bizarre, because I only get to see this through the tiniest line of site from my desk, but it always demands my attention. You just don't see that kind of colour and contrast in nature (and especially in Southern Alberta for that matter). It's like I'm a moth or something - irresistibly drawn to this distant fleck of some extraordinary brilliance.

It's almost as if the tree is blooming and breaking out the most vibrant tones it has to offer. Except, y'know, it's the exact opposite blooming. I guess there's a good reason fall is my favourite season - despite my skin going all to hell and the regret of not being in school for yet another September, it's truly spectacular to see the world flare before it succumbs to winter's infinite shades of brown. Of course, this is so much better in ye olde Lower Mainland of BC, where there are forests of assorted flavours that each produce it's own unclassifiable addition to the rainbow. It's peculiar how intense warm hues contrast the cool air.

You see alot in pieces of science fiction about alien planets that have some miraculous season that produces a surreal, even hallucination-like, alteration in the natural surroundings. In Cowboy Bebop, there was a moon where giant plants in the sky would drop white spores against a deep brown marble sky. Even though I've experienced twenty-two autumns, each time I find my mundane surroundings transmorgified into something exotic and brilliant.

The chill in the wind, carrying the scents of winter and rustling the most vibrant colours you've seen. And floating a wisp of snow if you're lucky. No doubt, the best season of the year.
-Cril

The falling leaves drift by the window
The autumn leaves of red and gold
I see your lips, the summer kisses
The sun-burned hands I used to hold

Since you went away the days grow long
And soon Ill hear old winters song
But I miss you most of all my darling
When autumn leaves start to fall

Nat King Cole - Autumn Leaves