Bought some dining room chairs on Craigslist - 6 for $120. They're hard-wood antiques, in pretty bad shape. The construction is solid - no nails - all dovetails, pegs and glue. The glue has pretty much broken down over time and everything is just barely holding together. At some point, I'll have to refinish/restore them, but that's some time in the future. Maybe I'll restore them one at a time at my parents' place.
Made my own lip balm.
2 parts beeswax
1 part petroleum jelly
1 part olive oil
It's not soft enough. I'll have to tweak the formula (- wax + oil). I'm not sure what function the petroleum jelly serves. I'll try 1:1 wax & oil next time.
-d
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Gartered Expectations
Yikes. I caught the garter at KT's coworker's wedding reception on Saturday.
This would be the second time in a week that I've caught a garter at a wedding reception.
At Jeff's wedding, KT caught the bouquet, and shortly after that, I caught the garter.
-d
This would be the second time in a week that I've caught a garter at a wedding reception.
At Jeff's wedding, KT caught the bouquet, and shortly after that, I caught the garter.
-d
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Hudson's Bay: In the business of selling heritage
In light of the HBC's recent bad press over the outsourcing of Cowichan sweaters for the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, I felt the need to provide a different perspective in defence of our venerable trading company.
Despite what the media in general has made this out to be, the HBC didn't sell out Canada's Heritage. But yes, I won't pussyfoot around the fact that this was about making a quick buck off tourists in Vancouver who, in the spirit of the games, are overcome by an impulse to wear an ugly souvenir sweater. That tourist doesn't want a piece of Canadian heritage. That tourist wants a reasonably priced disposable souvenir. A Cowichan-like sweater made in China for $100 is just that. A $350 version made by a BC manufacturer? Maybe.
So, like any good business that smells a market full of suckers, the HBC sought to maximize profitability by outsourcing the manufacture of the low-end sweaters to China, and the high-end sweaters to a Canadian company. Not only is China capable of meeting the volume of demand, they're able to do it cheaply. Two key things that the Cowichans couldn't do - high volume, low cost. So, it's no wonder that the Cowichans didn't get the contract - they just can't deliver the goods.
Another thing, every apparel company out there is now pushing a Cowichan-like sweater. It's okay for American fucking Eagle to make a Cowichan-like sweater, but it's not okay for HBC? Let's stop hamstringing our own Canadian businesses, please - they've already got one foot in the proverbial economic grave.
The fact is, anyone who wants to spend the dollars to get a real Cowichan sweater can go ahead and buy one when they finally become available. There's no reason to deny the HBC access to the market full of people who want the sweater right now. Would we rather have the profits end up with another company? Because the profits wouldn't have gone to the Cowichans... they were unable to deliver the volume in the first place.
Fortunately, for HBC and the Cowichans, an outraged Canadian public has helped drive a market for genuine sweaters, in a classic case of fortuitous bad PR. Now, everyone wants a real Cowichan sweater, and is willing to shell out the cash for a piece of Canadian heritage.
Despite the fact that the sweaters are really ugly, I kinda want one now.
-d
Despite what the media in general has made this out to be, the HBC didn't sell out Canada's Heritage. But yes, I won't pussyfoot around the fact that this was about making a quick buck off tourists in Vancouver who, in the spirit of the games, are overcome by an impulse to wear an ugly souvenir sweater. That tourist doesn't want a piece of Canadian heritage. That tourist wants a reasonably priced disposable souvenir. A Cowichan-like sweater made in China for $100 is just that. A $350 version made by a BC manufacturer? Maybe.
So, like any good business that smells a market full of suckers, the HBC sought to maximize profitability by outsourcing the manufacture of the low-end sweaters to China, and the high-end sweaters to a Canadian company. Not only is China capable of meeting the volume of demand, they're able to do it cheaply. Two key things that the Cowichans couldn't do - high volume, low cost. So, it's no wonder that the Cowichans didn't get the contract - they just can't deliver the goods.
Another thing, every apparel company out there is now pushing a Cowichan-like sweater. It's okay for American fucking Eagle to make a Cowichan-like sweater, but it's not okay for HBC? Let's stop hamstringing our own Canadian businesses, please - they've already got one foot in the proverbial economic grave.
The fact is, anyone who wants to spend the dollars to get a real Cowichan sweater can go ahead and buy one when they finally become available. There's no reason to deny the HBC access to the market full of people who want the sweater right now. Would we rather have the profits end up with another company? Because the profits wouldn't have gone to the Cowichans... they were unable to deliver the volume in the first place.
Fortunately, for HBC and the Cowichans, an outraged Canadian public has helped drive a market for genuine sweaters, in a classic case of fortuitous bad PR. Now, everyone wants a real Cowichan sweater, and is willing to shell out the cash for a piece of Canadian heritage.
Despite the fact that the sweaters are really ugly, I kinda want one now.
-d
Monday, November 16, 2009
Congratulations Jeff & Beth
Jeff's a pretty serious guy. I've known him for a really long time, since elementary school, when we were enemies. He had this jacket, see - it was bright blue and yellow, and being the bully that I am, I made fun of him and called him blueberry banana. Seems pretty benign, right? You'd think so, but I haven't seen him wear that jacket since.
He took it pretty seriously. Not unlike how he used to take video games seriously. He and I and the boys used to skip chemistry class to go play counterstrike at the local cyber cafe. Evidently, he didn't take chemistry seriously. Anyway, he really sucked. A lot. So, he studied and practiced playing counterstrike, and the next time we played, he was kicking ass. You’d think he’d be satisfied, but no. Jeff’s a pretty serious guy, and he took counterstrike seriously. He played and played and played until he became one of the best regional players. None of us could even come close. So, it’s no coincidence that at around that time, a few of us graduated from counterstrike and our interest shifted to girls.
As in his start in video games, Jeff was a bit slow in his uptake of our new interest. He’ll deny that, I’m sure, but just ask his mother. She can corroborate what I’m saying. But very much like his career in video games, he showed insight and wisdom far beyond his years. He found Beth.
It’s fitting then that Beth is also someone who has insight and wisdom beyond her years. She’s warm and caring, has a sense of humour and sharp wit to match. And bonus! She’s a red-head... When they’re together, they play off each other like a pair of talk-show hosts and if you’re lucky, you’ll be treated to a string of sarcastic tongue-in-cheek remarks. It’s great, by the way, that she appreciates his sarcasm, which I’m sure would have been lost on a dimmer bulb. It’s this aspect of their chemistry that really strikes me as uncommon, yet strong. It’s the kind of chemistry that yields a perfect match. It’s the kind of chemistry you learn from skipping chemistry class.
So, here’s to Jeff and Beth, who we shall from this day forward refer to as Eliza-jeffa-beth-ery. May you be blessed with logevity, prosperity and... fecundity.
Cheers!
Aaaaand, another for Her Majesty, the Queen.
The Queen!
- The Best Man's Speech, November 14th, 2009.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Now serving Rabbit Stew.
Hit up St Lawrence Mkt yesterday for some fresh rabbit.
I stewed it with red wine and the regular stewy ground roots and vegetables. It turned out quite good. Texture-wise, rabbit is like a cross between chicken and pork. It's tougher than chicken, but not as stringy as pork.
Keep-it-simple Rabbit Stew (serves 6)
1) coat rabbit chunks in flour, salt, pepper
2) melt butter in pot
3) brown rabbit chunks in pot and then take rabbit out
4) olive oil, garlic, onion, celery, sage
5) deglaze with a dry red wine
6) add chopped vegetables (I used what I had - potato, carrot, beet, mushroom)
7) add rabbit chunks back in
8) melt butter in a pan
9) fry rabbit liver to medium-rare and cut into slices
10) serve liver with cheese and crackers as appetizer
11) thicken stew with cornstarch or flour
12) serve stew when vegetables are tender
I stewed it with red wine and the regular stewy ground roots and vegetables. It turned out quite good. Texture-wise, rabbit is like a cross between chicken and pork. It's tougher than chicken, but not as stringy as pork.
Keep-it-simple Rabbit Stew (serves 6)
1) coat rabbit chunks in flour, salt, pepper
2) melt butter in pot
3) brown rabbit chunks in pot and then take rabbit out
4) olive oil, garlic, onion, celery, sage
5) deglaze with a dry red wine
6) add chopped vegetables (I used what I had - potato, carrot, beet, mushroom)
7) add rabbit chunks back in
8) melt butter in a pan
9) fry rabbit liver to medium-rare and cut into slices
10) serve liver with cheese and crackers as appetizer
11) thicken stew with cornstarch or flour
12) serve stew when vegetables are tender
Thursday, November 05, 2009
Tuesday, November 03, 2009
Personal and professional development
For your reading enjoyment and personal development:
The 12 Steps to Entrepreneurial Success
The Science of Sport: Running Technique
-d
The 12 Steps to Entrepreneurial Success
The Science of Sport: Running Technique
-d
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