Myke's 'blob.

For more info, see this site: Encabulate.com

Portal II, or Participaction?

Went rollerblading for the first time this year... I estimated about 7 KM, probably could've gone much further, but I've still yet to figure out the ideal socks to use. I keep forgetting how much I enjoy it, and since I still can't comfortably ride my mountain bike, I plan to do a lot more of it this summer. I'm just wondering if anyone wants to be my rollerblading buddy? I'm thinking Monday and/or Wednesday nights, as a regular committed thing.

Interested? Leave a comment, or shoot me an email. Obviously it makes more sense if you live or work towards the south end of Ottawa, as my typical circuits are along the Canal/River, the ponds along the Airport Parkway between Walkely and Hunt Club...

The other neat thing I discovered, thanks to WTL, is RunKeeper which I hope to populate keep updating with more nerdy stats of physical activity

I actually sought this out on iTunes immediately after hearing it. I really like it, a lot.

The whole urban exploration/abandonment theme in the video was completely unbeknownst to me until I dug up the video a few minutes ago to post it here!

No access to iPhone required.

Produced with files left on my hard-drive from iTunes, using this desktop app.

Wonder if there's "nothing important" on your computer now?

Currency:


Cuban Change?!


Off work early, but laptop takes the rest of the week...

Sold a computer to a computer store

All-Season tires, this snow is done:

My brother from a different mother;
Maximus Daemon Tay of Cairnpit, 2000-2011

DIY Ring Light

I've arranged a big photoshoot this Sunday so I have some material to submit for a 'Faces and Figures' competition at the RA Photoclub next week, and I decided to finally build this lighting rig because I love the effects it can provide. I decided on 8 clear 100W bulbs rated for 130V ("Country"/Anti-Surge), I'd've preferred 230 volt bulbs, running at 120, to get more heat and colour-cast out of them, but they were considerably more expensive and weren't rated nearly as highly anyway (40W @ 230 is 80W at 120)
It's setup with 2 $7 600 watt dimmer switches, splitting the circuit in half. I could've used one switch, but the only one rated for 1000W was over $50!

Watch this space and UnderExposure.ca (and Flickr!) for hopefully some interesting results...!


_{How many of you saw the title of this post and thought I'd bought another computer...?}

(Or "How I Learned to Stop Expecting Anything From Anyone Anymore.")

About a month ago I cited the suggestion to go to the Mayo Clinic, but I didn't give much explanation... I was far too upset about the premise of the conversation, but also I needed someone to do something before I reamed them out.

Well they did it, so now I can explain. Or rather, affirm the ugly theory I posited just after xmas: Dr L never sent the referral to Dr v.S in Toronto, so I never was on that 1-year wait list.

Until yesterday.

So the past year? Yeah, let's pretend that didn't happen.


I dropped by Dr L's office on Jan 25th because I was in the neighbourhood. After 10 minutes, the receptionist found my file - on the doctor's desk, where it had sat for the past 11 months (other than when Dr T's office requested the non-existent consultation report.) Just at the moment where my worst fears were being confirmed, Dr L just happened to walk by... I think he figured out what I'd just figured out and he immediately went for damage-control-via-bullshit mode.

"Let's step into my office for a chat. / I'm not getting any traction with the people in Toronto"
... blah blah about 'being out of the scene' by being in Ottawa...

Dr L: "You could search the internet."
Myke: "For what?"
Dr L: "Well you know what your injury is..."
Myke: "No I don't, you have a theory, but you said you were going to the MRI re-read to confirm it, since you said you weren't an expert-"
Dr L: "No, I'm not."
Myke: "So I really don't know what I'm searching for. Tell me what to look for, but what am I going to find that you or Dr v.S don't already know?"
Dr L: "Well, you can search for the Mayo Clinic"
Myke: "I don't have money to go somewhere like that."
Dr L: "I guess I can write another letter to Toronto, and if you get an appointment in a year and half, you'll be lucky."


... And do I even need to mention that that MRI re-read never happened either?

Then, I'm not so proud to deny it, I sobbed all the way home from Kanata, probably the first time I cried in a year.
But I had my moment of anguish, and moved on. This wasn't completely unexpected. Very disappointing of course.

'bout a week later, I met a radiologist at the photoclub, and while he's not an orthopedics kind of guy, he's getting me hooked up with someone who is: the Chief of Radiology at the Ottawa Hospital, and seeing about having him re-read all my films. So that's an unexpected bonus, and he gave me the info already, so the ball is in my court to move things along. Will update here when something happens. I figure it can't hurt to be armed with that info before I go to Toronto next spring.

Montréal's been looking good lately...

A Slideshow

Mostly street-shooting, since almost all the visual exhibits were inside of museums & art galleries, where photography is fairly... gauche. Check back often, as I'm adding photos every few days.