May 6, 2013
Motorcycle Insurance, like most types of insurance, is a total ball-ache. Last year when my bike got run over was the first time I’d had to really use it and, all things considered, I was treated pretty fairly… I felt like one of the lucky ones.
Apr 21, 2013
As you may remember, last August my old Sportster was knocked over, run over and then left for dead by an impatient driver while parked in front of my old office.
Well, I ended up with another bike in the end (alls well that ends well – but not without huge headaches) but a while ago I got an email from the responding officer saying that the driver, who runs Quad Spinning (so don’t go there!), was fighting the charge. Part of me didn’t really care and had a bit of sympathy for her, the other part of me was curious to see what basis she’d be fighting the charge on.
When I got to the courthouse and saw the police with scanners and whatnot at the door, I remembered that I still had my trusty pocket knife in my back pocket. Running late and not being sure where I needed to go, I made the mistake of handing it over rather than going back outside and hiding it somewhere, never to be seen again. I’ve had that thing with me every day for the past 2 years and used it nearly every one of those so it’ll be sorely missed.
I found the room, checked in and sat down at the back of the room. As soon as she saw me she started whispering to her friend so I suspect she was trying to figure out a new story at this point knowing that someone was there to disprove whatever ridiculous work of fiction she’d concocted.
She was being charged with “failure to remain” which, if I’m not mistaken, carries with it 7 demerit points. By the time I’d gotten there she’d already agreed to plead guilty to a lesser charge; improper lane change which carries with it 2 demerit points.
When the judge confirmed that she was pleading guilty to that charge she said she wanted to plead not guilty, then guilty, then launched into a rambling monologue about how she drives by there all the time and “the way” my bike was parked (you know… legally, in a legal spot) caused the accident… then how she didn’t know she’d hit anything at all which is why she hadn’t stopped… then how she’d stopped, gotten out to check it and didn’t think there was any damage… It was silly, I almost felt a little bad for her.
Ultimately the judge gave her a $60 fine and sent me on my way without giving testimony – I didn’t try because at that point it would have seemed petty and malicious. The satisfaction of having to watch her squirm and lie in open court was satisfaction enough, I suppose.
Dec 13, 2012
I am a huge proponent of getting a rescue dog over going and paying huge amounts of money at a breeder while beautiful, loving, pups are spending their days in cages wondering if they’ll ever have another home. In general, I really think it’s great to pull a dog from the pound but a lot of people would prefer a puppy, and I get that, so here’s your chance!
The good people that come in from day to day and bring the #1 Good Boy out to Cherry Beach while we’re at work are Unleashed In The City and this Saturday they’re having an adoption day in conjuntion with the Moosonee Puppy Rescue and they’ll have 15 beautiful little pups up for adoption.
Despite being a ton of work; adopting Walter has been one of the most rewarding endeavors I’ve ever undertaken and I seriously recommend it for any one who has the type of lifestyle that would accomodate a little buddy and has some love to give – it’s really all they need.
Oct 7, 2012
Sep 11, 2012
I know that I don’t talk too, too much about what I do for a living on here but for the last 8 years I’ve had the distinct pleasure of working as a Designer and eventually Art Director with the fine folks at InViVo Communications, a health-care targeted communications studio.
I’ve had the opportunity to both watch and contribute as the company grew from 6 people when I started to more than 60 when I left. We’d moved through at least 3 offices and marveled as we became the biggest company of it’s kind in Canada and one of the best in the world in our given field. I know you can’t tell much from looking at the site because so much of what we did was private, but we did some seriously stellar work there. I’m proud of what the company was able to achieve and the contributions I was able to make but like all good things, my time there had to come to an end.
There are a great many people I will miss seeing on a daily bases dearly and I will always be deeply thankful for the opportunities Andrea, Yan & Reg have given me and the ways in which they’ve enriched my life and shown me possibilities for myself I’d never dreamed of. Thank you, always, InViVo.
All that said, a short while ago my old friend Lyndsey approached me about joining the team at SapientNitro where my main focus would be on… amongst other things, of course… Harley-Davidson Motorcycles!
After meeting Michael Shostak, a VP at SapientNitro, at the Town Moto opening party I knew that it was something I wanted to seriously pursue and the door opened for me to come in see if I’d be a good fit for the company. Elliott, Phil, Kim, Arjun and everyone I met through the interview process were all so awesome that I knew that I wanted to be here and at that point just hoped that they wanted me too! I guess they did.
I just went through my first week with the company as an Art Director and have been honored by the extremely warm welcome they’ve given me and humbled by the talent I’m surrounded by. I think I needed the change of scenery to re-ignite my passion for design and let’s face it, there is no better way to kick off the next stage of my career than working on Harley! I feel honored and priveledged to get to spend my days working on something that I relate to and love so dearly and am seriously so excited about the road that lays ahead.
Jul 24, 2012
Over the last many years we’ve seen a real trend towards locally produced (or at least nationally produced), hand-made goods over mass-produced items produced all-too-often in conditions that can most accurately be described as modern-day “slavery“. But that’s not what this is really about, so I digress…
Trend… What a nasty little word. We use this word most often to describe things that “everybody is doing to be cool” with the implication that whatever is “trending” has little or no value and will soon be deemed unpopular along with whatever made it trendy in the first place. In fact, the mere description of something being a part of a trend is usually enough to kill any forward momentum said trend has already gained – by the time something has reached mass appeal, it’s already basically OVER.
But that’s not what this is really about, so I digress…
Along with the revitalization of “heritage brands” and the romanticism of all things old-timey & hand-made, some of the skills that had seemingly long-since been lost are making a huge return and I, for one, am really glad to see it. In this case, the particular skill that I’m thinking/talking about is hand-lettering & sign painting.
Moving in the exact opposite direction that Draplin talks about in his America Is Fucked rant, a huge number of young businesses (in Toronto, anyway) have opted to have their signage hand-painted and in most of those cases, it has been produced by none other than Andrew Kidder (RCade)…
But, obviously, it’s not just Toronto. In Montreal my old friend Dave Arnold (Mr. Sign) is beautifying the city one bar, restaurant, storefront, or taco truck at a time…
In southwestern France we’ve got Steven Burke (Lucky Lefthand)…
And in East London there is Nicolai Sclater (Ornamental Conifer)…
In virtually every city I’d bet that there are a number of young men and women picking up on these old crafts and making something new and exciting out of them. Everything old is new.
May 25, 2012
Mar 12, 2012
Dec 6, 2011
Well, it’s that time of year again… Another year older, another year balder, another year fatter. I’m not going to do it because I don’t care that much, but I’d bet if I went back over the last 5 years of this blog I’d probably have something similar to say around this time, but every year I feel it and somehow it because more and more true as time passes; I’m the luckiest guy in the world.
As you get older and your priorities change, the things that matter become more and more apparent and fortunately for me, all the people that truly matter are still here for me; even when I don’t deserve it. Don’t get me wrong, I’m pretty good, but when you look around you and you’re surrounded by the best people in the whole wide fucking world? Sheeeeeeit. Amazing girlfriend/friends/family/co-workers/dog… Amazing life.
Thanks to everyone who was able to come our for dinner &/or drinks to celebrate with me. Thanks to the wonderful staff @ Parts & Labour who took care of us all night and did their best to accomodate my overwhelming popularity. See, I’m very popular. Huge (HUGE) thanks to Brian from P&L / Castor Design for sending me home with one of their amazing fire extinguisher lamps. I’ve been a big fan of Brian and his work with Castor for some time and I will hang it proudly in my home.
–
Next morning was pretty rough, needless to say, but it was made better by waking up next to my babe and my baby…
…and of course, the booty! I cannot tell a lie; I loooooooooove birthday booty.
Thanks, buds!
Nov 29, 2011
Not even a night & a day upside down with a Shamwow! in it’s tender embrace could save you…
