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MC Cynic is in the hizouse

Marlo & I were talking about the “MC” in the rap world last night.

Now, in my experience, MC, or emcee, means “master of ceremonies” which is, by definition, “a person who acts as host at formal occasions (makes an introductory speech and introduces other speakers)”, but obviously it is not the same in the pop culture/rap world. I didn’t really know what it meant. Marlo said that, opposed to the DJ, who spins the records, the MC raps. And never the twain shall meet.

Marlo says that the term “MC” as part of a rapper’s name has been in the vernacular for 20 years so I should accept it. But I think it’s overused and that any old slob with a boombox on a street corner can call himself MC Skillless and nobody will kick up a fuss. Well I’m here to fuss. I mean I know you don’t need 7 years of rhyming school and a diploma to be an MC, but it bothers me in the same way that Captain Caveman bugs me. Friend, you’re a lot of things – but you’re not a captain. Of course this comes from a guy who for the most part despises rap (& hiphop moreso). I guess it’s just the fact that it has always bothered me that, unlike playing the tuba or the drums or even singing, anyone can rap as well as the next palooka (no offense to the mute), and so by extension, anyone can be called MC.

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Oh he flies through the air with the greatest disease

Marlo read to me some thing about cats with separation anxiety and behaviour problems just need a cat buddy. And to think when Stewie asked about bringing a kitten into our home I didn’t think it was a good idea.

I had dinner with Marmar last night at Cipriano’s, which is a really good pasta restaurant on main. It was expensive, but you basically get two meals worth. It reminded me of an article on watching your weight that informed that your body takes a while to tell you that you’re full, and that if you stop eating before you’re actually finished your big meal, you’ll find that you’re already finished your big meal. It suggested that when you go to a restaurant, ask the waiter to put half of the order in a takeaway before you even get the meal. I don’t think I would ever do that, but it’s a good idea.

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Sometimes it's fun to look back

Last year, on the first day of 2004, I found a ten dollar bill on the road. Perhaps a portent for a financially fruitful year? Not so. 2004 was the year of no money for Toren. So much so that I had to get a part time job. That’s the saddest part of all. But 2004 was also the year I got together with Marlo, which is fantastic. My nearly 2-year relationship with Tinessa seems like a different world now. And since then, I had been single for another 2 years. I’ve never really been satisfied as a single person. Every public event – parties and get-togethers – half of the reason was hanging out with friends. The other half (where applicable) was the hope that I might meet a girl. Not just a girl, but the girl. It’s such a relief that I don’t have to wonder and expend that energy now.

I did enjoy being single and spending more time with a varied amount of people, but I’ve been ready to spend more time with just one person for a good long while now, and I’m enjoying that too. I’m sorry if that took anyone by surprise. I worry that some people think they’ve fallen by the way side, and I recognize that in at least one of my previous relationships I actually was forced to give up friendships that I did not really want to give up as part of keeping things going with my girlfriend at the time. But the fact is that although I spend a lot of time with Marlo, very rarely do we set aside time that is just for the two of us. We still do all the things we used to do as friends, with other friends, with a few exceptions that cannot be helped. We play D&D, we have game nights, we hang around and watch movies with Stewie etc.

Last year at about this time I was getting tipsy on…I don’t even remember the drinks. Vodka coolers or something. I got my Cloney McStudent address labels in the mail. I was looking into mentoring. I was watching Return of the King at the Metrotown Mall. I got my flail in the mail.

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I forgot armed robbery was illegal

I had a bunch of ideas of topics to blog about all this week, but I have forgotten about each one. So let’s talk about my memory.

My memory’s for shit. I’d like to say that it’s all the drugs I’ve done, but in fact the only drugs I’ve done besides the 4-5 times I’ve been drunk and the 3 cigarettes I’ve done plus over the counter or prescription drugs has been one joint that I smoked in 1992.

I’ve been given the old “I guess I’m not that important to you” because I’ve forgotten about dates I’ve had with people. That’s not a fair thing to say, as I forget about things that are extremely important to me. Including taping cartoons!

Speaking of cartoons: another year means another annual Saturday morning cartoon party! Here’s last year’s entry for those who are not familiar with this phenomenon: http://www.thickets.net/toren/archives/2004/02/21/
I’m not sure what the theme will be this year, but the first thing that comes to mind is “homages.” Actually the first thing that comes to mind is polar bears, because my Greenpeace calendar has a photo of them on it. In which case, I can think of the Jonny Quest episode “Arctic Splashdown.” I might have this year’s cartoon party on the 19th of February.

Poor Greenpeace. They think that because I sent them some cash a few years ago, I’m going to do so every year. So they keep sending me calendars and address labels.

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There's snow business like snow business like snow business I snow

I just deleted over 500 spams from my blog comments. I have to do that every couple days.

I walked home from Marlo’s today in the snow. At first I waited at the bus stop on 25th because I thought I might be too cold for the whole half hour + walk, but when the bus came and went, packed full of people, without stopping, I went ahead and walked. I’m glad I did. It was quite pretty. I like watching the snow fall, especially at night under the street lights. And I saw people shovelling their walks and I wanted to say “shouldn’t you wait until the snow stops falling before you do that? That’s like pulling the plug out of the bathtub while the water’s still running.” There were also dogs & kids playing in the snow, and even a mom pulling her kids along in a toboggan. I have to go out again to the record company, and this time I get to wear my boots – for the first time this season! Merry Christmas!!!

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The Life Oneiric with Toren Atkinson

This morning I had an interesting dream about zombiepocalypse. Hordes of zombies were running around biting people, and I was running away from them, and sometimes hiding. I had a lot of trouble convincing non-zombies of the real danger. I went into this building and met, in a loft, three young people – a goth girl and her boyfriend and some other guy. I told them about the zombies and that we had to find somewhere to go, but the boyfriend said something to the effect of “cool! Let’s go kick the shit out of them up. I’ve had enough of this Wiccan peace bullshit” – recanting his whole gothy lifestyle to go beat up zombies. The other guy went with him so I was left with the girl (who also tried to talk them out of it). I asked her if there was any place she knew of that we could go that was safe and defensible. She wasn’t the ideal crisis companion either and we shortly were separated. I bumped into a bunch of zombies on a lower level of the building but I tricked them into thinking I too was a zombie and I pointed in some random direction suggesting that there were more brains to be eaten “that way”. Defense through misdirection!

I saw The Life Aquatic with Marlo and Stewie and Taylor the other day and I loved it. I laughed so hard during the scene where…well I won’t spoil it for you. Suffice it to say I heartily recommend it. I thought that Owen Wilson’s acting was good, and that everyone else’s was great. Willem Defoe’s role was my favourite that I’ve seen him in in any movie (I’ve seen (or heard) him in Shadow of the Vampire, Spider-Man, Finding Nemo, Basquiat, Cry Baby, Last Temptation of Christ, and Platoon). The music was what you’ve come to expect from a Wes Anderson film, with a couple surprises. It was much better than Cats. I’m going to see it again and again.

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Violence on the big screen and the little screen

So – House of Flying Daggers. Very very pretty. And an excellent movie…until the end. I don’t want to SPOIL anything for you, because it’s still worth seeing, but the ending is ridiculously drawn out and melodramatic. The fight scenes were excellent and they weren’t just cut thrust dodge parry, they used the environment to excellent effect. I think sometimes wuxia films go a little too far with the superhuman abilities, and that’s never more clear than in House of Flying Daggers. Jumping really high – practically flying – I’ve accepted that. Throwing knives and having them defy the laws of physics like Batman’s batarangs…that’s a little tougher to swallow.

The Christmas season doesn’t have much tradition for me…except the playing of Baldur’s Gate. Last year I didn’t have much time to waste, but this year (once my last drawing assignment was finally pegged) I have had plenty of free time, which I am putting to good use putting xvarts and tasloi to the sword. Hey – I think I’ll go do that now.

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Ketchup!

OK let’s see now…

For Christmas…

I got…

Some awesome brown and orange Converse shoes from Marlo. SO EXCITING!
An uglydoll (“Target“) also from Marlo. Very cute. He is the sentinel of my bed, along with my plush squid.
Some raspberry rhubarb jam, which I haven’t tried yet. From Marlo’s folks.
A little puzzler tile game which was fun.
A 365 trivia calendar
Sripey socks! Three pairs! From Marlo!
A paper cat from Paul/Kelly/Kelly’s sister whose name I forget but MIGHT be Nicole.
Something else that I forget, but somebody will remind me and then I’ll edit this post and this sentence will be completely replaced.

Plus the stuff I’ve already mentioned.

On boxing day I bought myself a couple of roleplaying books (maps, actually – 2 sets of generic maps) and the Metric album and the new Helmet album which I didn’t even know existed until I was standing in line at Virgin. Marlo also got me some more D&D minis which is good – we got (amongst others) the myconid and the dire fiendish weasel. Seriously. Still hoping to find the gibbering mouther http://www.popularcollections.com/ddab50.html

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I had a McDonald's "sandwich" today. Don't waste your money.

Isn’t it interesting how as you get older, the age difference between people you associate with – even are friendly with – becomes wider and wider. Most teens won’t have anything to do with others outside a few years difference in age, but when you’re thirty, you can have friends who are twenty and forty, or more. And when you’re 10, you want nothing to do with those filthy 8-year-olds. And when you’re 1, you won’t even talk to an embryo.