it's another meh kind of a Monday

We watched “The Valkyrie” with Ton Cruise last night. On a scale from 1-10 I’d rate it a 7. I thought the scenes were really good especially the North Africa and Prussia scenes. The DVD shows Tom in desert khaki on the back. It was a war movie and had it’s obligatory battle scenes in it. I’m a WW2 buff from way back cutting my education teeth on SPI and Avlon Hill wargames. What with this being memorial day in the US, Happy memorial day to all my American readers. I hope your l having a great day off. As for my wife and I we got to work this afternoon.

Anne’s sister is arriving shortly to pick her up and their going off to do a few things this afternoon as they’re going out and about to pick up a few things and Anne’s going to go to Wendy’s to pick me up a bacon cheese burger combo for my lunch today. Anne goes into work from 7-11 and I work from 5-9 today. So when I get home I’ll be watching my Monday night Raw by the time she gets home it’ll all be but over.

I’m right in the first 60 pages or so “ICB.” So far it’s holding it’s own. Anne’s sister should be pulling up shortly. As the gals are going out to do their thing. As for me, I’m going to post this and read some more from my book and check my email.

However there are 13 people here in Edmonton that made National news Friday that most likely don’t have to work today either. I doubt they’d get up and quite their jobs like that but I think they might have taken a few days off. Their replacements would need to be trained. I’m of course referring to the lucky 13 from the ATB bank that won last Wednesday‘s $49M historic draw here in Edmonton In case you haven’t heard these people worked on the 13th floor of the building they worked in. Wow. Lotto Canada held a press conference on this last Friday afternoon with the 13 winners and I gather they either all got cheques or one got the cheque and split 13 ways. I wonder if they all held bank accounts at the ATB bank where they worked. It’d make it easier for 13 people to split $49M. They each got $3.7M. Imagine say the employee that went around to the others every Monday and Friday to people that even worked on their floor. “Hey were all going in for the big $49M, do you want to put your $2 in?” I never win on those things>“No thanks.” Imagine how they must feel. “Doh!” The banks happy because it now has 13 millionaires as depositors. There was even one couple that was getting married. They gal won and her boyfriend is probably thinking, “Honey, lets hurry up and do this thing.” So to all the lucky 13 that won last Wednesday’s draw, good for you. I don’t think they went in to work today. I know if that was me at the press conference behind the table with the rest sharing that $49M. I wouldn’t be at work today either little alone Saturday. I’d split my share with my wife so we’d each get $1.8M on our bank cards. First thing we’d do is look for a condo. Anne’s been looking at one a few blocks away SE from us by the school. We’d be looking at buying today if that was one of us that won the share of the $49M. I’d get myself a new computer and the extras. I’d certainly pick up all my books at Audrey’s. Also I’d get all my ASL missing modules as well. Also a nice piano would be in the forecast as well. All the bills would be paid off, new cloths etc. What a great weekend those lucky 13 must have had. I wonder if they had a staff party or will have one this weekend. I know I couldn’t spend $1.8M in one weekend little alone in a year. I’d just live off the interest of what would be left over. And what a great time to win it to right in the middle of a recession. The bank will have no problem filling those vacancies that’s for sure. As for me and my wife, we just live from pay cheque-to-pay cheque. I’m lucky if I have $20 bucks in my pocket on a Saturday afternoon. But the odds of winning the 6/49 jackpot in itself are huge.

Pure Speculation has a new webpage up for 2009 and yes its confirmed Spider Robinson will be here October 2nd -4th. I’d love to go to see this one. I like their new motto: “In space no one can hear you geek.” That’s cute.

This day in strangeness……Lord Edward Bulwer-Lytton, the English dramatist, novelist, politician and Rosicrucian was born. He wrote the famous line (plagiarized by many) “It was a dark and stormy night.”

The good folks over there at SF Signal are giving away a copy of Rachel Caine's “Carpe Corpus.” While I’m not really into the vampire genre thing and since my comment a few weeks back on their site suggesting they consider more book give-a-way’s seemed to work. Also at Pats Fantasy hotlist, he’s giving away a copy of Bruce Sterling’s “The Caryatids” to one lucky winner.

Sci-fi chick is talking about the recent ABC upcoming remake of the series “V.” I’m looking at the shot of the cast of characters and there doesn’t appear to be one person to be over 30. What do science fictions fans peak out and drop off at the age of thirty something? Hollywood casting would seem to think so. Or even if there is anyone over 30 in these shows they are in supportive roles. Ok, granted a show about Mr. and Mrs. Kent in Smallville might be a bit boring but geese already. I’m a sci-fan from way back when but I can’t relate to all the kids out there and I feel kind of disenfranchised by the “youth movement” in sci-fi and I understand the casting trends and political correctness and all that. It’s all fine and well to see ABC doing a remake of V but this 57 year old will not be tuning in.

Anyway gang, that’s all for now

e. Jim