Note: my knowledge only extends to AD&D, and while I dabbled in university, I really only played consistently up until I was about 14 or 15. Interestingly, I also wore sweatpants to school up until I was about 14 or 15. Coincidence? Once you roll for your statistics, your character classes are limited by how…
Ten Things I've Learned
Ten things I’ve learned from being single
One thing people like to tell you is “you’ll find someone if you just be yourself.” Finding someone isn’t a problem…it’s finding someone worth spending time with that is difficult. When you are single, you like to talk about how you wish you could meet somebody great, and why are all the good ones taken,…
Ten things I’ve learned from Tyler (a cat)
If you have a loud and persistent enough meow, you can get anything you want. Wet food tastes better than dry food. No matter how annoying their normal state of being is, you get really worried when your cat stops being so annoying. “I know I wanted him to be quiet and eat less to…
Ten things I’ve learned from Edward Scissorhands
A quick rise can easily turn into an equally rapid descent. Don’t trust instant fame. Being an outcast probably means you have lots of time to get skilled at art, music, or some other talent. Goose-shaped haircuts are terrific. Being inside Tim Burton’s head must be like living in a Gothic German Expressionist paradise all…
Ten things I’ve learned from going to Chicago
The Blues Brothers movie is 100% accurate. The L Train totally travels right beside apartment building windows!! Chicago is in the Midwest, but I don’t know that it’s all that accurate to call Chicagoans “mid-westerners”. But I only say this because of my (unfairly?) negative opinion of mid-westerners. A lot of people in Chicago have…
Ten things I’ve learned from 2010
I am happier being single than in a relationship with someone I don’t love. I can excel when I am in a supportive environment, working with people I respect and like, and working for a cause I believe in. 30 ain’t so bad. My relationship with my folks will always be up and down, but…
Ten things I've learned from breaking up with someone
Sometimes you both know the relationship is not working, and somebody just needs to kick it in the pants. Most of the time, you know weeks or even months before they do (and so do your friends). The best thing is to be broken up with when you are already thinking of breaking up. That…
Ten things I’ve learned from eating hamburgers
Hamburgers are yums!!! Sometimes its cool to put a bunch of stuff on hamburgers like gruyere cheese and fancy mayo and foie gras. But at the end of the day, a hamburger is only as good as its meat. Simple can be beautiful. You can eat red meat that is not fully cooked if it…
Ten things I’ve learned from my sister
When you have a younger sibling, you want to protect them. You also want to prove that you are better than them at everything, so you want to compete with them. it’s a delicate push and pull. It’s one thing to espouse a set of values, and quite another thing to live them to the…
Ten things I’ve learned from cleaning an apartment
To remove smells from the walls, or in general, pour white vinegar into small tubs and leave them around the apartment for a few hours. Soda water and salt can remove almost any stains, as long as you catch the stains right away. Pour liberally, and leave on stain for an hour. I learned this…
Ten things I’ve learned from my favourite Christmas tunes
Note: I normally hate Christmas music. “Song for a winter’s night” – Gordon Lightfoot: songs about love can make you feel lonely when you’re single. But sometimes, it’s nostalgic and nice. “Oogie Boogie’s song” – Nightmare Before Christmas: bad guys love jazz. “All I want for Christmas is you” – Mariah Carey: I really like…
Ten things I've learned about business from purchasing a 6 inch cheese sub from Itza Submarine
You can own a successful antique store. You can own a successful independent sandwich store. They can’t be the same store. White walls and flourescent lighting are not that flattering when serving food. When interacting with customers, try your best not to say that you are about to be locked out of your business because…
Ten things I’ve learned from soca music
There is no end to the number of sexual double-entendres you can make. Sometimes you just need to take it like you own it. Meh head spinnin, too much drinkin. Also, I want de rum in de mornin…. Dance music can be political. Not a lot of white people like soca music. But those white…
Ten things I’ve learned from having acne
Don’t wash your face more than once or twice a day. It leads to increased oil build-up and break-outs. Don’t use harsh topical creams like tetracycline. It will mess you up later. Use gentle cleanser gently (I like gentle Cetaphil), and take hot showers every morning. Don’t scrub your face, don’t use a washcloth. Don’t…
Ten things I’ve learned from writing a resume
NOTE: I love my job. I haven’t even looked at my resume in ages. But I learned how to write a pretty decent resume, and you should too… My experience working for one month at HMV…probably not relevant. Get friends you trust who are smarter than you to look over your resume. Use descriptive words…
Ten things I’ve learned from riding a bicycle
I learned how to ride a bicycle later in life. It was embarrassing at the beginning, but thrilling by the end. Cycling is just a question of momentum. It’s when you stop moving that you have problems. “It’s as close as I have ever gotten to flying.” – Aaron S, my friend, on riding a…