Ramblings from that Luke Rawluk scamp:

Huh. Looks like a webcomic somehow latched itself to the top of my website.

How... peculiar. Just... sitting there... invitingly. As if beckoning passers by to... click it... and see what horrors and wonders it contains.

Curious indeed. It shall remain to be seen how long it stays there, I suppose. Or, even, whether it will... *shudder*... breed. Spawn. Display chronological progression.

I have a suspicion that some nefarious and no doubt highly suspect author intends to sully this space with its ilk, oh, once a week or so.

I don't think he can pull it off, particularly if he happens to be travelling in the not-at-all-distant future, but we shall see.

If the whole thing becomes a habit, I'll probably need to actually together a half-way decent archival system for it. Bother, bother, bother.

*Luke looks back up above the news post, feeling vaguely ill-at-ease. He mutters to himself.* ... damn thing's going to fall on my darned head... that isn't exactly a load bearing graphic its hanging from there...

- Paladinian

Aaaaaand, I'm back in Winnipeg. For a bit.

Head off for a bit next week, but for comparatively less time, probably... just a couple days. Unless the stay is extended again, I guess.

Looking back at the trip, with a day's rest behind me, I am of uncertain temperment.

The rest and relaxation of today has helped overcome some of the fatique-based... flakyness... of this localized individual. The centre holds a bit tighter then it did yesterday.

I still carry with me a pronounced feeling of personal disatisfaction about the whole past week, though. It comes down to what is essentially the story of my life, repeated over, and over, and over again. "Almost, but not quite."

It is my own sad little running theme, I'm sorry to say.

The problem they sent me to down to solve is solved, thankfully, though it wasn't me to do it... I just showed that the way they wanted me to do it couldn't be done. Woo... big accomplishment there. My associates built the final, effective solution.

The other app, the one I was trying to speed up to acceptable cycle time? Well, I cut, and cut, and cut some more, shaving milliseconds off in chunks large and small, and got the application running *screaming fast*, as far as Visual Basic programs go.

Still not enough, though! Still not always responding in time! And if I can't get it the rest of the way, then that means more work for my fellow, already over-worked engineers, so that they can *compensate* for me!

Yeah, its hard not to feel down about that. Worked, and worked, and worked, but still couldn't walk away with a victory.

*Luke sighs, exhaling slowly and sadly.*

Moving on. Back in the apartment. Played on the computer some. checked web-comics. Had Canada Post knock on my door, and for probably the first time ever was able to sign for a package on first visit. *Luke chuckles bemusedly*. When I made mention of this, the kindly mailman gave me a warning that it sounded like I was getting dangerously close to complaining. I laughed and relayed my personal policy of only ever getting Canada Post shipments when possible, and how much I think UPS, Purolator, and Fed Ex suck. I then gave him an impish-but-not-insincere salute and said to keep up the good work.

He really, really, *really* seemed to appreciate that. It was all very endearing. *Luke grins.*

The consequence of this is that, on top of the rest of day's activities, I got to watch some freshly delivered Anime. *Excellent*.

Oh yes, there is one more story of interest, from my trip back. Alright, the scene: I arrive at the Windsor Airport a bit less then hour before my flight is set to depart. Whereupon I find that it has been *cancelled*. (Dum de duh!!!) The clerk at the Air Canada desk waves me forward impatiently though, and says that the earlier one is delayed and I should *HURRY!* to get there. Which I do! And I get on! I think, man, how lucky is this!

I then find out that... umm... they were holding the plane for me. (And another very, very nice old lady who I sat next to, actually.) So... I was to blame. Um... I'm not sure what to make of that. Th.... thanks?

The flight attendant on the flight to Toronto (who was, as well, very nice) did have the unfortunate experience of having the Coke (or Pepsi, I don't recall) *explode* in her hand, getting no small amount of it on my pants. I found this *hilarious*. No, really, I'm not being sarcastic here... I just could not shake the thought that there was some man at the back of the plane, holding a trembling hand to his temple, *livid* about the delay, and through sheer *force of will* and eyes of liquid burning rage, exploded the can in her hand. I figured... hey... good one, dude. Very well done. I had that coming, and bear you and your psychic powers no ill will. ^_^

On the scales of karma, I think I got off easy.

I shall take a moment to make reference to the aforementioned nice old lady beside me, if you will bear with me this indulgence. Though she was living in BC, it turns out that she actually lived in Winnipeg for a time (which was commendable), worked for revenue Canada (which led to many stories comparing her experiences with my own dear sweet mother's) and, and this was the oddest part, actually lived in the same apartment complex as I did, when she lived in Winnipeg.

So, that really was one of the *oddest* hours in my life yet. It was *neat*.

- Paladinian

Mid-Trip Greetings from Ypsilanti!

Greetings and Salutations to you. 'Tis the one known as Luke, communicating with you through the Aether to bridge the gap between time and space that seperates our chrono-spatial states.

How's it goin', eh?

*Luke listens intently*

*Luke waits for you to finish speaking.*

*Luke cups his hand to his ear, having not heard a whit of what you said.*

*Luke tries to turn the volume up on his speakers, but to no avail.*

*Luke shrugs and continues on.*

Anyway, Ypsi progresses. The trip out was alright. The following provides a... cough... quick summary:

******** Tuesday Evening **********

Arrived in Windsor at about a quarter to midnight. Air Canada didn't do anything to bother me with, and having actual luggage to check means that Airport Security didn't rob me of anything this time. Glee!

Having little in the way of reading material, during the stopover in Toronto I hit one of the shops to see what I might find. Nothing much, as it turns out, though I did see a book by Leonard Cohen. "Hey, he's something of a Canadian Icon, isn't he? Maybe I should give that a shot." I flip through it, discover that it is a book of poetry, and decide "Hey, if I claim to like words, (and I do) then maybe I should try giving this poetry reading thing another shot, rather then maintain the faux-opposition to the literary form bred into me by public High School." So I picked it up.

It turns out that Leonard Cohen is actually quite the horn-dog.

I suspect someone reading this is laughing at me right now for not having known this fact already.

... yes, get it out of your system. We good? Yes? Okay.

Moving on. Actually, the writing *is* actually very engaging. Oddly familiar, as well... the hour or so I've been able to spend reading it was very well spent.

The rental car is kinda spiffy... the dashboard in particular was obviously designed by a kindred spirit... it is so GLOWY! So much light! So much... display! The RPM gauge in particular has this funky blue, glowing gradient... I just KNOW the designer wanted it to pulsate, or pallette-rotate.. but some higher-up whose heart is *sand* must have turned him (or her!) down. Regardless, it is officially funky-town.

The one issue with the car is that there is no trunk release on the key, and for the life of me I couldn't find it on the dash anywhere. As the border always wants you to pop the trunk, this concerned me a bit as they likewise don't appreciate people getting out of their vehicles at the gate. So while waiting behind some other motorists, I turned on the inside light and scrounged around for this bloody button or lever. For the life of me, I couldn't find it. I am fairly certain, though, that such suspicious activity had a direct correlation upon subsequent events wherein, upon my presentation at the gate, I was directed me to pull over to the side where a small team of guards tore through the vehicle looking for contraband.

On the plus side, they did find the trunk release for me! It was where the parking brake normally is! *Luke gives an impish, appreciative salute.*

******* Wednesday, Thursday, Friday **********

Worked along with my most esteemed and honurable associates. Da' Boss was there too, but doing "Supervisor" stuff, as fits his position. Not a lot to say here, really... came in between 8-9am, left around 8-9pm. Go for supper at whatever place is still open. Head back to hotel, sleep, start again.

Da Boss, it should be noted, has made the following official decree:

Anyone laughing at the obviousness and necessity of all this hasn't experienced life alongside Kamloopsian Engineers before. *Luke grins*

So, thankfully, I have been getting at least 7 hours of sleep while out here. It's not 8, but at least its not 6, by and large.

As for the work... well... there is a lot of it.

The first project they had me working on involved doing Machine Vision stuff (aka, Computers and Cameras). It took me about a day and a half to, in the end, mathematically prove the impossibility of what they wanted me to do. I would consider this something of a failure on my part except for the fact that, again, the whole affair was not possible as laid out. I was able to help in the brain storming for an actually feasible method, at least... it should work much better. It is yet another thing for the Kamloopsians to do, though. This saddens me.

Learned a bunch, at least!

With that off my specific plate, I had a brief flicker of hope that I might *actually* fly out on time on Friday. Such did not last, though, with the Ypsi hordes soon stopping by my temporary desk and asking whether I might stay longer to continue to help out. So, Friday, I spent a rather tedious hour with the Travel Agent getting my flight / hotel / car shuffled around. I now fly out Thursday evening. So I'm back in Winnipeg on Friday. I am pretty sure Da Boss will let me *not* go in to work that day.

So I'm back on the app that I've been building, passing off to someone else, then taking back for some time now. The thing is running alright now, but there is still the desire to crank up the performance as much as possible. ("More Power" is the operative word of the moment, I figure. My laptop can process a test picture in 50ms. The fantastically powerful, but Video Card inadequate 1U Case they've got out there can do it in 75ms. The new box I had put together with the PCI-Express card can do it in 33ms. So yes, I think I'll be pushing for the PCs to be changed over.)

There is also a lot of other software stuff to do down here as well, and I imagine I'll be trying to get on it shortly.

The Kamgineers are entertaining as normal, and the Ypsilantians friendly as ever. Which is good, considering that I'm with them, again, 14 hours a day.

********* Friday Night *************

So, I'm in my new room at the Mariott, having not been able to keep my old room at the Mariott when doing the trip extension.

Sigh.

Anyway, the room's nice enough... King-size bed, all good. But it is one of those rooms that have the doors between rooms, and those things aren't sound-proofed worth a damn.

There is an NCAA Gymnastics Tournament going on, so the Hotel is rather filled up with those sort.

You might think you know how what destination these "thin walls" and "nubile young women" points may be leading to, in the story.

You'd be wrong.

What I actually got to experience was a set of four or five of them in the next room having some sort of Prayer Meeting.

Loudly.

Until 1am.

Of the "PRAISE JESUS!!!1!!" variety.

Enthusiastically and angrily arguing Scripture.

Complaining about the words in Hymns. "Come in, Holy Spirt, and have a Seat"? "Have a seat?!? You are going to tell the HOLY SPIRIT TO SIT DOWN?! WHO DO THEY THINK WE ARE TO TELL THE HOLY SPIRIT TO 'HAVE A SEAT!?'!"

The whole thing entered some rather distrubing lines of conversatin near the end, and I will confess I eventually called the front desk to ask them to quiet my neighbours down a bit.

The whole thing kinda breaks my heart in an odd sort of way. These women were debating enthusiastically, applying the full powers of their Reasoning to the topics at hand, to justify *Scripture*. Operating entirely on assumptions that since A implies B, where A is the Bible, that means B *must* be true. Proving, or questioning A was completely foreign, at least from what it sounded like.

Scary, and more then a little sad.

I am aware I am being condescending here, to some degree or other. "Who am I to judge them... who am I to judge Faith?", that sort of thing. The answer is of course that I am nobody, just some guy. But I can't shake the *personal* feeling of tradgedy that minds so sharp have been so thoroughly... I don't know... *conditioned*.

Sigh.

Anywho, thank you for slogging through this long, rambling, likely unnecessary correspondance. Hopefully you can forgive me its indulgences.

- Paladinian

Salutations!

Let it be known that Wednesday's "Luke Time"... also known as "Precious-Not-At-Work Time"... was comprised AND composed completely and utterly out of mundanity. Curse you, vile domesticity! Curse your laundry-doing, grocery-shopping, apartment-vacuuming, floor-mopping, dish-washing, Xmas-tree-disassembling atrociousness!

It was impressive in its oppressiveness simply by virtue of its domestic completeness. Now, of course, a sane person might counter such statements by postulating statements akin to the following...

"You know, treating residence upkeep as a batch process rather then an on-going resident background activity *might well* be a contributing factor to the incidence of such events."

"That, in fact, it might be prudent to point out that any such occurance is completely and utterly your fault and by your design."

"So perhaps you shouldn't complain about the metaphorical bed-that-you-made?"

"Also, you are a very silly person. Though not in the, you know, *entertaining* way."

To this aforementioned hypothetical person, I say but one thing: "Meh."

And now we move on. I hope an enjoyable holiday season was had my all. Mine, for what it is worth, was agreeable. Huzzah!

Of greatest import, me thinks, is the recent addition of an iMac & Waccom Tablet to my apartment of solitude. (Side note: Rocksome!) And with such, the dread beast known as 'Photoshop' shall be tamed by my hand! Or I shall perish, trying!

Or, at least, such shall take place... soon! All three of you might want, I don't know, a Flash game before that! Or maybe not! But suffice it to say, I shall endeavor to have something "meaty" for the next update, rather then the self-involved irrelevant rambling which chains this pseudo-blog with stereotypiciality!

And with such, I am off!

- Paladinian