Where'd ya go CD?

MIA -noun
[ěm'ī-ā']
1. A member of the armed services who is reported missing following a combat mission and whose status as to injury, capture, or death is unknown

So I've been away for some time, neglecting this poor blog, for that I do apologize to both you Dear Reader and to you poor blog.

So lets play some catch up shall we?

Around mid April I was given notice that my contract would be ending on May 31st, it's been two whole weeks now that I've been underemployed, and a whole month since I have gotten a pay cheque. For a guy that unfortunately lives hand to mouth, this friends is not a good situation to be in. On the plus side I have managed to get a couple of writing jobs and am still slowly working on my Freelance Writer website.

On May 1st I headed back to Golden BC for a few weeks to visit with the most amazing girl. It was a bittersweet visit however, as I do not think I will ever get a chance to see her again.

After that I came back to Capital City for a week, then headed off to the Muskoka's to hang out at a cottage and clear my mind. I did some visiting back in Hometown and returned once again to Capital City. In my downtime, while looking for some means of gainful employment I put together a little blog network, which I have called My Big List Of Blogs. I'm not sure what I am going to do with it, but hopefully I'll get a little traffic and gain some much needed income with this pet project of mine.

So where does Chasing Distractions go from here?

I should be putting my efforts into finding some work, getting my life back together, but my ever-muddled mind still has the urge to chase distractions. Lately I've been focusing that energy on entering contests, you all know how I love winning stuff. Yesterday I won a ride in the Bluesfest limo, got treated to a Subway lunch and was handed 4 day passes for the festival. Today I put my efforts into winning some NXNE passes, but sadly I didn't win. But never fear Dear Reader, this story does have a happy ending, fellow CBC Radio3 blogger MoniSki graciously offered me one of her own NXNE passes. How awesome is that?

On Thursday morning I plan on taking what little funds I have, jumping into my Granpa mobile and heading down to the Big Smoke for one last weekend of music and excitement. Maybe I'll even run into The Details again.

Oh speaking of The Details, in an old post I mentioned testing out recording audio with my digital handheld recorder, it worked and the quality was much better. So I'll leave you with a video from that show back in March.




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Please Support Your Local Food Bank

char·i·ty –noun
[char-i-tee]
1.generous actions or donations to aid the poor, ill, or helpless

My situation has once again become dire. My current full time writing contract has recently been terminated and will wrap up at the end of this month. Devoting myself to paying down my debts, and probably chasing too many distractions, I have not saved enough to weather the storm.

I have approximately $600 to my name until I find some sort of gainful employment. Originally I had set out to branch out on my own, looking for my own clients, but realistically I will not make enough income to survive the next month. So it's back to the job boards once again.

It's funny, tragic funny not haha funny, how history repeats itself.

Five years ago when I first relocated to Capital City it was mainly due to a transfer within the company I worked for. Eight months later they laid me off and I found myself unemployed during my first summer here. Visa helped weather the storm that time by paying for my rent and groceries; sadly I'm still attempting to pay off that decision. At that time I was recommended to go to the Food Bank to help make ends meet, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it because I didn't think I needed the assistance.

Well I am one that learns from my mistakes and decided to go to my local Food Bank today for some support. I'm glad I did. Upon arriving I was shocked to see the amount of people milling about waiting for their turn to grab what limited items where available on the shelves. People of all walks of life and ages. Families with young ones. Everyone with a look of despair in their eyes. It was the most depressing site I think I have ever seen. They were serving number 19 when I arrived and I was number 47. I couldn't bring myself to stay. What meagre items they had left on the shelves, these other 46 people needed it more than I did.

I'm not entirely sure what I'm going to do next, but for any of you that read this blog and have the means to donate to your local food bank, please do so. Whatever community you live in, there is bound to be someone in need of assistance from the local food bank, and from what I have observed, the local food bank needs your help too.


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Chasing Distractions Wins The Lotto!!!!!

lot·ter·y –noun
[lot-uh-ree]
1. a gambling game or method of raising money, as for some public charitable purpose, in which a large number of tickets are sold and a drawing is held for certain prizes

So I just won $3,865,774.00 in the Lotto 649 jackpot!!!!!

Say hello to the Sweet Life!



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Upcoming Ottawa Shows - Stillepost.ca

con·cert –noun
[kon-surt]
1. a public musical performance in which a number of singers or instrumentalists, or both, participate

Just thought I would quickly share this great resource that I like to use when looking for upcoming shows in Ottawa.

Stillepost.ca is an all Canadian independent arts message board and show calendar. I've tried to become a member to update Capital City's show calendar, but my membership has yet to be approved.

Here are a two shows that I recently went to see, thanks in part to the Stillepost list:

The Polymorphines with The Rockalily Burlesque Girls

Saturday, March 20th - Babylon Nightclub

Thrush Hermit

Thursday, March 25th - Capital Music Hall

As you may already be able to tell my inexpensive HP CA350 Digital Camera does not have the greatest audio recording capabilities. I recently purchased a Panasonic portable audio recorder to use when I conduct interviews for work, so I was thinking I would bring both devices with me to the next show to see which one has a better audio quality.

Tomorrow I'm going to see The Details at The Cajun Attic and will test out my camera and portable recorder options. You may remember me mentioning meeting The Details on my 3rd day at the NxNE festival in Toronto.





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I'm Back!

re·al·i·ty –noun
[ree-al-i-tee]
1.the state or quality of being real

After a month away I am now back in Capital City. I spent the last four weeks or so in beautiful British Columbia.

Where I went to volunteer at the 2010 Winter Olympics with the aerial crew.

And got to see some great sites in and around Vancouver.

Including going to see a couple of great shows, like:
Elliott Brood


and We Were Promised Jetpacks.


I also got a chance to do a little snowboarding at Whistler and Kicking Horse.

Where I met the most amazing girl.

And got to see her band, Jiva Tree, perform.


Over breakfast I realized where I want to spend the rest of my days.

But for now it's back to reality, back to my one room apartment and my work from home job. Back to trying to make ends meat and remain sane and happy all at the same time.

One thing I'm going to take from my trip is that I am going to attempt to bring a little bit of that Vacation Persona that we all have into my everyday life.

I'm going to get out more and try new things.
I'm not going to be afraid to talk to strangers anymore.
I'm pretty much going to go against everything I ever learned as a kid, except maybe that whole look both ways before you cross the street thing, that could still prove to be important.

My first step in this 'New Me' transformation is to upgrade to a Big Boy Bed, and from there the sky is the limit.


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Winterlude 2010

ice sculp⋅ture –noun
[ahys skuhlp-cher]
1. the art of carving figurative or abstract works of art in three dimensions from a block of ice

Yesterday I picked up HP’s CA350 Digital Camera from Best Buy in preparation of my trip to Vancouver where I will be volunteering at the 2010 Olympic Games.

I thought I would test out the camera by spending, what may be my last Sunday in Capital City (well at least for a few weeks anyway), at the Winterlude ice-carving contest.

I hope you enjoy the pictures:

The One Block Challenge

3rd Place Winner

2nd Place Winner

1st Place Winner


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