It's all over but the crying (as my dad used to say). Despite a valiant effort, and an impressive win in their last week of regular season play, it looks like my Snow Monkeys will come up one game short in their bid to grab that last playoff spot. There were a lot of missed…
December 3, 2016: Introducing…Suji!
Yesterday was the day! Akemi and I went down to Toronto's Union Station to meet the newest member of the family - Suji (aka Sujiko), who comes to us all the way from Portland, Oregon via The Pacific Pug Rescue. Akemi saw little Suji (formerly Suzie) on their website a few weeks back and instantly…
September 10, 2016: Tokyo Travel Day! Enjoy the Dogs!
So, what did you all think of last night's Dark Matter double-header? Thrilling? Touching? Shocking? All of the above? Do tell! Leave your feedback in the comments section. I'll peruse your thoughts once I land in Japan! In the meantime, enjoy some dog pics. Bubba, Lulu, and special guest star Petunia!
April 2, 2016: Dog Day Afternoon!
Oh, damn. Today, was our first early pre-flight weigh-in. Bubba tipped the scales at a negotiable 20.4 lbs. Lulu, however, was a robust 22.4 lbs! They both have to trim down to an even 20 lbs before they can fly. Fortunately for us, they have roughly two and a half months to get into shape!…
June 2, 1015: Jelly’s Last Run
I first set eyes on her in her little enclosure, backing up and charging, stopping just short of the window, then backing up and charging again. She was admittedly adorable. And tiny! So small I could have held her in my hand. But I didn't want a dog. Dogs were, after all, a huge responsibility…
May 29, 2015: Two weeks to the Dark Matter world premiere! A Jelly update!
"If this series not popular, I really can't believe." - Akemi last night after watching the producer's cut of episode #113, our season finale. Her words echo the sentiments of my writing partner who said pretty much the same thing, in less economical fashion, after viewing prod cuts of our first two episodes: "So, having seen…
December 27, 2014: Jelly works up an appetite!
Too much fiber in her diet!
April 22, 2014: Zombies in cars getting brains! Bubba! Continuing our Stargate Atlantis re-watch with…Identity!
Today's inane conversation with my Japanese girlfriend: As we pulled into the underground parkade... Akemi: That looks like zombie car (indicating an old, tarp-covered sedan). Joe: What's a zombie car? Akemi: A car that zombie hide in so it can eat people. (Obviously). Joe: What do you mean? They drive around offering lifts to people and…
April 16, 2014: Dog fight! Continuing our Stargate: Atlantis re-watch with…Outsiders!
Dog fight! Continuing our Stargate: Atlantis re-watch with...Outsiders! Hunh. I assumed Akemi would enjoy The Lost Tribe, but she found it slow-paced and confusing. I figured she wouldn't like Outsiders, but she was entertained throughout. While I wouldn't rank it among her favorites, she did prefer it over the previous episode: "I felt quicker than…
October 20, 2013: I Hate Sundays!
I HATE Sundays. I really do. I used to love them back in the day when I would get those ice cream deliveries and - oh yeah - my Snow Monkeys were competitive. Alas, those days are long gone and now, instead of enjoying home made ice cream while watching football, I'm reduced to raiding…
December 5, 2012: Culinary creations! Bubba hanging out!
The other day, I received THIS in the mail - No, not the pug. Or the Japanese girlfriend. Or the Japanese girlfriend's Dalmatian slippers [note: no actual dalmatians were hurt in the manufacturing of said slippers]. I refer, of course, to the cookbook - a cookbook chock full o' classic German recipes like gulasch, jagerschnitzel,…
July 20, 2012: Doggly Matters!
I had a terrible 2011 in Toronto. For many reasons. One of the biggest was the cancer diagnosis for my pug, Maximus, and the subsequent attempts to treat the illness. Once a week, Akemi and I would wake up at 7:00 a.m., bundle Max in the back of the car, and take the 90 minute…
May 23, 2012: Lulu scampers loudly and carries a big stick!
I was sidetracked today by an eye doctor's appointment, several phone calls, and a slew of emails that kept me from the task at hand - that task being, of course, the SF (near future) miniseries I'm writing with Paul. In order to keep to my act a day pace, it looks like I'll have…
August 8, 2011: Another Maximus Update
Maximus let me carry him this morning. On the surface, it may not sound like such a big deal but it really is when one considers that, throughout his life, he has never willingly allowed himself to be carried. All it would take was an: "I'm going to pick you up!" and he would quicken…
July 26, 2010: Romer’s Burger Bar! Jelly vs. Lulu! Dance moves of the future!
With the nausea gone and my appetite back, I figured what better way to celebrate my recovery from food poisoning than with gourmet burgers, pickles, two types of fries, and dessert. Yep, I was right back on the bike today, riding into one of the newest additions to the West 4th restaurant scene: Romer's Burger…