C’est au petit matin que l’on a entendu les premiers grondements de la Bête. Un son terrible qui pénètre dans les os. Je suis au centre de la Cité et j’at été décontenancé par le son, On ne peut encore voir la Bête, même de la plus haute tour de la Cité, mais on sait qu’elle est en marche. La légende dit qu’elle sort de torpeur à chaque 30 ans et elle provoque des dégâts catastrophiques avant de retourner à son sommeil car rien ne peut l’arrêter.
Même les fortifications de la Cité sont impuissantes face à une telle force de la nature. Je suppose que je pourrais faire comme de nombreux concitoyens et quitter la ville pour se cacher dans les forêts proches mais elle est tellement imprévisible qu’elle pourrait décider de passer à côté de la Cité et se rendre directement là-bas…
Je vais quand même préparer un baluchon au cas-où. En espérant que je ne la rencontre pas.
The good news is that the planned annual cleaning of the rugs at the office went on without a hitch last night, so the floor is back to a relative pristine state, unmarred by coffee and other sundry stains. But, on a unrelated tangent, my home network is experiencing glitches which makes working from there (by “work”, I am referring of course to my extra-curricular activities), a bit problematic. Thankfully, every thing should be back to normal by the week-end, especially since I am returning to Chult (well 95% sure of) and the last thing I need on a Sunday night is fiddling with my internet settings when I should be playing the role of a Tiefling Bard…
On the work front, after an hectic 2 weeks, it seems that I will be able to enjoy a much lighter load at least until the end of the month. While I fully expexct last minute “surprises” to pop up, they are much easier to manage if one does not have to juggle assignments.
Today’s MtG Tarot is SCEPTRE OF ETERNAL GLORYA bit of omnious, if empty, warning wrapped into a prophetic message.
Je sors un peu de mes habitudes mais de la manière que la semaine se déroule, je dois optimiser mes temps libres.
Le Montreal Cocktail Fest est de retour jusqu’à dimanche, ce qui me procure une excuse de prendre quelques cocktails en découvrant des bars de partout sur la planète. Malgré tout, je prévois déjà modérer mes transports et me limiter à une seule visite les soirs de semaine.
C’est anisi que j’ai les voiles vers le Atwater Cocktail Clubpour découvrir le bar FORM + MATTER de Mexico. Fidèle à leur nom, ils semblent privilégier des recettes à l’apparence minimaliste, mais qui peuvent quand même surprendre.
J’ai commencé avec le Good Sex, un Dirty Martini, avec un gin Tanqueray infusé à l’huile d’olive, du vermouth blanc, de la saumure d’olive et quelques gouttes d’huile de chili. Pendant longtemps, j’avais un certain dédain à consommer des olives mais ce n’est plus le cas. Le déclic s’est fait un peu après le décès de ma mère, qui en raffolait. Je ne sais pas si c’est relié mais bon.
Dans un tout autre registre, j’ai terminé avec un Key Lime Pie, (et non, cela ne ressemblait en rien à la tarte iconique). Du tonic Fever Tree, Midori sans alcool, Yuzu, Yogourt grec et du Loomi (lime séché ou lime noir). C’est le genre de cocktail que je prendrai à la fin d’un repas, en lieu et place d’un dessert. Non pas oque c’était quelque chose de riche et décadent, mais c’était juste assez léger et goûteux.Et bien qu’il n’y avait pas de vrai lime des Keys dans cette recette, l’amertume apporté par la lime séché était un bon compléemnt.
C’est un début tout en douceur mais je suis pas déçu, loin de là.
Today’s Duel Masters Wiki is BILLIARD = YARDRONDO, RIVALRY
Feels like: Rushed
Playing on CJFL: Saint-Gilles-Croix-De-Vie – Clair
Sometimes, you have to step back, take a look of the lay of the land and take a deep breath…
…before shouting into the Void.
This is more or less how I feel today. I take a look at my current workload, the fact that I am again sollicited on multiple tracks at the same time while remaining “autonomous” (that is with litlle support) and having the sinking feeling that any issues will be traced back to yours truly. While I am made or sterner stuff, I do sometimes feel the pressure and there’s nary an outlet for me to channel this stress.
Today’s MtG Tarot is NIMBLELARCENIST The Fates seem to to show me a model that I should aspire to. Maybe I should channel the Magpie as my spirit animal ?
Feels like: Artistic
Playing on CJFL: Atmosphere – Fsher & Kita Alexander
Le début de la semaine a été on ne peut plus chaotique. En raison d’un problème d’infiltration d’eau dans un des tunnels du Métro de La Cité, le service a été interrompu pour une bonne partie de la matinée. Malheureusement pour votre humble serviteur, je me suis trouvé directement impacté par cette panne, alors que le service a été arrêté pendant mon trajet, me trouvant “naufragé” à la station de métro Jean-Drapeau (qui se trouve sur l’île Sainte-Hélène, donc entre les 2 rives.)
Ceci aurait été problématique, nonobstant le fait qu’il y a un casino à cet endroit, ce qui fait que la société de transport en commun, dans sa mission de permettre aux gens d’assouvir leur besoin de perdre leur argent dans des jeux de hasard, maintient un circuit d’autobus qui relie à La Cité. Je suis quand même arrivé avec 3 quarts d’heure de retard, soit quand même près d’une heure avant que le service reprenne.
À dire vrai, si je n’avais pas à préparer mon transfert pour les vacances, j’aurai probablement pris la journée de congé, mais bon… Et comme un malheur n’arrive jamais seul, le REM (train léger) était aussi en problème et même certains trains de banlieue ont eu des pépins. Et j’ai subi aussi une panne de métro sur le chemin du retour. Vivement le Mexique!
Au moins, j’ai apprécié le show de Bad Bunny au Super Bowl, qui a démontré de manière magistrale que la meilleure revenge est de vivre sa vie. Voir “L’Amour est plus fort que la Haine” a sûrement mis en rogne, Mango Mussolini et ses sbires.
En espérant quand même que la semaine soit un peu moins problématique!
In less than 2 weeks, I will be back to Mexico. I am not going to lie and say that I can’t wait, even though I feel a little bit weary, even though it is of my own making. On the job front, it might be a bit hairy as I see the number of assignments given to me that falls during my absence is still rising. but I have chosen to take a laissez-faire attitude to it. I will ready as much as I can and after that, it’s out of my hands.
Weirdly enough, it’s more on the extra-curricular side of things that I feel doubt seeping in. Given that I have made the decision to treat part of that period to be as if I was still in La Cité, this means that I will have to jury-rig a way to to replicate this, something that I have yet to try while being in another location. Basically, I will keep a record of what will happen 2 weeks prior (I have started this yesterday as a matter of fact) and will use as the unfolding scenario while in Ixtapa.
There is a lot of moving pieces to this and this is why I have decided to postpone my data gathering session until I get a better sense of it all. It might get messy but that is the price to pay when one embrace Chaos.
Having said that, I did stop by the library to try and find some inspiration on the mundane side of things. And I came across “Indochine – Dizzidence Rock’N’Roll” which is a great retrospective on the career of a group that was at the forefront of the New Wave Rock movement in the 80s. It is a bit jarring to read that the group’s popularity in its home country waned much more rapidly than what I felt it was here.
In fact they were considered to be “Ringard” and Has Been for a good period of time after their early success.
Funnily enough, I could almost find a RPG-adjacent connection, as their first hit was “L’Aventurier” which was about Bob Morane, a post-WW II pulp hero created in the early 1950s that was popular and even spawned numerous adaptations. The song was used in the intro for the French version of the animated series based on him. The weird thing is that here, the intro was the “original” unrelated to the song, a version that I still have on my playlist.
In other news, I have to admit that part of my attention is drawn to the story of the abduction of the mother of Savannah Guthrie, from NBC. I think the Guardianhas it best with “A missing 84-year-old mother of a famous TV morning show anchor; droplets of blood and a mysterious white van; a ransom note sent to a celebrity news website; no suspects; a city surrounded by desert near the US-Mexico border; frustrated investigators; and a concerned US president.“. I swear this feels like a Mary Higgins Clark story.
I did take some time to care for moi, even if it were unplanned. It’s Poutine Week, an event that sees local (and not so local) eateries, come out with crazy new interpretations on the fries, gravy and cheese curds food of the Gods. While I do like a good poutine from time to time, I choose not to partake as most of the time, it seems an excuse to just throw everything but the kitchen sink and see what sticks.
But I came across one entry that I just HAD to try, as it was cribbing from something I always wanted to try.
The “Spice Bag” is a something that came about in Dublin where chip shops and Chinese restaurants offers a fusion of their cuisine. It’s a mix of chips (fries for people this side of the Atlantic), mixed in with fried onions, chilis, peppers and chicken. It is served in a paper bag (to properly mix in all the ingredients) with a side of curry sauce.
Local Asian bistro, La Belle Tonki has decided to use this as inspiration and add Cheese curds to the mix, while providing Sweet & Sour in addition to the curry sauce. While I have seen things like using General Tso chicken or Spicy Thai Chicken as add-ons, this is the first time I see something so close to the “proper” concept of a Spice Bag. it was delicious!
It also helps that this place was actually on my radar but I never found the time, which I now see was a tactical mistake. Of course, I had to try the cocktails. I first tried the “Old Feng Shui” (left) with Suntory Toki whisky, Chinese Five-Spice syrup, Angostura and Thai Chili bitters. This upscale Old Fashioned has just the right amount of kick to it.
I then tried their take of a Gin & Tonic, the “Yu & Me” (left) with Gin, Yuzu honey, ;Chanh Muối (salted pickled lime), Yuzu, Calamansi and Soda. I remember trying a soda made with salty pickled limes in the past but I don’t quite remember whether it was at a Vietnamese restaurant or an Indian one. Either way, I was having an endorphin-fuelled flashback.
I was happy and full of citrus as I made my way back home, unsurprised to see that there was a lineup of people waiting to get it. Definite a place I will add in my rotation upon my return.
Today’s MtG Tarot is INDOMITABLE ANCIENTS Giant, Powerful, but Slow. That is definitely my current mind set with regards on how to tackle my data conundrum.
Avec le départ prochain de Swiss Miss qui prend une retraite bien méritée, je ne peux m’empêcher de ressentir une certaine nostalgie de voir toute la “vielle garde” quitter BigMediaCo. C’est probablement la dernière personne dans l’entreprise avec qui j’ai développé une amitié et qui avait réussi à survivre toutes ces années (même si nos chemins s’étaient séparés avec la restructuration suite à la fusion). Mis à part AfroSamurai(que j’ai rencontré lors du conflit car nous avions des amis communs), il y a peut-être seulement 1 ou 2 personnes dans l’entreprise avec qui j’ai des affinités qui transcendent le minimum social requis.
C’est pourquoi, j’ai sauté sur l’occasion quand elle m’a mentionné vouloir prendre un dernier dîner avec moi la semaine prochaine avant son départ. Techniquement parlant, je n’ai qu’une demi-heure de repas, mais je pense que je peux négocier facilement une extension. Je pourrais probablement aussi le faire sans aviser mes supérieurs – surtout si ma gestionnaire n’est pas au bureau cette journée-là. LOL
D’ailleurs, Swiss Miss a porté à mon attention quelque chose de bizarre à propos de ma gestionnaire et voisine occasionnelle de cubicule. Il semble qu’elle a décidé de réserver sa “place légitime” pour les 2 prochaines semaines. Même s’il serait possible qu’elle se trouve à venir au bureau 5 jours sur 5, au lieu du 3 jours qui est présentement requis pour les employés non-syndiqués, je pense probablement qu’elle fait cela pour empêcher que sa place soit utilisée par quelqu’un d’autre. J’en aurai le cœur net la semaine prochaine. À ce compte là, peut-être que cela serait plus facile de faire rentrer les gens 5 jours / semaine si on est rendu à avoir un comportement similaire. La prochaine étape va être de laisser une serviette de plage à la place.
D’un autre côté, comme cette place se trouve juste en face la mienne, c’est probablement celle qui m’affecte le moins d’un point de vue “feng shui”, aussi paradoxal que cela puisse paraître.
Today’s MtG Tarot is BOROMIR, WARDEN OF THE TOWER
Feels like: Thoughtful
Playing on CJFL: Rendez-Vous À Montréal – Pierret Beauchamp
In all seriousness (hum!), I find the cosmic juxtaposition of having one of the unhinged characters is just coincidence but I admit I like it, even though I have no intent (at this time) to explore it further. If nothing else, this might provide a way for me to sprinkle RPG-related content in an otherwise completely mundane setting.
In the meantime, it’s been another hectic week at work so far for yours truly. I have so many official and off-the-books assignments that my loyalties are seriously conflicted (or they would be were my cynicism not protecting me) as their mutually exclusive in their resolution. Add the fact that my name is being added to the number of projects that are due to launch while I am on vacation is now greater than zero and is steadily climbing, despite the fact I already flagged my boss about the issue, and one can appreciate welcoming the Merc with a mouth for spiritual guidance.
Meanwhile, in Minnesota, the debacle of Trump’s ICE stormtroopers continues. With the exile/”demotion” of Greg Bovino, the mounting pressure put on Kristi Noem, even from people on the Republican sides (Noem is already parroting the Nuremberg defense), Mango Mussolini has begun mentioning that they will “de-escalate” their actions in Minneapolis. Of course, this might be just a smoke-and-mirrors act as they are probably taking the shit show to another locale, it’s still a victory (albeit a Pyrrhic one) for the Good Guys.
And with the news that ICE is being sent to Italy for the Winter Olympics to provide “support” to the US Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, the tour is going international. Sending the brownshirts to protect the likes of Vance and Rubio will surely bring prestige to the whole affair. Reading that the support of the European Far-Right, which had welcome the re-election of Trump last year, is now cooling off as recent actions like the threats to take over Greenland clash with their pro-nationalistic ideals. Sad!
Today’s MtG Tarot is FARAMIR, FIELD COMMANDERHmm, Faramir is an interesting character, not as famous or front of the center as the others, he is one of the few to resist the Ring’s allure. I guess this is the Fates telling me not to give in to my Ryan Reynolds side.
Feels like: Bitchy
Playing on CJFL: Giulani – Serenade Op. 127 – Nora Shulman & Norbert Kraft
While playing the game, While playing the game, I have sometimes have to take into consideration whether embracing true randomises is the best policy? Take for exemple, the case of my first leading writing prompt for the new cycle I started at the end of last year. with a mix of inclement weather and public transit woes, I had to repurpose my planned walkabout and instead use the rather limited ressources at BigMediaCo, and even the web was off-limits. I thought that stumbling upon one of those self-serve book depository hoping to find something I could salvage.
Much to my dismay, the best I could come up with is some Pop Psychology Junk, which puts me in quite the conundrum. Since it’s a work-related source, I feel compelled to be drawn towards a Severance-inspired story, especially since the RPG-related elements are few (at least for now) could easily be explained as symbols and cyphers. What is particularly fitting is that, since I am using the company’s desk booking platform to “map out” the layout of my world, the luck of the dice has made my position surrounded by such uplifting items as “Havana Syndrome” and “Capital Punishment”, so one can see how I could milk the dystopia out of this….Heck, even my Burn Noticed story could be used.
To be honest, this feels a bit dark for me, I’ll still take a stab at it – maybe putting my data gathering to the back burner once again. One thing is for sure, even if I end up focusing on something else, there’s a good chance this will linger until November.
Speaking of lingering, Mango Mussolini is still in the news. First my summoning the “Legion of Doom”, er I mean the “Board of Peace” with a who’s who of despots and totalitarians, but he took the time to tell the Swiss that they would be speaking German, if not for the US in WWII (sigh) and belittling the support (and sacrifice) the rest of NATO provided when the Afghanistan campaign (rich, coming from a coward). What a staggering contrast with the speech made the day before by Canadian PM, Mark Carney that without naming it, basically condemned US hegemony to the dustbins of history.
But it’s not all doom and gloom as I managed to visit the Montreal Auto Show, which boasted that most of the major brands were back, which was true, albeit with a very limited palette. Fiat and Alfa Romeo, for exemple, were folded in the other Stellantis brands instead of having their own section. Still, there were some nice looking vehicles.
From Left to Right, Allard J2X, Lamborghini Temerario, Corvette ZR1X, Toyota GR Supra, Toyota GR86 Yuzu, Mustang Dark Horse, Cadillac Celestiq
And a nice retrospective of Gilles Villeneuve’s career with replicas of his Formula Atlantic and Formula One cars.
Today’s MtG Tarot is MIRROR IMAGEGiven my data anxieties, this is… concerning
Feels like: Awake (Ugh!)
Playing on CJFL: La Paix Sur Terre – Conrad Stéphane (Ugh!)
Last night was our first D&D session of the year, where we basically spent the night clearing doing some lawn maintenance in the Chult jungle. I kid but we basically spent almost 2 days (game time) trekking in the jungle, only to come across an obelisk and some various plant=like monsters like Assassin Vinesor Yellow Musk Creeper (and its zombies). I don’t know whether it was because I was become I felt more tired than usual (was tossing and turning most of the previous night and I actually got up at around 3AM and I watched some Dimension 20 while drinking some Cherry tea I bought from the Polish bakery.) but the session felt more a drag than usual – probably this was due to the somewhat limited options I had during the fact, as I just blasted the critters with spells, while giving some Bardic Inspiration to the rest of the team.
Add the fact that D&D Beyond was very sluggish and that didn’t help matters. On the plus, I did stumble on the custom 500 error message page for Wizards and I have to admit using a Beholder Zombie is probably accurate.
Add the fact that our next session will need to be delayed as it was due while yours truly will be sipping margaritas and one can understand how I feel blasé about the whole thing.
Today’s MtG Tarot is SCURRY OAK Not sure how a walking tree with a squirrel retinue should be interpreted as an omen but it might be a sign that I may be losing it. Better than the Beholder Zombie though.
Feels like: Happy
Playing on CJFL: Trés Golpes – Pa Eleggua – Jane Bunnett & Maqueque
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