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January 12,
2003
Updates
I updated the Flash interface - take a look.
I begin the
final semester in my undergraduate degree tomorrow. :) I bought
my Europe tickets
last week. :-)
Thanks!
-Gregory David
Osmond
January
1, 2003
Updates
It was time to update my Education section - details on my
4th year are now available, check out the graphics I did this past
semester. Email me if you want know more!
I had an awesome
Christmas and a fantastic New Year's Eve. I hope everyone had a
magical season!
Thanks!
-Gregory David
Osmond
September
8, 2002
Updates
I added the Fitness Section under Interests and finished my
Work History section too (with
a story about my jobs to date and an updated resume).
The site will
be reviewed over the next few weeks, to find grammar and other mistakes.
If you find anything,
like a dead link, please contact me: gdosmond@telusplanet.net.
Thanks!
-Gregory David
Osmond
September
7, 2002
Updates
So many things have happened since I last updated this News
page. The summer flew by - it was filled with days at the cabin,
many satisfying hours working as a software developer at SMART Technologies
Inc. (www.smarttech.com), my share of breathtaking and peaceful
moments and so many other things.
I will direct
your attention to my Travels page - it has been updated with my
cruise photos, Italy photos and Eastern Canada photos. In addition,
I updated my Seadoo page under my Interests category. Check out
some more pictures there.
Have a great
day!
-Gregory David
Osmond
May 30, 2002
Movies
Watched A Beautiful Mind at Canyon Meadows Cinemas for
$4. Russell Crowe was stellar in his portrayal of John
Nash, the famous mathematician who was responsible for Game Theory
(which has had a significant impact on world
economic policies). John Nash was schizophrenic and had several
delusions that occupied him for many years,
including a federal agent who made him believe the Russians were
sending messages to secret agents through
various periodicals and were attempting to capture John. The best
description of John Nash is from his
own autobiography which can be found here.
May 29, 2002
Mom
is Home!
My mom returned
today from a 7 week backpacking trip throughout England and Scotland.
She spent an enormous amount of time planning and I think it paid
off. Her efforts are an inspiration for my 3 month trip to Europe
next year. I will probably post a number of her photos on this website...simply
because I expect many of them to be truly breathtaking. To
celebrate her triumphant return, my family went out to Oscar's Restaurant
(Bonaventure Drive, just north of TacoTime/Toys 'R Us, ...). This
was the kind of meal where you slouch into your seat at the end,
start drifting off to sleep and mumble, "Someone roll me home."
Movies
Spent the dwindling hours of the evening watching Rushmore
starring Bill Murray, Jason Schwartzman and Olivia
Williams. The script was written in part by Owen Wilson, and I could
definitely tell. This movie had the same
feel as a certain other movie, The Royal Tenenbaums, which
was directed and co-written by Wes Anderson as well.
Unlike The Royal Tenenbaums, though, I really quite enjoyed
Rushmore. For those who have never heard of it, Jason
Schwartzman (who hasn't been in very many films since this one,
so don't feel bad by having no clue who he is)
stars as Max Fischer, a fifteen year old student at Rushmore Academy,
a private school from grade school through
high school.
He is the king
of extra-curricular pursuits, the lifeblood of the many clubs on
campus. He has a part in the
wrestling team, fencing team, bee keepers society, model united
nations, debate club, dramatic performance
club (aka plays), French club, backgammon club, ... and also carries
on regular dialogue with the school
administration, affecting such decisions as course requirements
and school policy. When asked by Bill Murray,
millionaire Herman Blume (a financial supporter of the school who
also has two boys attending), what the secret is,
how at such a young age Max seems to have everything "figured
out", Max responds, "I guess you just have to find
something you love and then do that for the rest of your life. I
love attending Rushmore." All this time
spent with extra-curricular pursuits has left little time for academic
responsibilities and his grades have dropped
to such a level that he is placed on "academic sudden death,"
meaning that one more "F" and he is expelled.
Mr. Blume takes
a liking to Max (he relates more easily to Max than to his jock
twin sons)
and they begin a friendship. Eventually Olivia Williams, playing
teacher Rosemary Cross, enters the scene
and both Herman and Max fall desperately in love with her. A battle
for her affection ensues and is eventually
resolved.
I enjoyed the
humour and pacing in this film much more than in The Royal Tenenbaums.
I could relate to Max Fischer,
maybe not his exact predicament, but I had the same feelings in
high school...I loved the extra-curricular
activities, but occasionally found the academic pressures/competition
a little tiring after a while. The script
is very witty with some of the exchanges between Herman and Max
quite humorous...but this is dry humour. These
jokes are dry. I would quote some here, and was initially planning
on it, but when I typed them out I realized
that "you had to be there" to find it as funny as I did.
There may be few moments in the film where you're rolling
in the aisles laughing, but overall I was continuously entertained.
May 28, 2002
Movies
Watched
A Simple Plan starring Bill Paxton, Billy Bob Thorton and
Bridget Fonda (directed by Sam
Raimi of Evil Dead Fame). I recommend this film to anyone
interested in a detailed character study
of desperation, the extents of rationalization, and how seemingly
good people can become truly evil,
all in the pursuit of one thing: money. The plot is very complex
and involves a series of events that push the
main characters further and further from logic and reason. The moral
of the story is simple: do what you think
is right. Go with your gut. If you have the slightest hint of bad
things happening as a result of a certain
decision, odds are you would be best to avoid that course of action.
Now, I'm not referring to decisions like,
"Gee, do I really need those 5 timbits?" But instead larger
decisions, life-altering decisions. What is a life
altering decision? Different for everyone; quite subjective.
In the film,
three men discover a downed plane in a nature reserve. They investigate
and find the pilot's decomposing corpse and a bag filled with $100
dollar bill packages, all told: $4.4 Million US. Bill Paxton, the
educated of the three men, initially insists that they report the
plane and the money to the authorities because that is the right
decision. He knows it. Billy Bob and his friend, however, have different
plans. They both have lived lives on the outskirts of mainstream
society: very little money, relatively hopeless existence, lack
of purpose (neither have had jobs for a while), ... They pressure
Paxton to keep the money, at least until they determine no one knows
or cares if it is gone. Paxton craters and they keep the money.
It is all down hill from there. Just when you think it can't possibly
get any worse, it does.
I felt quite
uncomfortable watching the movie and caught myself shouting at the
TV screen on numerous occasions...things like, "Dumbass",
"For the love of ..." , "I wonder if Frasier is on
right now?"
If, after reading
the above, you say to yourself, "I would never, ever keep the
money. Reporting it to the
authorities is the right thing to do" and are quite confident
in that assertion, then don't rent this movie.
Conversely though, if you think, "Well, what would it hurt
to keep a little bit of the money?" then you need
to rent this movie.
May 27, 2002
Movies
Rented
the Australian film, Lantana, starring a host of Australian
actors and actresses (including Geoffrey Rush of Shine fame).
First and foremost, this is a movie about about life and marriage.
It follows four interrelated couples as they each deal with the
trials and tribulations of married life, including loss of a child,
affairs and betrayal, separation, and difficult accusations. Within
this context, a woman dies and the movie follows the ensuing investigation.
I was left guessing until the end what happened. As some reviewers
have pointed out, the film's main strength are in its multidimensional
characters, namely the male leads. These are not the stereotypical
men promoted in Hollywood, but real individuals, with varied emotions
and responses to that happening around them. This film was thoroughly
refreshing and I applaud the Australian film community for making
it.
Mike Oldfield
My favourite musician finally released his latest album, Tres Lunas.
Called a Chill Out album by Mike himself, it is sure to follow the
course established by Tubular Bells III. What is most exciting about
this album, however, is the next level of computer/music/listener
interactivity it brings. Mike was the first musician to commercially
release an Enhanced CD - a music CD that can be placed in a listener's
PC to view video clips and other media. He was never truly satisfied
with this and decided to embark on an even more ambitious project:
Music VR. Music VR is a journey into Mike's imagination. He has
created a 3D world that anyone can explore on their own home PC
while listening to his music. The music in his world changes and
reacts to the actions and places the listener visits. It is something
truly unique in the world of entertainment - a nonviolent, immersive,
effective, unique collaboration of music, computers and art. If
you would like further information, don't hesitate to email
me or visit www.mikeoldfield.com
or www.mikeoldfield.org.
May 24, 25,
26, 2002
Cabin
Only
a small amount of ice remained on the lake, and that which did persist
was situated near the provincial beach in town. Despite the ice
being off our part of the lake for but a few days, my dad and I
decided to persist and put the hoists and docks in. We endured the
extremely cold water, numb ankles, legs and hands to become champions
of Halfmoon Bay and claim the glorious title of "First to Put
their Docks and Hoists in this Season." To celebrate, we went
for lunch at Chef Francisco's in Sylvan.
After the fun
time on Saturday putting the key water structures in the lake, we
decided to launch the boat and Seadoo on Sunday. The weather had
warmed up quite a bit and the wind chill seemingly disappeared.
The boat's water pump appeared to be malfunctioning, so we ended
up dragging the boat back to Red Deer where we bought it. The Seadoo
went quite smoothly (aside from the vertical trim not working -
but that happens every year) and I am ever thankful that we put
a new motor in the Seadoo a few years ago. I have resolved, however,
to purchase a new Seadoo once I graduate from university. The new
Seadoo's boast a 30% reduction in fuel expenditure (thanks to things
like Orbital Direct Fuel Injection) and a much smoother (new hull
designs) and quieter ride (noise cancellation technology).
Movies
On Saturday night, we watched Insomnia at the newly renovated
Famous Players cinemas in Red Deer. After an exceptionally disturbing
experience at the cinemas last year, I decided to email Famous Players
regarding the poor physical condition the theatres were in. The
floors were covered in "muck" (a generic term used by
the film industry to describe the accumulation of gum, soda remains,
popcorn bits and other undesirables on the floor of a theatre),
the men's bathroom had neither soap nor paper towel nor toilet paper,
the film started upside down and ran like that for about 5 minutes,
the Famous "Fastlane" booths were broken and sitting abandoned
in the entranceway, ... oh, and a number of seats were missing from
the theatre...never to be repaired. Well, I received a nice letter
from Famous Players and a promise to send someone from "head
office" down to check things out. They did, and ordered a theatre
renovation. A successful influence
of corporate action, I'd say.
Insomnia
was a very satisfying, thought provoking mind-thriller. Quick Synopsis:
Will Dormer (Al Pacino) and his partner, Hap, are sent from LA to
Nightmute, Alaska, to assist with a murder investigation of a young
girl. The small police office needed their assistance, but Will's
boss also decided it would be better that he be out of the state
while Internal Affairs completes a thorough case review. Hap sells
Will out and decides to accept a package from Internal Affairs,
meaning that some of the questionable tactics employed by Will in
the past may come to light. After an accidental shooting where Hap
is killed, Will embarks on a dangerous negotiation with the real
murderer of the woman to keep his guilt hidden and frame an innocent
young man. Robin Williams is fantastic in his role here, a thankful
change from some of his past endeavours (namely Patch Adams and
the like). Pacino is perfect as the stressed-to-the-max detective
who is having difficulty coping with the results of his moral decisions
and the ever-present daylight. Hilary Swank is great too, playing
the young, go-getter co. I think I will rent Boys Don't Cry
soon.
May 23, 2002
Movies
Rented No
Man's Land, winner of Best Foreign Film at the Oscars this year.
This film's biggest competitor was Amelie, which I have not
seen yet, but certainly intend to. I enjoyed the film quite a bit.
At times it is funny, at times it is exceedingly dreary, but most
of the time I sat there thinking, "It is sad that the terrible
events depicted in this film are nothing compared to what really
happened there." Quick Synopsis: The Bosnian/Serbian war has
been raging for months. A Bosnian relief squad approaches the front
lines in the foggy evening and in the morning, when they set off
after a night's rest, mistakenly approach the Serbian front line.
The Serbian's promptly open fire, killing most of the group, except
for one man. The lone Bosnian who escapes, runs to a trench directly
between the Bosnian and Serbian lines. If he ventures out again,
he could be killed by either side for nothing marks him as a Bosnian.
The Serbians, in response, send a team of two men out to the trench
to investigate and, if necessary, kill whoever is there. The story
follows the interaction of the Bosnian and Serbians in the trench,
the attempt by the UN to intervene (as the movie shows, the UN was
almost powerless in this conflict), and the pressure of the foreign
media to get a story at all costs.
May 18, 19,
20, 2002
Cabin
Sylvan Lake was
still covered with ice...the first time my dad and I have seen ice
on the lake this late. This prevented us from launching the boat
and putting the docks/hoists in but it didn't prevent us from spending
hours inhaling Ammonia as we Windexed the inside and outside of
every window...along with hours of vacuuming and mowing/raking of
leaves. We did venture out to Red Deer to see a movie, one that
I truly loved. About a Boy was the best Hugh Grant film I
have ever seen and comes from the same writer who penned High Fidelity
and the directors of American Pie. It was funny, touching, realistic
and very satisfying. A must see.
May 17, 2002
Evening out
Met two friends,
John and Shaun, for dinner at Michelangelo's
on 11th St SW. I had boasted about the "honey" pizza for
a number of weeks before. Honey is used in place of tomato sauce.
A simple change, but a great one nonetheless. Pizzas start at $7
base with $0.50 added per topping. These thin crust (a herb dough,
I think) pizzas will fill one person. As for the interior, it's
great. Many people are a little frightened by the exterior...but
it's worth the trip. Couches and comfy chairs litter the place,
offering many a private spot. A bar at the back is a welcome place
for the regulars who frequent there on a Friday evening. Afterwards,
we went bowling!
May 15, 2002
Movies
Rented Zoolander.
I was chuckling about some of the jokes for a while after the movie
ended. "Eugogoly." ;-P
May 14, 2002
Movies
Saw Count
of Monte Cristo for $2 at Canyon Meadows. Excellent film; highly
watchable. Guy Pearce and Jim Caviezel are two actors I have come
to admire.
May 13, 2002
Movies
Rented Made,
starring the two guys from Swingers. Never rent this film.
Ever. If it's playing on a flight you happen to be on, catch some
sleep instead.
May
11, 2002
Fitness
Started working out again today, after an eleven day break (which
is part of the fitness plan I'm on). I was worried that too much
time away from the gym would have an adverse effect. Well, that
was just paranoia on my part. I feel rejuvenated and excited to
have started the fitness plan for a second time.
Outlaws
Went to Outlaws for a friend's birthday. Nice place, great people.
:)
May 10, 2002
Dinner
Had an excellent dinner
at the Living Room (514 17th Avenue SW, Ph: 228-9830).
The Living Room
is located in the trendiest block on 17th Avenue. It's neighbours
range from the Ship&Anchor, Pongo, Ming, El Sombrero, ... the
presence of so many good restaurants in one block was a good omen
for our meal.
An ample patio
preludes your entrance to the Living Room; and the idea of many
a summer meal on a warm evening lit up my imagination.
Inside you'll
find an impressively designed interior which makes a good mix of
unique tables (couches, raised tables with stools) and a decent
sized bar. It was refreshing, what with the bland design prevalent
in some other mainstream establishments.
The food was
impeccable. Our main courses included the Lamb Shank and the Curried
Chicken. Neither disappointed. The lamb literally fell of the bone
onto the bed of fettucini noodles below. The curry was warm and
the chicken as tender as my lamb.
To finish, we
decided to indulge in their Bernard Callebaut white and dark chocolate
fondue. Accompanying the ample amount of decadent chocolate was
a plate of grapes, apple and orange slices, melon, banana, and cookies.
It was the perfect end to a great meal. I will be visiting again.
After
My friend, John Shaskin, introduced me to the magic of Wesley
Willis and Super
Greg. I am eternally grateful, John.
;-P
May 9, 2002
Saw
Kilimanjaro and Space Station at the Eau Claire Imax cinema. I knew
nothing about Kilimanjaro (the film or the volcano) before seeing
this movie and was very pleasantly surprised. If I were to make
a journey to Africa at some point, climbing this magnificent volcano
(the "roof of Africa" as they referred to in the movie)
in Tanzania would definitely be on my itinerary. More information
on Kilimanjaro expeditions click here.
Space Station
was an entertaining 45 minutes as well. It provided an account of
the construction and crew changes that have occurred since the station's
inception. References were made to certain benefits of the station,
namely a better understanding of how the human body reacts to extended
durations in space and the development of more powerful medicines
on Earth. It was interesting to see Nasa's training program up close
(including the massive pool used to train astronauts on construction
procedures) and the peaceful collaboration of scientists from nations
around the world. It was nice to see the Canadarm getting the attention
it deserves. The construction of the space station would not be
possible without it.
May 8, 2002
Posted new static web layout. Please send comments to gdosmond@telusplanet.net
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