Jen Q, who has done the CBC casual treadmill, left a comment today on a post of mine from January saying, "I wish more people would read this."

So here it is: Bill argues with self about casual hell.

Here's an excerpt from Jen's comment:

But it would sure be nice to not be locked out right now. To be able to plan investigative pieces.

To file FOIs and access to informations and not worry about am-I-going-to-be-around in a month to follow them up.

To keep in touch with key contacts.

To maybe develop some beat reporting.

Heck, to be able to plan a family! (A maternity leave would put me way in the red for a couple years, but at least I'm not one of my pregnant colleagues, who are both in a very precarious position on the picket line these days)

I don't honestly believe this lockout will make all these magical things happen. But I sure hope it gets better than it is for us now.

Not bothering to cross her fingers
Jen Q

Here's my post from last year. It is unquestionably the most-read thing I've ever posted to this blog and, as of Monday night, was the top post in August.

Oddly enough, Elvis still matters to some 28 years after he died -- although not as much as a major anniversary year; the Memphis Commercial Appeal reports only between nine thousand and 10,000 people showed up, compared to 75,000 on the 25th anniversary.

The BBC has an artist profile and looks at D-day in This day in history: Aug. 16, 1977.

A few words from the Texican Tattler:

I'll be wearing a black arm band today, and I'll be listening to Elvis CD's, and when I sit on the toilet, I'll hold a kind thought for E. I hope you will too.

And if you're looking to rent a flick tonight, pick this one!

This could come in handy when the day of reckoning, as some put it, hits Toronto.

This isn't a particularly new story, but what amazes me is that the story -- about the extreme time demands placed on workers in the video-game creation industry -- still exists.

If you're a U.S. traveller with an infant and they happen to have the same name as someone on the no-fly list, then tough pablum.

The AP story via CTV.ca here.

This is one of the oddest stories I've seen in quite some time.

Read it and see what I mean. An excerpt from The Globe and Mail story:

My pal Kevin, who cares very deeply about my mental health, sent me the following as a blog anniversary present:

there is a growing epidemic in the cyberworld. a scourge which causes more suffering with each passing day. as blogging has exploded and, under the stewardship of the veterans, the form has matured more and more bloggers are finding themselves disillusioned, dissatisfied, taking long breaks, and in many cases simply closing up shop. this debilitating scourge ebbs and flows but there is hardly a blogger among us who has not felt it’s dark touch. we’re speaking, of course, about blog depression.

we here at the nonist have spoken before about the “blog life crisis" which is a natural part of any blog’s life-span. what we turn our attention to now, however, is the more insidious, prolonged strain of dissatisfaction which stays with a blogger, right below the surface, throughout a blog’s lifetime. the diligent and self aware blogger can resist this destructive undercurrent, make changes, adapt, rationalize, but for many, untreated, it can cause much needless suffering in the form of full fledged blog depression.

below you will find a 6 page pamphlet meant as a public service to help educate bloggers about this growing problem. feel free to download the complete pdf and disseminate this work to those you know and love. otherwise click each to see the larger version. “the more you know...”

Check it out: It's pretty funny and veers uncomfortably towards the truth. :)